Summer 2025

I once came across a quote that said, “Technical skills may open the door, but relationships are what keep it open.”

In the world of finance, many of us set a high bar for reaching technical excellence. It is what differentiated us from our peers and provided a pathway for professional growth. As we advanced into management and leadership roles, it became clear that our technical skill set was only the foundation. The true test of our ability to lead wasn’t the strength of our knowledge, but the strength of our relationships.

In a career where I’ve operated both externally as a strategic adviser and internally as an interim CFO, I’ve found strong relationships were the foundation of every aspect of my work.

In leadership, relationships extend beyond our family, friends, and work colleagues, and into our communities and customer bases. But regardless of the “who,” the glue that holds a relationship together is trust. It is the currency that is earned and exchanged in any relationship. When I think of trusted relationships, I think of the following attributes:

• Honesty and transparency
• Respect, empathy, and compassion
• Boundaries and accountability
• Responsibility and reliability
• Open communication with no fear of retaliation
• Kindness and appreciation

Building Trust within Your Team

I had the good fortune to have a mentor, William S. Carter, who would tell me, “Nobody really cares until you show them how much you care.” When you think about the team you directly supervise, it is important to understand that they are watching you for cues. Modeling high-trust and relationship-focused management in a consistent way is critical. Here are a few ways you can achieve this:

• Listen more than you speak. There is a huge difference between hearing and listening.
• Create an inclusive environment of belonging.
• Be consistent, honest, and respectful in your words and actions.
• Empower your team, allow them to take on new challenges, and use a coaching (not micromanaging) approach.
• Be available, whether that means an open door in the office or a “green light” on Zoom.
• Be intentional about getting to know your team on a deeper level.
• When in doubt, institute “mandatory fun.” At our company, we’ve even instituted mandatory fun at our leadership retreats. The idea is to enjoy a shared experience that doesn’t involve work collaboration, whether it is bowling, a happy hour, a museum tour, or another activity.

Relationships Across the Organization

When strong relationships extend throughout the organization, the positive impact can be exponential.

As an interim CFO and strategic adviser, I found that long-held trust and quality relationships allowed me to partner with leadership to usher in transformative changes within the organization.

Shifting from a traditional medical compensation system to a relative-value-unit (RVU) model fostered a more collaborative environment, encouraging physicians and their teams to tap into their “highest and best use.” It ultimately had a positive impact on profitability, compensation, and the overall culture of the organization.

The time invested in building trust and relationships was crucial. Through active listening, transparent communication, and keeping the organization’s best interest central to any recommendations, I was able to help drive changes that will have a positive impact in the years to come.

For financial leaders, here are some of the benefits/outcomes you can expect from an investment in relationships:

• Better ideas and creativity – When folks feel trusted to work together to solve problems, you can tap into the power of innovation.
• Increased productivity – It is easier to go the extra mile when a team member is fully invested and feels respected and appreciated.
• Free flow of knowledge – Tear down silos and open the sharing of knowledge and information.
• Win-win resolutions to conflict – Through strong relationships, it is possible to work through challenges with all parties feeling seen and heard.
• Increased engagement and reduced turnover.

Relationships: Here to Stay

The business environment in which we operate has completely changed in the 40 years that I’ve been working. From manually preparing tax returns to tapping into the power of desktop technology, the “how” of our work looked much different from how we work today. But the “why” has not.

Particularly in the age of artificial intelligence, where generative learning models can analyze, organize, and produce at breakneck speed, we must prioritize the human endeavor of fostering trust and strong relationships. The foundation of all successful organizations is built with the building blocks of relationships and the mortar of trust to hold the foundation together and keep it from crumbling. Show up and show you care, and then watch as new possibilities unfold.  

Rob Berkebile, CPA, PFS, CFP, is a partner at RKL LLP in York. He can be reached at rberkebile@rklcpa.com.

I once came across a quote that said, “Technical skills may open the door, but relationships are what keep it open.”

In the world of finance, many of us set a high bar for reaching technical excellence. It is what differentiated us from our peers and provided a pathway for professional growth. As we advanced into management and leadership roles, it became clear that our technical skill set was only the foundation. The true test of our ability to lead wasn’t the strength of our knowledge, but the strength of our relationships.

In a career where I’ve operated both externally as a strategic adviser and internally as an interim CFO, I’ve found strong relationships were the foundation of every aspect of my work.

In leadership, relationships extend beyond our family, friends, and work colleagues, and into our communities and customer bases. But regardless of the “who,” the glue that holds a relationship together is trust. It is the currency that is earned and exchanged in any relationship. When I think of trusted relationships, I think of the following attributes:

• Honesty and transparency
• Respect, empathy, and compassion
• Boundaries and accountability
• Responsibility and reliability
• Open communication with no fear of retaliation
• Kindness and appreciation

Building Trust within Your Team

I had the good fortune to have a mentor, William S. Carter, who would tell me, “Nobody really cares until you show them how much you care.” When you think about the team you directly supervise, it is important to understand that they are watching you for cues. Modeling high-trust and relationship-focused management in a consistent way is critical. Here are a few ways you can achieve this:

• Listen more than you speak. There is a huge difference between hearing and listening.
• Create an inclusive environment of belonging.
• Be consistent, honest, and respectful in your words and actions.
• Empower your team, allow them to take on new challenges, and use a coaching (not micromanaging) approach.
• Be available, whether that means an open door in the office or a “green light” on Zoom.
• Be intentional about getting to know your team on a deeper level.
• When in doubt, institute “mandatory fun.” At our company, we’ve even instituted mandatory fun at our leadership retreats. The idea is to enjoy a shared experience that doesn’t involve work collaboration, whether it is bowling, a happy hour, a museum tour, or another activity.

Relationships Across the Organization

When strong relationships extend throughout the organization, the positive impact can be exponential.

As an interim CFO and strategic adviser, I found that long-held trust and quality relationships allowed me to partner with leadership to usher in transformative changes within the organization.

Shifting from a traditional medical compensation system to a relative-value-unit (RVU) model fostered a more collaborative environment, encouraging physicians and their teams to tap into their “highest and best use.” It ultimately had a positive impact on profitability, compensation, and the overall culture of the organization.

The time invested in building trust and relationships was crucial. Through active listening, transparent communication, and keeping the organization’s best interest central to any recommendations, I was able to help drive changes that will have a positive impact in the years to come.

For financial leaders, here are some of the benefits/outcomes you can expect from an investment in relationships:

• Better ideas and creativity – When folks feel trusted to work together to solve problems, you can tap into the power of innovation.
• Increased productivity – It is easier to go the extra mile when a team member is fully invested and feels respected and appreciated.
• Free flow of knowledge – Tear down silos and open the sharing of knowledge and information.
• Win-win resolutions to conflict – Through strong relationships, it is possible to work through challenges with all parties feeling seen and heard.
• Increased engagement and reduced turnover.

Relationships: Here to Stay

The business environment in which we operate has completely changed in the 40 years that I’ve been working. From manually preparing tax returns to tapping into the power of desktop technology, the “how” of our work looked much different from how we work today. But the “why” has not.

Particularly in the age of artificial intelligence, where generative learning models can analyze, organize, and produce at breakneck speed, we must prioritize the human endeavor of fostering trust and strong relationships. The foundation of all successful organizations is built with the building blocks of relationships and the mortar of trust to hold the foundation together and keep it from crumbling. Show up and show you care, and then watch as new possibilities unfold.  

Rob Berkebile, CPA, PFS, CFP, is a partner at RKL LLP in York. He can be reached at rberkebile@rklcpa.com.