“Survival can be summed up in three words – never give up. That’s the heart of it really. Just keep trying.” – Bear Grylls, British Adventurer.

If you have been watching Grylls’s The Island, you may have questioned the producers decision to use an accountant as one of the contestants. At first glance it is easy to assume that accountants will be of little use on a desert island, due to being more known for their brain power and soft skills rather than more practical attributes associated with survival such as being able to chop wood and start fires. However, contrarily, the rigorous training and work experience of accountants arms them with a Swiss army knife of skills, which allows them to mediate, problem solve and demonstrate leadership skills.

In this post we detail a number of compelling reasons why accountants are the perfect companions to have on a desert island, and how they can teach Mr Grylls a thing or two about survival.

Persistence

Accountants are able to demonstrate persistence and rigour when earning their professional qualifications by committing themselves to working full time, as well as finding the time to study. This takes a lot of commitment, as most people do not have the desire or aptitude to read study guides and practice exam questions in the evenings and weekends. This determination is likely to come in handy due to the long, gruelling and uncertain period of time during occupancy on a desert island prior to the inevitable rescue.

Adaptable

No single day on a desert island is likely to be the same, with inhabitants constantly having to tackle fresh challenges such as dealing with severe weather conditions and broken equipment. Accountants are adaptable by their nature, due to having to deal with new tax legislation every April. The ability of accountants to recalculate tax efficient income for business owners every tax year, and deal with the impending changes to dividend taxation, means that they are able to change tact regularly and with ease.

Prudent

Resources on a desert island are scarce. Inhabitants need to share and ration food equitably in order to maximise survival rates. This is a task which accountants have a natural flair for due to the management of island food being not too dissimilar to a stock take. Having a prudent finance professional in charge will result in minimal wastage, fair distribution and accurate valuation of remaining stock. Additionally, due to their professional integrity they will be able to safeguard these precious assets.

Mentor/Training

In order to stand the best chance of survival it is crucial that younger residents on desert islands skill up to help manage collective responsibility, and take over from older individuals who may fall ill or suffer through the ageing process. Accountants are likely to help manage this process due to the self-supporting nature of accounting firms and finance teams, which result in more senior members of staff coaching youngers ones to pass on responsibilities and help them progress within their careers.

Communication Skills

The importance of communication on desert islands is best symbolised by the use of the conch shell, in Lord of the Flies. In William Golding’s novel, the residents of the island have to resort to only allowing the holder of the shell to talk at large gatherings, due to a number of individuals trying to speak at the same time. Modern accountants are increasingly demonstrating well-honed communication skills due to innovations in accounting software resulting in an increased focus on client management and advisory services, at the expense of more routine bookkeeping and compliance work. This shift means that accountants are likely to be able to mediate and manage the expectations of a large and diverse group. Additionally, accountants with audit experience will be able to document large collective meetings on the island by taking minutes on abandoned tree bark.

Leadership

Being able to work towards a common goal on a desert island, notably survival requires strong leadership and vision.  Accountants tend to be strong leaders, due to their general desire to progress professionally and their inclination for picking up professional qualifications. Most businesses will have an accountant forming part of their executive leadership team. Recent research revealed that 84% of FTSE 100 companies have a Chartered Accountant on their board. Having an accountant lead from the front is likely to rally desert island inhabits towards their basest instinct to survive.

Nick Levine is a chartered accountant and freelance journalist, with a background in fin-tech who has written for Accounting Technician magazine.