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Business Risk Services
Our Business Risk Services team deliver practical and pragmatic solutions that support clients in growing and protecting the inherent value of their businesses.
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Corporate Finance and Deal Advisory
We offer a dedicated team of experienced individuals with a focus on successfully executing transactions for corporates and financial institutions. We offer an integrated approach, with our corporate finance specialists working seamlessly with tax and other specialists to ensure that every angle is covered.
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Economic Advisory
Our all-island Economics Advisory team combines expertise in economics and business with a wealth of experience across the public and private sectors.
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Forensic Accounting
We have a different way of doing business by delivering real insight through a combination of technical rigour, commercial experience and intuitive judgment. We take pride in delivering responsive and tailored solutions to all our clients, capitalising on the wealth of experience housed within our Belfast and wider Forensics team
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People and Change Consulting
The Grant Thornton People & Change Consulting practice works with clients on these issues as well as on all aspects of how they attract, retain, engage develop, deploy and lead their people.
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Restructuring
We work with a wide variety of clients and stakeholders such as high street banks, private equity funds, directors, government agencies and creditors to implement solutions which provide the best possible outcomes.
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Technology Consulting
Motivating and assisting our clients to pursue, maintain and secure the benefits of digital solutions is at the core of our Digital Transformation teams' agenda and goals. We work with business leaders to deliver efficient digital strategies and operating models that provide new or enhanced capabilities.
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Corporate and International Tax
Northern Ireland businesses face further challenges as they operate in the only part of the UK that has a land border with a country offering a lower tax rate.
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Employer Solutions
Our team specialises in remuneration and incentive planning and works closely with employers, shareholders and employees to ensure that business strategies are aligned and goals achieved in the most tax efficient, cost-effective manner.
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Entrepreneur and Private Client Taxes
Our team of experienced advisors are on hand to guide you through any decision or transaction ranging from the establishment of new business ventures, to realising value on exit, to succession planning and providing for loved ones.
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Global Mobility Services
Grant Thornton Ireland offer a different approach to managing global mobility. We have brought together specialists from our tax, global payroll, people and change and financial accounting teams across Ireland and Northern Ireland, while drawing on the knowledge and insights of our global network of over 143 offices of mobility professionals to provide you with a holistic approach to managing global mobility.
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Outsourced Payroll
Our outsourced service provides valued service to over 150 separate PAYE schemes. These ranging from 1 to 1000 employees, working for micro, SME and global employers. The service is supported by the integrated network of tax and global mobility teams and the wider Grant Thornton network delivering a seamless service. Experienced staff deliver a personal service built around your business needs.
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Tax Disputes and Investigations
Our Tax Disputes and Investigation team is made up of tax experts and former HMRC investigators who have years of experience in dealing with a variety of tax investigations. Our expertise and insight can guide you through all interactions, keeping your cost at a minimum while allowing you to continue with the day to day running of your business.
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VAT and Indirect Taxes
At Grant Thornton (NI) LLP, our team helps Northern Ireland businesses manage their UK and global indirect tax risks which, as transactional taxes, can quickly become big liabilities.
Blind spots, by their very nature, are unknown to almost every leader. We don’t know what we don’t know, which makes reducing blind spots so difficult! But the danger, if we don’t become aware, is continuing on in a way that we think is working, but may be missing the mark.
How can leaders understand their blind spots, and take corrective action to mitigate against potential unintended consequences? The answer is feedback. By seeking feedback from a variety of people, at all levels, leaders can increase awareness and understanding from various sources. In order to create an environment where people are confident to give their leader feedback, trust must also be prevalent.
Have you come across the Johari window model? It is a model developed by two psychologists (Joseph Luft and Harrison Ingham) often used to explain how leaders can increase their ‘open arena’ and decrease their blind spots. The model is useful because the four boxes (or window panes) show the difference between what is known/unknown to self and others. The only way to decrease blind spots (unknown to self but known to others) is to ask others to share what they know about you (the impact of your actions, things you do that others appreciate or don’t, how you come across, etc). Once feedback is shared, it is no longer a blind spot, and increases the size of your ‘open arena’ in the window.
It can be difficult to ask for feedback. Most of us have an immediate negative reaction to someone asking, “Can I give you some feedback”. And yet, we know that it is essential to give and to get feedback. The temptation is to only ask for feedback when we know it is going to be positive, and yet the feedback we get when we know we have done a good job is unlikely to decrease a blind spot.
What is the cost of blind spots? This is the subject of a new book, ‘What are your blind spots?’ by Jim Haudan and Rich Berens, and according to the authors, the cost of blind spots is stifling employee engagement, creativity, innovation, and potential. Blind spots, they argue, impede your leadership and block your vision. The book is peppered with examples of leaders with mistaken concepts and faulty ideas, who, unchallenged, pay the price by derailing their companies, and generating employee cynicism and apathy. It is well worth a read if you would like to know more about this fascinating subject.
But for those of you who don’t have time to read the book, here is my advice to help you decrease your own blind spots. First, acknowledge that you have blind spots. We all do, so let’s not pretend otherwise. Second, get into the habit of asking for feedback. After every meeting, speech, presentation, or project, ask someone who observed you in action to give you feedback. To make it easier for them, you may want to phrase it as “one thing I did well, and one thing that could be even better next time”. This gives them permission to give you a positive point and a development point. Thirdly, when someone gives you feedback, do not justify or explain why you did or said things the way you did. Simply thank them for the feedback. After you have done this for a short period of time, you may start to notice a pattern…which could be a blind spot revealing itself! Happy days!
As the old hymn Amazing Grace goes…”I once was lost, but now am found. T’was blind but now I see”. Clarity of vision is critical for leadership, and will help you lead with confidence and grace.