The Right Kind of Lazy: Enhancing Efficiency in Accounting

By focusing on value, optimizing workflows, and maintaining quality, accountants can achieve greater efficiency and effectiveness.

In the latest episode of Accounting ARC, hosts Liz Mason, Donny Shimamoto, and Byron Patrick dissect the intriguing concept of being “the right kind of lazy.” This episode sheds light on how strategic laziness can drive efficiency and innovation in the accounting profession, ultimately leading to higher quality and value.

Mason, founder and CEO of High Rock Accounting, kicks off the discussion with a story from her early career at Grant Thornton. Faced with the tedious task of manually processing paper tax returns, Mason decided to automate the process. Despite spending over 100 hours creating a script that streamlined data entry and document generation, the time saved at scale across multiple offices proved invaluable. This, she argues, epitomizes the right kind of lazy: optimizing manual and boring tasks to focus on higher-value work.

Shimamoto, founder and managing director of IntrapriseTechKnowlogies LLC and founder and inspiration architect of the Center for Accounting Transformation, shares a similar experience from his audit days in the late ’90s. By leveraging Microsoft Access to automate data analysis, he significantly reduced the time spent on manual tasks. He emphasizes that the right kind of lazy isn’t about cutting corners but about eliminating non-value-adding activities to focus on what truly matters.

Patrick, vice president of Client Success at the B3 Method, brings the conversation full circle by highlighting the importance of value in accounting. He notes that typing numbers or performing repetitive tasks does not add value; producing accurate tax returns and audits does. The right kind of lazy, therefore, is about isolating non-value-adding activities and finding ways to automate or optimize them. This approach ensures that accountants can concentrate on providing high-quality services.

Shimamoto further explores the balance between efficiency and quality, drawing parallels with Lean Six Sigma principles. While efficiency focuses on streamlining processes, quality assurance ensures that the end-product meets the highest standards. The right kind of lazy, he argues, achieves both by reducing the likelihood of human error through automation and optimizing workflows.

Mason introduces an interesting perspective by distinguishing between “maps” people and “directions” people. Maps people prefer to see the big picture and understand the various routes to their destination, while directions people follow step-by-step instructions. In the workplace, understanding these differences can help identify individuals who are naturally inclined to find efficient solutions, embodying the right kind of lazy.

The hosts agree that sometimes inefficiency is a necessary part of the learning process. Patrick shares an example of building web applications inefficiently before optimizing them based on new constraints. This learning curve, although initially inefficient, ultimately leads to better, more efficient solutions.

The concept of the right kind of lazy challenges traditional notions of productivity. By focusing on value, optimizing workflows, and maintaining quality, accountants can achieve greater efficiency and effectiveness in their work. Understanding individual work styles and leveraging strategic laziness can unlock significant improvements in the accounting profession.

Check out the latest episode of the Accounting ARC Podcast on the Center’s YouTube channel. 

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