Why Technical Skills Alone Won't Take You to the Top

Technical mastery once defined a successful CPA. But in  today's environment of Al, automation and heightened stakeholder demand, accountants must evolve - blending deep technical competence with leadership, strategic thinking and the ability to translate data into action. 

From Number Crunchers to Strategic Partners 

For decades, CPAs were seen as gatekeepers of financial integrity-balancing books, running audits and ensuring compliance. But that role has shifted dramatically. Today's accountants are expected not just to report numbers, but to shape strategy. 

In one engagement, after delivering a financial report, the client's controller asked, "What can we do differently? What can we do better?" Those questions illuminated the core shift in our profession: our value lies not in reciting data, but in making it meaningful. 

Too often, accounting and audit teams deliver outputs with little context or guidance. Clients grow frustrated when they receive statements without insights for improvement. The evolving CPA flips this paradigm: looking forward instead of backward. With the depth of data now available, we can-and must-anticipate trends and guide action. 

Reflection Questions for Accountants 

 How can I stretch my mindset today to be more forward-thinking? 
 As a leader, how can I model curiosity and strategic thinking for my team?

The Rubber Band Principle: Stretch to Grow 

What makes a rubber band useful? Its ability to stretch. Similarly, the evolving CPA must expand beyond comfort zones to stay relevant. 

If you're early in your career, start with one consistent habit. Consistency compounds-small daily efforts often produce outsized results. Early in my public accounting career, I recognized that I needed stronger typing skills, so each morning I arrived 30 minutes early and used lunch breaks to practice. Within months I had improved dramatically-a skill still valuable today.

Growth often lies just outside comfort, and technology is a perfect example of incremental shift. Automation and Al now handle tasks that once consumed hours, like reconciliations, data entry and even basic analysis. The advancing CPA's role is to review outputs, add judgment and contextualize findings.

The Limits of Pure Technical Skill

Technical competence is still essential-but it's no longer sufficient. As automation, Al and global capability mature, tasks rooted purely in execution become less differentiating. That doesn't mean accountants are obsolete. It means that what separates leaders is how they serve people, not just how well they navigate debits and credits. 

Accounting is inherently human. Every balance sheet tells a story-of employees, investors, communities and customers. If accountants focus only on technical precision, they risk missing the narrative and the opportunity to lead. 

Leadership Skills are Nonnegotiable for the Modern CPA 

As the profession evolves, leadership is no longer optional-it's a requirement for advancement. Accountants today must: 

• Lead teams that are often geographically distributed
• Influence colleagues and drive adoption when new systems are deployed
• Communicate across functions to executives, investors and nonaccounting audiences
• Negotiate improvements in process, ethics and work culture

The pipeline challenge in accounting underscores this need. We must elevate role models who do more than produce reports-who inspire, teach and lead. 

Becoming the "REAL- CPA 

Leadership isn't instantaneous-it's built incrementally. To thrive, CPAs must commit to long-term growth. Now, the CPA Exam is a milestone, not the finish line and I encourage you to adopt the REAL framework: 

• R-Build authentic relationships rooted in trust
• E-Equip others to learn and succeed
• A-Maintain a positive attitude, especially when things shift
• L-Step up to lead, regardless of title

When accountants grow not just in skill, but in character and influence, the profession becomes stronger. We don't need more number-crunchers, we need leaders ready to stretch, evolve and guide.

Sandra Balogun, CPA, C/SA, is a Forbes Coaches Council Member and Certified Maxwell Leadership Team Member. Contact her at sandra@beyonumbers.com.