Video: Ron Baker on Talking Politics Professionally
Politics and business have always been intertwined, but today’s climate of deep division presents new challenges for accounting professionals. Whether discussing tax policy, compliance, or broader economic issues, accountants often find themselves in conversations that can quickly become contentious.
In this episode of Transformation Talks, host Donny Shimamoto, CPA.CITP, CGMA leads a discussion with Brian Tankersley, CPA.CITP, CGMA; Ron Baker, CPA (inactive), and Amy Welch, APR, CAE, on how accountants can navigate political differences while maintaining professionalism, respect, and productive dialogue.
Here are five pull quotes from Ron:
“I love debating ideas. I’ll debate ideas with anybody, anytime, anywhere, but I don’t view it as personal.”
“Levity negates gravity. If a conversation is getting too intense, throw some humor in there, and you’ll guess one thing that we all bond over as humans.”
“Human beings, I believe, are defined by what they believe, not what they know.”
“I’m not going to relinquish my agency to somebody else because they offended me. That’s not going to happen.”
“Argue with conviction. Listen as if you were wrong.”
