What teamwork looks like at my accounting firm

By Heidi Lellman, CPA, MBA

The word “teamwork” can easily get thrown around in the workplace. But for me, hearing it elicits a little tug at my heartstrings: baseball is a huge part of my life.

My son plays community baseball for the Minneapolis Millers, and I currently serve as the treasurer for the Minneapolis Youth Baseball Association. Needless to say, we spend a lot of time at the baseball diamond! We both get a lot of joy out of the sport, but I especially love witnessing the joy my son experiences as part of a team.

Yes, he’s proud of himself when he does well. But when his team does well, I see pure joy and giddiness on his face. Together, his teammates celebrate. They lift each other up. They appreciate each other’s strengths. And boy, do they have fun.

This is what teamwork means to me. And I’m so grateful to experience it as such at Abdo—teamwork is one of our firm values.

While we may not be cheering each other on as we steal home base, we aren’t that much different than the Millers.

Here’s what teamwork looks like at my accounting firm.

We share the workload.

Since I’ve been at Abdo, I’ve never felt like I’m working on something alone. I’ve always had people on whom I can rely—my teammates—regardless of the project. We have teams for different industry segments, practice areas (e.g., tax), and client-specific teams. I’ve never been assigned to something as a solo practitioner.

As part of sharing the workload, we also share expertise. In fact, having teams allows us to do some of the complex work we do. There’s too much to know; it’s impossible for one person to cover all of it.

We move forward with confidence.

Knowing we have each other’s backs means we know we’ll be able to meet expectations. It’s much easier to say “yes” when you have a team behind you! When we work together toward a common goal, we know without a doubt we’ll get there.

We have fun.

I’m not someone who enjoys working alone. I absolutely love sharing common knowledge and client experiences with my Abdo teammates. It makes the work more fun—and, truthfully, easier.

A complex project feels less so when I’m working alongside others who are also deeply committed to it. It makes me want to pull my own weight even more, and I feel more confident in my work when I can turn to others for feedback or help.

We celebrate.

I don’t always pat myself on the back, but I’m more likely to recognize a win when I can celebrate it with others. Sometimes this is simply acknowledging each other’s contributions out loud; other times it’s getting together for a celebratory outing.

More than anything, it’s about showing up.

Just like on my son’s baseball team, the most important thing we can do as Abdo team members is to show up. When we come together, share our strengths, and make progress toward a common goal, the possibilities feel endless.

I love being part of a firm that allows me to experience the unique joy of being on a team—in the way I appreciate it most.

To learn more about what teamwork looks like at Abdo, head to our Careers page.