Navigating Leadership Transitions

Self-awareness and self-reflection are key to discovering an authentic leadership style.

Gear Up for Growth
With Jean Caragher
For CPA Trendlines

In this episode of Gear Up for Growth, host Jean Caragher welcomes Carla McCall, managing partner of AAFCPAs and immediate past chair of the AICPA, for a candid conversation about one of the most pressing challenges facing the accounting profession: leadership succession.

• Gear Up for Growth spotlights the best strategies for smart and effficient growth in today's competitive landscape. More Gear Up for Growth here.|  More Capstone Conversations with Jean Caragher | More Jean Caragher here | Get her best-selling handbook, The 90-Day Marketing Plan for CPA Firms, here | More CPA Trendlines videos and podcasts here

With 75% of CPAs in public practice set to retire within the next 15 years, the need for strong, forward-thinking leadership has never been more urgent. McCall shares her personal journey of rising through the ranks at AAFCPAs, offering practical insights into how firms can—and must—prepare the next generation of leaders.

From the start, McCall emphasizes that leadership isn’t about titles. “You have to earn the trust and the respect of the team that you're leading,” she says. Her transition into the managing partner role wasn’t seamless—she initially believed that she had to make every decision herself. But through candid feedback and deep self-reflection, McCall found her authentic leadership style, shifting from a directive approach to one centered on listening, collaboration, and empowerment.

Originally published Nov. 1, 2024