Men are being affected the most by the global mental health crisis. I never thought it was easy to be a man; we just don’t hear enough about what they have to go through. I have empathy for everyone because I honestly think no matter what gender, each has its own unique and different set of challenges and circumstances! Men often grow up thinking that talking openly isn’t very ‘manly’. The concepts of masculinity and vulnerability can vary depending on the world and environment one grows up in, their parents' values, role models, the type of advice and support they get. The ultimate question - no matter to men or women, would be - how vulnerable do we allow ourselves to be? I am so excited to host one of the featured mentors from my book, Chuck Burch, not only to share with us his career and his interests, but something deeper - to talk about vulnerability, mental health, insecurity, and masculinity- and how that may affect young men and what they can do.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
1. ASK FOR WHAT YOU NEED
Chuck attributes part of his success to being able to overcome the fear of asking for what he needs. The fear of rejection or failure, he explains, impacts men from a young age, making them less likely to reach out or directly ask others for help. Asking for what you need, while intimidating, is the best way to help you reach your goals. Asking for help requires vulnerability and a willingness to listen and learn from others; take advantage of the opportunity to learn, Chuck advocates, and you will be much more likely to succeed in the accounting industry.
2. SPEND TIME GIVING TO MAKE THE PATH TO SUCCESS EASIER
Help people get what they want whenever you can. It’s as simple as that. Chuck discusses that a mutuality principle exists here - once you help people get what they want, you’ll get what you want. Be open and authentic with your colleagues and network, and learn about their interests and goals. If there’s a friend, mentor, article, or Instagram post that reminds you of others or might be helpful to their career goals, always send it to them. Keeping in touch, while it helps ensure that you can assist others, also builds your resource bank for later guidance and mentorship.
3. SEEK A WIDE VARIETY OF MENTORS
Like many a Dear Accountant guest, Chuck advocates for mentorship, particularly to combat feelings of imposter syndrome and vulnerability. His approach to mentorship may not include a structured program; rather, it includes young men and women figuring out where they want to be (based on things that you like and bring you interest) and what it takes to get there and then using the resources at their disposal to verbalize and create this vision. Chuck discusses that finding people whose career journeys you want to emulate and asking them for advice is a crucial step. He advocates for a wide variety of opinions; don’t just act based on one individual- rather, thirst for knowledge and an eagerness to discuss these career trajectories with more experienced professionals.
🎧 To learn more about vulnerability and identity in the accounting industry, listen to the Dear Accountant podcast here.
🎙 The “Dear Accountant” podcast is a uniquely insightful and entertaining podcast for aspiring young business professionals. Each episode is packed with actionable advice to help young finance professionals get ready for whatever challenge they may face next. Aside from all of the many cool things in accounting (technical topics and trends), we bring in industry experts and influential leaders to share their journey, insights, and perspectives. We will also cover topics that were not taught in school - life essential skills such as personal finance, emotional intelligence, mentorship, networking, body language, and human behaviors, and so much more!
💬 About our guest, Chuck Burch: Chuck Burch, CPA specializes in helping its clients formulate goals and pursue them. Chuck is a proud alumnus of North Carolina A&T State University. You probably have read about his story about growing up in the inner city in a single-parent household, nevertheless, he was focused and he was determined. His journey is definitely full of twists and turns but he navigated through it - let it be in the corporate environment, or getting laid off twice, went on to do manual labor just to make ends meet; but that period of time ultimately led him to start and build a very successful business and begin his entrepreneurial journey.
📖 Get amazing advice from the 20 mentors in “Dear Accountant” Book: The book offers a unique immersion into the lives and careers of 20 inspiring leaders in finance from different disciplines - their backstories, pivotal moments, career trajectories, and hiccups along the way.
🎧 Listen to Cece’s interviews about her passion and mission in writing this book and paying it forward to help young professionals to find meaning and fulfillment in their life and career: