Corporate Scene

Taylor Williams, Amanda Hawkins

Amanda Hawkins, audit manager with Scott and Company, attributes her leadership success to the important skills she has learned along the way. Excellent time management and organization, knowing when to delegate, and prioritizing tasks are assets she has found most useful in her career.
The values that are most significant to Amanda as a leader in the firm are integrity, a strong work ethic, self-discipline, approachability, and great communication.
Amanda sees herself as a team player — she doesn’t feel that it’s necessary to micro-manage her staff. She is prepared to do whatever it takes for her accountants by teaching and helping them get past hurdles. Amanda believes it’s imperative to listen and relate to her team while steering them in a positive direction. She knows the staff is capable of new responsibilities and challenges, and she is readily available to guide them through the process.
As Amanda continues to grow as a leader, she will always remind herself that no matter how far she has come, there is always room for improvement — with this mindset, the sky is the limit for her.
Taylor Williams, accounting associate with Scott and Company, believes having patience and listening to team members make an excellent leader — especially when training new people. She believes that everyone learns differently, so it’s important to be able to identify the best way to teach someone based on their learning style.
Taylor also believes that good communication is essential to effectively reach peers and harbor a good work environment. She uses encouragement and enthusiasm to motivate the staff and believes rewarding for accomplishing significant goals is one way to have the team members feel valued.
Taylor has a hands-on leadership style. She relates leadership in the office to coaching a team sport. Once the staff learns how to accomplish new assignments, she begins focusing on the details to fine-tune their skills. Taylor believes that a large part of being an effective leader is to help others progress in their roles while also developing and adapting her own leadership skills.
Taylor is advancing at a fast pace, and she continues to evolve as a leader and professional. It’s exciting to think what the future holds for her.