PwC Jamaica’s Post

It’s that time of year PwC UK as we celebrate the promotions across the business as well as welcome a new Senior Partner and Managing Board. You see those you know well and those less so. Those you have coached and mentored and those who have coached and mentored you! Celebrating the successes of those we know and others is more than just a gesture of kindness; it’s an essential practice that fosters a positive and thriving community. In both personal and professional settings, recognising and applauding achievements can have profound impacts on individuals and groups alike. Firstly, celebrating success enhances motivation and morale. When we acknowledge the hard work and accomplishments of others, we validate their efforts and encourage them to keep striving for excellence. This positive reinforcement is crucial in maintaining high levels of enthusiasm and dedication. Moreover, celebrating others’ successes cultivates a supportive and collaborative culture. In a workplace, this practice can lead to stronger teamwork and a sense of belonging. Colleagues who feel appreciated are more likely to support each other, share knowledge, and work together towards common goals. This spirit of camaraderie and mutual respect can significantly improve overall productivity and job satisfaction. On a broader scale, recognising the achievements of others can inspire us all. Success stories serve as powerful examples of what is possible. They remind us that with hard work, persistence, and a positive attitude, we too can achieve our goals. By celebrating others, we create a ripple effect of inspiration and positivity that can extend far beyond our immediate circles. In addition, celebrating success helps to build and strengthen networks. Acknowledging and sharing in the joy of others’ accomplishments can open doors to new connections and opportunities. It demonstrates that we are not just focused on our own journey but are invested in the growth and success of those around us. Ultimately, celebrating the successes of others enriches our own lives and contributes to a more uplifting and interconnected world. So, let’s make it a point to recognise and celebrate the achievements of those we know, and watch as our community flourishes. #PwCFamily #Celebrations #WorkMilestones

Ladies and Gentlemen, I just prepared one of my favourite dishes over the weekend: Pure con Pollo (though this is actually "fake pollo"). What I was thinking while preparing it, just for myself, was that I wanted to present it to myself as if I were a highly valued guest. I wanted to feel like someone really cared for me. So, I did. Like I always do. But not just for myself. For everyone I come across (certainly not people who have the intent to harm me or so, should be clear). So, meticulous attention to detail in every aspect leads to excellence, while neglect leaves a sour taste. Our commitment to care (qualitative intention) in all we do is what sets us apart, naturally. Regrettably only a few do deliver quality to themselves. Why? Well, because this is based on values and self-respect. Self-respect to live one's values in any given circumstance, in this case care, and generally having values merely out of self-respect again. Because one is someone, someone very distinct. Someone who is unique. Each of us. And we can only present that accurately to ourselves and the world when we do live our values. It's not just about doing the job; it's about doing it exceptionally well, which you can only achieve when you do it for yourself to that degree, unrelated to the outside-world. And this is what one should do. Certainly, this is about your life quality. No need increasing it. But it is as well related to the outcomes of your endeavors generally. And if you are not intrinsically motivated, trust me, there are many who are, simply because they are driven by their own values and passions - and when these were formed due to a high-pressure environment, they do withstand resolutely. Such people long-term do not only own a better life quality, a balanced and sincere perspective on life, a nuanced understanding of social dynamics, wisdom, and kindness - not just that, they will innovate things and outperform extrinsically motivated individuals by far. Standards are elevating, EY Luxembourg. Simply because I do take myself serious and do have self-respect. That is already causing an elevation. Feel free ignoring this. While you may do so, others do not. It will make people think about all these things I do say. And even you yourself said it, "So what’s going to happen in the future? I cannot tell you, there will be evolution. What kind of evolution? I cannot tell you now, because I don’t know.” (Olivier Coekelbergs, as cited in Linna, 2023) That's the thing. There are people who do know. Because they’re just doing it. If one does not know, it is not a big deal - when one knows where to look. Background for this post: https://lnkd.in/dNp_pgUk Linna, L. (2023, November 29). EY Luxembourg reports growth of 13.3%, focuses on technology. Delano News. Retrieved from https://lnkd.in/eyJrkg3i #inclusion #ethics #nonprofessional #EY

"We are sorry, we could not take care of one of us".This is the least we want to hear. Amidst all the outpouring of grief that we are sharing post the tragic passing of Anna, what I also found very disconcerting was both the silence from EY’s own employees or when they choose to write anonymously about the toxicity. It speaks volumes about the culture when the absence of acknowledgment of such a failure stands out in such a heartbreaking moment. Today I felt most sad when many EY leaders are posting about their ‘positive experiences’ - I can’t help but feel they are being nudged or pressured and clearly still more concerned about reputational damage than the actual loss of life. Not one of these leaders had posted a single message honoring the departed soul prior to their positive experiences. Amidst all the PR stunts and legally vetted statements, carefully suggesting denial, not even one EY leader has the humility and courage to simply say - " we are sorry, we could not take care of one of our own ! ". The print media also seems to be offering lip service, as have industry associations, perhaps fearing the loss of EY-sponsored reports and surveys. Even more surprising is the quietness from leaders, many from other consulting firms, including the Big 4, who are otherwise so vocal on LinkedIn and not sure if this is to keep their future employment options open at EY. Moments like these reveal a lot about real leadership. If your leaders are silent, remember—being silent is a statement in itself. Choose your heroes wisely. This post is not about EY, this is about all of us, how we choose to take care of each other better . We all know toxicity extends to other organisations as well - maybe 9 out of 10 organisations would have done the same in this unfortunate situation . This is about how we rather choose to acknowledge, react and hopefully better ourselves, each one of us. The least we can do is to acknowledge and better ourselves individually and collectively to ensure this never recurs. Never. One of the first things we teach our kids is to say 'sorry' and 'thank you' as powerful words. Today I realise how powerful a word 'sorry' truly is. #justiceforanna #ey

In 2024 we celebrate our 175th anniversary. We are shining a spotlight on some of our PwC people and alumni and how they have shaped and contributed to PwC’s history. Sir Gilbert Garnsey joined PwC in 1905. He was was known as one of the most influential accountants of his time and referred to as a “financial doctor of industry”. He became a partner in 1913 aged 30 and was described as “hard working, highly intelligent and ambitious”. Intrigued by our history? Find out more in the comments ⬇️. #Accountant #Alumni #CharteredAccountant #PwC

At around this time last week, my two great compadres, Adrian Moorhouse and Dominic Mahony MBE OLY, both posted ‘departing’ reflections to mark their last day as Partners @ EY Lane4, and to paint a picture of what may lie ahead for them. I loved both their messages because they were so beautifully representative of them as human beings, and wonderful encapsulations of the ‘islands of sanity & positivity’ they have been for me, over the past three decades (and hopefully, the next three)! A week into my own next chapter (same departure date!), I feel more capable of reflecting coherently myself. Dylan Thomas’ exhortation to his father (and others) to ‘rage against the dying of the light’ has always moved me, and perhaps unconsciously influenced a hankering to ‘grip on to the past’ and to hide behind insulating rituals; an almost nostalgic & indulgent view of what ‘was’. However, as the completion of my first week in the New World approaches, I am realising a much more expansive perspective than I could have imagined, and any potential fear of personal contraction or atrophy shows no signs! This sense of verve for the future has been influenced hugely by the intensity and richness of the EY chapter in my life. I will forever be grateful to a host of former EY colleagues (Kate Bamford, Tricia Nelson, Shaun Scantlebury, not least) for providing such a crucible for my own development. We ‘learn by doing’ is an easily expressed aphorism, but now I get it. I mean, I really get it! My time in EY has forged a much clearer understanding of what Leaders have to navigate (and, more importantly, how to respond elegantly & with sustained impact). Without wishing to ‘deep it’ (as my 18 year old daughter often calls me on!), part of this ‘epiphany’ relates to the joy of really understanding what Nietzsche means about the three metamorphoses he describes in the self-overcoming stages of life. Hitherto, I would nod sagely about his perspective on the developmental pattern of what we value (and even talk authoritatively about it!). However, the experience of the crucible I speak of above, has converted ‘sage nodding’ into an integrated and much more empowering sense of who I am, and how I can contribute with more authenticity going forward. Perhaps I’m just slow on the uptake, but the dawning that one’s values are not eternal and that new values can bubble up and give new chapters in our lives purpose, has been an important realisation. They can give us new fascinations, new symbols and reshape our meaning of what’s to come (and hence, how we can contribute). Thank you to everyone who has been part of this sense-making! I sincerely hope our paths cross again.

When I worked at Deloitte I'd often end up interviewing people who wanted to join as a Partner. Which was weird because I wasn't a Partner. I'd then ask how many people they'd met before me and usually the number was in the double digits. I did wonder why these people still wanted to work for Deloitte because if they couldn't get an answer after maybe 3 or 4 rounds of conversation then maybe they'd want to work somewhere more decisive. I think most, if not all, of these people then saw sense and went to work elsewhere. Though I doubt it was KPMG either. I see it as a salesperson of my own wares. You have a good meeting and they say "well you need to speak to so and so" before you get either ghosted or the intern tells you they've chosen someone else or decided to scrap the project entirely. It's why I'm quite looking forward to reading this book called The Unaccountability Machine to see if I can get my head around it better. Usually by meeting 3 I ask if they really want to do this or not, and unless the answer is a definitive yes then I walk away. Treating them a bit mean sometimes does keep them keen, better in business than in dating at least. At least it seems it's not just me that finds this behaviour to be common, maddening and ultimately downright destructive. I wonder when the behaviour changes and we see the idea of people not taking accountability as a weakness rather than a risk aversion strategy. "By contrast, when people have to make a decision in a collective setting, their first instinct may not be to choose well, but to avoid blame. It is dangerous to assume that the more people who are involved in a decision, the better the outcome will be. This is true only under certain conditions, when the process of decision-making is very well designed, otherwise a kind of collective insanity can arise. I recently met someone involved in selling an innovation to the NHS. Any purchase had to be approved by 11 separate people in sequence, any one of whom could veto it. I’d be willing to guess that only one or two of those 11 had any medical knowledge." https://lnkd.in/gzx_feNV

The screenshot attached below is of Anna’s colleague, who’s shared the incident personally, asking not to reveal her identity…. The Chairman of EY stated that merely for 4 months Anna worked with us; work-life didn’t claim her life. It has been just 4 days since that LinkedIn community took the heartbreaking issue and took the responsibility to make justice serve Anna’s family….. What the result was; The culprits run away deleting their LinkedIn profiles and their social media platforms…. In merely 4 days, their peaceful environment was devastated into a toxic environment. Rajiv ji stated that he believes that work life didn’t claim Anna's life!! Naa naa naaa….. 4 days are enough to create a peaceful environment into a toxic environment and make an individual lie on a deathbed! What favour did EY promise to the employees for making a supportive post to polish the so-called social image of EY!? EY | LinkedIn | LinkedIn News | Shashi Tharoor |

View my verified achievement from PwC <3

Im working at a Big 4 at just 20?😲 Three months at PwC have flown by!!✨ It's hard to believe it's been a quarter of a year already since i joined PwC and so far it's been a fascinating journey. On my first day, i was overwhelmed with new faces, systems and expectations.😬 Yet, amidst the chaos, i found myself surrounded by amazing people that made me feel welcomed. In the initial days, i felt confused and questioned wether i made the right decision to join the corporate world, balancing my studies and work was a concern. But what i've learned so far is that everything takes time and each passing day in a Big 4 teaches you something new. And everything will fall into place beautifully, just trust the process🙂 A few key lessons that i've learned so far: 1. Importance of time: learn to manage your time effectively, every moment counts. 2. Engage with seniors: Interact with your seniors and learn from their experiences, their insight can be very helpful (trust me been there😂) 3. Ask for help: Don't be shy or afraid to admit when you dont know something and just ask. 4. Gratefulness: We are probably living someone else's dream and we should be grateful for that. Please feel free to share your corporate world experiences in the comments!😊 Welcome to the hustle guys you've got thiss!💪

I call him my work dad 😊 I met Sir Andy, as I affectionately like to call him, 12 years ago when I joined PwC in Chicago. I quickly realized that he was not just a partner at a big 4 firm, he was a human being who genuinely cared about other human beings and carried that essence everywhere he went. I was inspired by his humility and kindness, he gave me a different view of what it meant to be a leader in this industry. He will tell you he is not perfect but I sure can tell you the healthy behaviors I observed at that time in this leader were not the usually expected ones of a partner. I was impressed upon positively and made a decision to stay in touch and continue learning from him even after I left PwC. Since then, there has not been a professional move I have made that he was not aware of or involved in in some way, which is why I call him my work dad. He has provided advice, guidance, wisdom, tips, a voice speaking on my behalf, encouragement, uplifting words, belief in me and my son… Thank you so very much for being who you are Sir Andy Dahle . Thank you for impacting my life positively and being an example continually. It was such a joy to see you and share this time of laughter and fellowship with you Sir. Thank you for making the time and sacrifice to meet with me! It was so much more fun in person!! 🙏🏾🙏🏾😇 Invest in relationships. Put recurring catch ups on the calendar with those people who impacted you in some way, don’t stop connecting with them just because you left the company. Be intentional, before you know it, 12 years would have passed and you’d realize this is no longer just a colleague or boss you met at work, but a friend, an ally, someone you can call on and vice versa. #investinrelationships