Real-Life Communication -- Solution
You are an accountant. You have to explain to your client, Henry
Wordsmith, the terms of the Guide to Business and Professional Income Tax
Returns as they relate to his computer. Try saying something like this:
"Henry,
because your computer equipment will probably become worthless before you
can claim all the depreciation on your income tax returns, the government
allows you to put your computer in a special class. This class allows you
to claim any remaining unclaimed cost on your income tax when you sell the
computer. So don't worry -- you will get your deduction back!"
Communication
skills are "absolutely essential," says accounting professor Satiprasad Bandyopadhyay,
"because as an accountant you're communicating with stakeholders, internal
management and outside stakeholders."
When organizations or individuals
make decisions that involve big changes, it's often up to the accountant to
explain the effects of those changes to all involved parties.
"Definitely a big part of the job is pulling numbers together," says Scott
Moore with the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. "But you
also have to be able to communicate the numbers to people in a way they understand."
"As far as written communications, you have to do a lot," says accountant
Tarsha Jacobs. "It's a basic skill set that you're going to need. It's even
more important if you're doing audits because you're doing a lot of communication
with management and people working there (at a company), making sure you're
not stepping on toes, making sure it's not confrontational."