FORVIS

“Listening to understand” is a key element of delivering an Unmatched Client Experience. Trey Ackerman, national leader for our tax service line, joins us to explore lessons learned and best practices for being an effective and genuine listener.

FORVIS’ mission statement includes a focus on both our people and our clients. Lori Haley, who will assume the role of Chief Talent Officer in June, shares her insights on the first portion of the mission statement and what our DNA means with respect to our people.

FORVIS’ mission statement includes a focus on both our people and our clients. Lori Haley, who will assume the role of Chief Talent Officer in June, shares her insights on the first portion of the mission statement and what our DNA means with respect to our people.

What’s the history and meaning behind the “un” words that describe our DNA, such as “unmatched,” “uncommon,” “unrivaled” and “unlock?” We spoke with Chief Integration Officer John Roberts, who chaired one of our two DNA task forces, to learn more. 

Let’s take a peek behind the curtain of how our DNA was developed. In this episode, you’ll be given exclusive access to a panel discussion among task force members that occurred at our recent partner meeting where the FORVIS DNA was first revealed. 

Welcome to Along the Way, a podcast showcasing the culture and philosophies behind The FORVIS Way. In this brief introduction, you'll learn more about how and why we will explore this important topic though the podcast.

Throughout June, we are celebrating Pride Month at DHG! Our PRIDE+ Common Interest Group (CIG) planned a robust and exciting month of activities, including a My LGBTQ+ Experience session to share the authentic and real perspectives of DHG teammates, both Allies and members of the LGBTQ+ community, to help us connect and learn together.

Alanna Carvalho, a consultant in our Healthcare Consulting Practice, joins the Life at DHG Podcast to discuss a very important and, often, sensitive topic – using personal pronouns correctly to respect gender identity. By definition, pronouns are words that we use to refer to someone in the third person, such as he, she or them. In the sense of gender identity, pronouns are a testament that people make about who they are and their authentic selves. Alanna helps answer some frequently asked questions to help us better use and understand personal pronouns:

• How do I know what pronouns to use? The best way is to make it a habit to introduce yourself with pronouns. This gives someone the space to share without directly asking or singling someone out. Everyone has a pronoun so the more we normalize this practice, the better.
• What do I do if I use the wrong pronoun? As this is something fairly new to many people and can be tricky, start by understanding at some point you will use the wrong pronoun. When you make a mistake, it is good to recognize the mistake, understand the harm that comes from this and correct yourself. Try to not make it a big deal but the effort to correct yourself and apologize will show your good intent.
• What else is language gendered beyond pronouns? People are frequently misgendered due the nature of our language – many things are naturally gendered without bad intent. It takes effort to recognize everyday expressions and words that are gendered, such as businessman or waitress.
• Do you have any tips to help our Allies?

1. 1. Start by stating your pronouns when you introduce yourself. Allies are really important advocates and help to normalize these situations.
   2. Incorporate genderless language into your daily vernacular. Use “they” for hypothetical situations and avoid using gendered words, such as sir and ma’am.
   3. Be proactive with your own research and education. Educating yourself on these topics is a personal journey and it should not be the responsibility of the LGBTQ+ community to educate everyone. I really encourage the site MyPronouns.org as a resource. The site explains what pronouns are, what to do when you make mistakes and more.

Joining the Life at DHG Podcast is one of our very own social media stars – Nathan Clark.  Nathan is a partner in our Tax practice and is constantly researching and providing thought leadership to not only the firm, but to our clients and the broader accounting industry. He was recently recognized by Forbes as one of the top 100 accounting Twitter accounts to follow.

Nathan shares how he started using Twitter to build his external brand presence and three tips for others interested in growing their personal brand:  

1. Find a way to add value: Look for opportunities to add value to a conversation. He notes that as a professional it is important to be known for something – it could be something technical or industry specific. This reinforces the skills that you bring to the firm and clients.
2. Be active on the platform: Take the time to be active on the platform and consistently post and engage in conversations with like-minded people – this is how you can start to build relationships with other professionals. It might sound like a heavy time lift but Nathan says he can plan his content and engage on Twitter in less than 15 minutes!
3. Focus on something that interests you: If you are not interested in a topic, posting will become a chore. Find something that you are passionate about and it will help your content feel more authentic.

DHG Heroes are making an impact at the firm and in our greater communities. To celebrate Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we are highlighting extraordinary members of our Asian Pacific-Islander Network (APIN), who are creating change and inspiring others.

Rachel Feng, a Tax Senior Associate in the Metro D.C. office, moved to the U.S. from China without knowing anyone. She attended Wake Forest University in Winston Salem, North Carolina and joins the Life at DHG podcast to share how she navigated life in a new country on her own. To Rachel, celebrating Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month all goes back to the spirit of ONE DHG.  It gives her the opportunity to share the story of who she is with friends and coworkers and to celebrate where she came from. Listen to the Life at DHG podcast to learn more about the importance of API Heritage Month and how Rachel will be celebrating, which includes watching one her favorite movies, Joy Luck Club. Thank you for sharing your story, Rachel!

During the month of May, we are celebrating our first ever Alumni Appreciation Week. As part of this celebration, we are telling the stories of our alumni and also calling out the fact that some of our people are boomerangs who returned to work at DHG after a period of time away from us.  Lindsay Lehman is a Tax Manager in Charlotte who shares why she returned to work at DHG, what she missed about DHG while she was away and how DHG has helped her build a valuable career. She explains more about her coming “home” to DHG experience to achieve a better-balanced career and broaden her skillets.