In this episode, Jennifer Wilson sits down with long-time friend and fellow leader, Jim Blake. Jim is the Chief Operating Officer of Mazars and has been a member of the firm’s Executive Board for 12 years. He has over 30 years of experience providing attest, tax and advisory services primarily to privately-owned businesses and private equity firms in the manufacturing and distribution sector. In his role as COO, Jim has works hard to practice vulnerability and transparency as a leader, sharing his goals, passions and struggles with others, so that they will share theirs with him.
Listen in to learn how Jim began his vulnerability journey, why he feels this quality is important for leaders to possess, how this quality prepared and supported him as a leader during the pandemic, and his advice on how to encourage vulnerability in senior leaders. Hear his views on the importance of structure when integrating transparency into your role as a leader.
About Our Guest:
As COO at Mazars, Jim focuses on the operational components of the firm’s strategic plans. He oversees the Service Line Leaders, Office Managing Partners and several of the leaders of operational support functions, with a particular emphasis on people and performance. Prior to his role as COO, Jim held various leadership positions within the firm, including M&D Practice Leader and New Jersey Office Managing Partner.
At the Mazars Global level, Jim has been a member of the POB Board for over 10 years and contributes extensively within the Mazars Global COO community and across various operations’ committees. Mazars is a member of the Praxity Alliance, and Jim serves as the Praxity North American Chairman, working with the leadership in member firms in the USA, Canada and Mexico.
Jim is an active member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (“AICPA”) and the New Jersey State Society of CPAs (NJCPA). He has served in leadership roles for both organizations, including as an AICPA Counsel member and as a Trustee of the NJCPA PAC.
Jim speaks regularly at executive-level seminars, at industry events and before various professional associations, including the AICPA Major Firms Group and global Mazars conferences.
Jim many contributions to the profession and business community led to his being named to NJBiz’s 2020 Accounting Power 50.
You can find the Inspired Ideas podcast on these platforms:
Resources:
- Do You Have the Courage to be Vulnerable?
- Leading with Vulnerability
- Asking for Transparency – What Does that Really Mean?
- One Simple Trait to Better Relate to Your Team
- Being Vulnerable Is the Boldest Act of Business Leadership
Connect with Us:
Jim Blake: 
Mazars: 
Jennifer Wilson:
ConvergenceCoaching:
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