Learning Objectives

• Identify operational drivers behind burnout in professional service firms.
• Analyze leadership behaviors that limit effective delegation and team ownership.
• Differentiate management tasks from true leadership responsibilities in firms.
• Evaluate holistic operating models for improving engagement and performance.
• Assess future leadership expectations facing accounting and advisory firm owners.

What if burnout in accounting firms is not a people problem at all, but an operating system failure? This CPE Episode takes a hard look at why professional service firms keep hitting the same walls around talent, delegation, and leadership, even as workloads and expectations rise. Instead of quick fixes or surface level perks, the conversation centers on how deeper operational design and leadership clarity shape whether firms scale sustainably or slowly grind down their best people.

In this Episode, Chase Damiano joins the conversation to unpack these challenges through the lens of operations and leadership development. Chase has worked across consulting, entrepreneurship, and professional services, bringing experience from Accenture, building a business from scratch, and advising firms through his work at Human at Scale. His focus is practical, helping accounting, tax, and wealth management firms rethink how workflows and decisions get made, and leaders show up when growth creates strain.