The OpenWater Blog

Full Charge Questions

American physicist Isidor Isaac Rabi credits his interest in science — and his eventual Nobel Prize — to his mother. How did she get her son to brush his teeth, pick up his toys, and (eventually) confirm the properties of the atomic nucleus? By continually repeating:

Did you ask a good question today?

We’re proud that OpenWater has a culture of asking questions. Our company may not be driving a revolution in scientific inquiry, but we do choose to challenge assumptions. (This behavior is part of our not-so-secret sauce.)

Some examples:

• We assertively review our software and service for areas of improvement.
• We study and experiment with unconventional approaches and points-of-view.
• We don’t rest on laurels; we actively embrace evaluation.  

Among the behind-the-scenes questions at OpenWater this week:

• What client interactions are most meaningful, and why?
• What kind of accounting services do we need now, and what will we need in the future?
• What will happen at our first-ever staff retreat?

What Exactly is “Meaningful” to Clients?

Alexis Rodriguez of the Support department joined the conversation this week. She relayed the story of a client conversation that went… well?

For context, many support calls get straight to the matter at hand. Does someone need help? Is something broken?

This client call began with a personal exchange. Rather than jump to the issue the client wanted to discuss some shared experiences. It turned into an unexpectedly lengthy and enjoyable conversation. It was a reminder that business is always about people, and ultimately, the value of genuine connection. The topic discussed?  Piles of snow outside in March!

Who Dropped the “P” in “Comptroller” (and Why)?

Also this week were questions about OpenWater’s bookkeeping and accounting needs. The company’s controller is retiring. Who should fill the role, and why?

These aren’t just immediate needs. Kunal and Tim must ask questions knowing that OpenWater will be different in five years. Moving forward we recognize the need of segmenting our accounting team.

• CFO This is the person that sells the story of a company to investors and shareholders. S/he enrolls support for that story and has the ongoing role of raising cash and confidence from outsiders. (Other people do this, too. You don’t have to be a CFO to benefit from our forthcoming guide, Strategic Storytelling: Use Data to Create a Successful Narrative)
• Controller This is the accountant that looks at the historical view of company performance, down the nitty gritty.
• A “Full Charge” Accounting Department This is an entire team, including a CFO and Controller, dedicated to everything money-related. The team assigns each department a budget, generates a profit and loss statement for that department, and formally charges employee hours to the company for evaluation, as some examples.

What’s Gonna Happen at our Staff Retreat?

Alexis is working with Rebecca, Tim, and Kunal to plan the first-ever staff retreat in April. This will be the first time our telecommuting team will meet the rest of us! For many, it will be their first time visiting Washington, D.C.

Staff will stay in a hotel near our Ballston office. We’re planning a group breakfast and Escape Room adventure in Georgetown. From there we’re daytripping through the weekend as the mood fits. What might we get into…?

Level Up Your Questions

Adults are terrible at asking questions. By one account the average adult asks less than six questions a day. That is a lot of missed opportunities. It also puts you at risk of becoming, well, boring.

To enhance your question asking capabilities, make a conscious decision to be surprised. In almost any circumstance you can ask a variation on the following to get the ball rolling:

• What is the result we want to see/feel/hear?
• Why do we want to achieve this result/do it?
• How are we going to achieve this result/is there a better way?

…then ask a follow up question.

What questions are you asking these days? What questions would you like answered? Send your questions to info @getopenwater.com.

Katie McCaskey

Katie is OpenWater's Content Director. Her interests include entrepreneurship, permaculture, and blockchain. She enjoys spicy food and salty words.

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