AbstractAn alarming shift of balance has occurred in the accounting profession—a shift from a focus on work that facilitates business and economic development toward an emphasis on satisfying regulatory requirements. One result is that accountants are increasingly being trained to satisfy these regulatory requirements instead of being provided with the skills they need to become financial professionals who contribute as performance advisors and strategic business partners. This article presents steps needed to rebalance the accounting profession. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.