Professional Competencies
Important skills for acting with integrity, thinking critically, collaborating effectively, staying accountable, and communicating clearly in professional environments.
Ethical Conduct
This competency focuses on understanding and applying ethical principles to ensure integrity in financial reporting and decision-making. For this project, I researched Enron’s collapse and how poor financial ethics led to one of the biggest corporate scandals. I analyzed how executives manipulated financial statements, misled shareholders, and violated accounting standards. Studying this case helped me better understand the importance of ethical decision-making in finance and how regulations like the Sarbanes-Oxley Act were created to prevent similar issues.
Decision-Making
This competency focuses on evaluating situations, applying professional judgment, and making informed decisions. Through this seminar, I learned how tax professionals navigate ethical challenges like conflicts of interest, due diligence, and compliance with Circular 230. The discussions on fee structures, client relationships, and disciplinary actions made me think more critically about the real-world impact of these decisions. Hearing real examples helped me see how small mistakes can lead to bigger issues, as well as how important it is to ask the right questions, stay proactive, and make thoughtful, ethical choices in tax practice.
Collaboration
This competency involves working with others, sharing ideas, and finding solutions that benefit everyone. In my role as a payroll analyst, I work closely with colleagues from different backgrounds and departments to make sure employees are paid accurately and taxed correctly. I also make an effort to actively listen and communicate clearly to make sure everyone is on the same page and working toward the same goals. We find the best solutions by working together and sharing ideas to improve processes and create better outcomes for everyone.
Professional Behavior
This competency involves working in a way that reflects the character and high standards of the accounting profession, while showing a strong work ethic, respect for diversity, and a commitment to ongoing learning. I manage my time by meeting tight tax deadlines and making sure reports, payments, and returns are completed on time or ahead of schedule. I balance the demands of full-time work and school, maintaining high performance in both. When needed, I prioritize tasks to stay efficient and deliver the best results without compromise.
Leadership
This competency involves developing leadership skills, taking initiative, and guiding others toward a shared goal.
Earning this ELCP certificate helped me build my leadership skills by learning how to communicate effectively, make thoughtful decisions, and support a team. Through this program, I gained a better understanding of how leadership impacts an organization and how I can apply these skills in my career. It reinforced the importance of confidence, adaptability, and ethical decision-making as key traits of a strong leader.
Communication
This competency focuses on expressing ideas clearly, actively listening, and ensuring understanding across teams. I focus on clear and respectful communication with colleagues across departments to make sure they understand any questions, needs, or concerns I bring to them. I also take the time to listen carefully to their feedback and suggestions and apply those to my work. This helps us work together more effectively to make sure employees are paid and taxed correctly, which creates a smoother process for everyone involved.
Project Management
This competency focuses on planning and managing individual and team workflows by using time and resources effectively to accomplish objectives. In my role as a payroll analyst, I manage multiple projects and deadlines by staying organized, communicating with other departments, and using data to make decisions. I help lead department projects by testing new payroll programs and run reports that support compliance and accuracy. I set project timelines and track progress to make sure all requirements are met. By identifying trends, resolving compliance issues, and making recommendations, I help keep payroll processes running smoothly.