toss the org chart for an accountability chart

blank organizational chartare the right people in the right seats?

by jody grunden

“getting the right people on the bus, the wrong people off the bus, and the right people in the right seats – these are all crucial steps in the early stages of buildup…” – jim collins, “good to great”

more: how to develop your leadership team | disc helps remote team work together effectively | how core values affect remote work culture | 4 ways to bill clients | 3 ways to keep client files safe from security threats | how ‘tech stacks’ can help you standardize | automation and the future of accounting | the rise of the virtual cfo | ready to be a virtual cfo? | the only three metrics you need to measure staffers
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

when adam and i first started the company, we didn’t have much organizational structure. we didn’t need it. but as the company grew, it became necessary to develop an organizational structure. there’s a great quote by michael e. gerber in his book “the e-myth revisited” that says, “without the organization chart, confusion, discord and conflict become the order of the day.”
read more →

tax season savvy: five ways to stay sane

why good boundaries make good workplaces.

by kristen rampe

after spending nearly 20 years with accountants (including myself!), i’ve come to recognize a common trait among our tribe. we’re a group of people who love saying “yes.”

more:  why host a partner retreat? |  survey results: effective stay interviews for cpa firms |  the 16 biggest #fails in delegation |  survey: work-life balance: according to whom? |  survey results: two ways your strategic plan can reduce turnover

goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

we say “yes” to clients, firm partners, our team members, family, friends, volunteer engagements and so on. people love us for it. i mean, when you think of qualities you look for in people you work with, willingness and reliability are right up at the top of the list.

but as you’re working tirelessly to meet the needs of everyone you encounter, how are your own needs being met?

read more →

disc helps remote team work together effectively

overhead view of five people in a meetingbetter understanding = better communication.

by jody grunden

working in a remote environment can be great, and it can also have its challenges. communication is one of the biggest hurdles distributed companies have to overcome. to tackle this issue head on, summit cpa has implemented many initiatives.

more: how core values affect remote work culture | 4 ways to bill clients | 3 ways to keep client files safe from security threats | how ‘tech stacks’ can help you standardize | automation and the future of accounting | the rise of the virtual cfo | ready to be a virtual cfo? | the only three metrics you need to measure staffers
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

one of our favorites is the disc profiles. let me start off by telling you a little bit of the background on the disc profiles.
read more →

make crap a badge of honor

superhero businesswoman wearing shadow capehow do your clients view your relationship?

by steven e. sacks
the new fundamentals: practical guidance for today’s accounting firms

performing like crap. a strange concept, you might think. when someone acknowledges that your actions reflect crap there is no positivity in this assessment. and because this term is baked into the american lexicon, people will always view it negatively.

more: the holy grail: finding the right talent | strengthen your firm’s screening practices | smart trust in the workplace | what aspiring accountants need to know | improve job satisfaction or it’ll cost your firm | we hear but do we really listen?
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

but what if we look at it another way – in the form of an acronym? let’s give it a try.
read more →

how to start (or re-start) your own accounting firm

checklist: 18 steps to success.

by brannon poe

are you exploring the idea of starting your own cpa firm? or perhaps you are ready to re-invent the one you have? either way, we’ve gathered some of the key focus areas to help you create your plans for the future.

more by brannon poe: five keys to successfully selling a cpa firm  |  10 questions to ask yourself before buying an accounting practice  |  five key decisions for your exit strategy  |  how to transfer a boomer-owned cpa practice to a millennial |

goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

1. should you start your own cpa firm? this is a great place to start, don’t you think? not everyone is cut out to own their own business. starting a cpa firm takes a variety of different skills and talents.

in the meantime, here’s a short list of what’s needed to thrive: read more →

maximize your role as visionary

woman ladder binoculars city view outlook vision success climb adobestock_57204649.jpegdo the things that only you can do.

by frank stitely
the relentless cpa

your final role as ceo is visionary. this differs from your role as strategist, as the visionary role deals with the long-term future of your firm.

more: how to be the chief communicator | the tax practice traffic cop | the land mines in tax returns | how to teach reviewing and time management | how to coach your staff | give your people the resources they need | 4 steps to take before next tax season
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

this is the fun part, if you really relish your role as ceo. consider your firm a blank canvas on which you can experiment endlessly.
read more →

the land mines in tax returns

woman reading paper document at office desk in front of computerdata entry errors = public beheadings.

by frank stitely
the relentless cpa

your next role as ceo is reviewer. there are two types of review: primary and secondary.

more: how to teach reviewing and time management | how to coach your staff | how to create good managers | how to hire and manage great admin staff | managing people: the heart of effective project management | tammy’s tale of tax season tardiness | beware the leeches and consultants | the value-pricing con job | the 21st-century cpa firm | ruthlessly efficient workflow management | the annual tax meeting is dead. clients killed it.
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

depending on the size of your firm, you may only have primary reviews. if your firm consists of you and a preparer, you won’t have a second level of review. i don’t consider the self-review as a review step. i consider it part of preparation.
read more →

want an open culture? let employees share their thoughts

man in business suit listening attentively to coworker4 keys to soliciting genuine feedback.

by steven e. sacks
the new fundamentals: practical guidance for today’s accounting firms

you are in a boardroom or a staff meeting room. the managing partner, his or her second in command, or someone else in charge has offered employees the opportunity to suggest or share an idea.

more: the job interview: a make or break proposition | the power of ‘real influence’ | stop wasting time in useless meetings | is your firm’s culture a magnet? | outsourcing the c-suite | battling staff turnover | confronting leadership: not such a bad thing
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

did you ever hear someone express what you thought was a ridiculous idea, which was followed by the sound of crickets? furtive glances all around. breaths held. no physical movements to suggest any type of reaction. heads remain down, and note-taking was actually mindless doodling.
read more →

building competency on every level

diagram
work is passed down to the next level once the saturation point has been reached.

including 3 key initiatives in most strategic plans.

by bill reeb

let’s discuss how firms need to alter their thinking as to what best practices might look like near term to better position themselves for the future that is almost here now.

more: change happens: how to master it.
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

first of all, which i have covered numerous times before, we have to truly address from a workload perspective the prevalence of the upside-down pyramid™ in firms.
read more →

smart tech tips from top cpa firms

laughing businesswoman talking on the phone in office in front of four monitors5 key questions, including what to tell recruits.

by marc rosenberg
the rosenberg practice management library

i have a keen interest and understanding of how managing partners perform their jobs. their duties encompass a long list of critically important management functions. certainly, one of these is to ensure that technology has an optimal impact on the firm’s success, profitability and efficiency.

more: 15 amazing organizational tactics to manage a cpa firm | why governing by partner ownership is bound to fail | 6 ways to retain nextgen staff | how to develop a truly progressive nextgen culture | the top 5 concerns of great managing partners | partners: when to speak up and when to shut up
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

this can be quite challenging because, unlike most mp duties, managing the technology function is a highly technical skill that most mps don’t have.
read more →

4 steps to take before next tax season

young businesswoman working on laptop computer with growth chart in backgroundthink of yourself as a ceo.

by frank stitely
the relentless cpa

please have a seat. no, not that one. take the one next to me. all of us are here because we love you to death. we only want the best for you. but we can no longer stand by and watch you suffer. when you suffer, we all suffer as a family. we have written some letters to let you know how we feel. i’ll let your firm go first.

more: how to create good managers | 4 tips for managing advanced preparers | the right way to assign staff projects | workflow for dummies | how effective project management makes your life easier | 2 lessons clients taught me | no consultant can solve your biggest problem
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

“your behavior has affected me negatively in the following manner. i’m not as profitable as i should be. you are stifling the development of your staff. your clients are upset that returns aren’t getting done on time. your kids resemble the mailman more than you.

“please accept the help we are offering you today. we have your bags packed, and we’ll put you on a plane to rehab at the beach. don’t worry about scoring your next fix. we’ll help you detox safely. but you must decide right now. you must give up your addiction to doing everything yourself.”
read more →