how common management pitfalls hurt firms and employees.
by bill reeb and dominic cingoranelli
卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 / succession institute
how do attitudes, misconceptions and bad habits get in the way of our learning to be better managers?
related: do cpa firms need management or leadership? | job 1 for the practice owner: client management
here are five common attitudes, practices and perceptions we find:
bonus checklist: nine things needed for firm growth.
by ed mendlowitz
question: i am the managing partner and run a tight ship, however, some of my partners do not appear to be growing and on some level that is holding back the firm’s overall growth.
more practice doctor q&a: billing procedures make collecting easier | there’s more to growth than marketing | how to make staff a team again | before you even think about selling your practice | how to make annual staff evaluations work | it’s not sales. it’s your duty | when staffers stagnate | quote with care when asked for valuation | how much should you pay to buy, sell or merge an accounting practice? | when fees don’t keep up with cost increases | 10 (nearly) painless ways to keep up to date with technology | 44 critical criteria for accounting staff performance evaluations | 5 time management tips for an overworked accountant | running an accounting business
any suggestions or is this just the way it is? read more →
it’s about accountability, not politics.
by august aquila
creating the effective partnership
every book you read on leadership will tell you certain things you need to do to become a good leader. however, you can do these things and still not be someone who people want to follow.
why? leadership is all about trust. if you cannot trust me, then you will not follow me or believe in me.
more on leadership for pro members: 5 questions about your firm’s direction | 6 reasons to keep partners from retiring | 6 reasons why cpa firms fail in innovation | 6 steps to handle staffing problems in a merger | 7 signs your firm is headed for an implosion | it’s not always about money: 16 tweaks for your comp system | eight key goal areas for partners | like herding cats: partners must ‘walk together’ | managing partners must remember partners’ needs | new times call for new cpa firm metrics | partners have love-hate relationship with leadership | the 8-point financial tune-up for your accounting firm | three ways to run a firm: but only one is sustainable | what does being a partner mean?
here is my short checklist for the things good leaders need to do:
1. always tell the truth. this is the basis of trust. just remember the story of george washington and the cherry tree – “i cannot tell a lie.” leadership is not about politics, it’s about clear and honest communication with your partners, employees, clients and referral sources. leave the double talk to the politicians who populate the sunday morning tv talk shows. read more →
how friending, liking, connecting or tweeting can come back to haunt you.
by r. peter fontaine
newgate law
it is axiomatic that the only true assets of any accounting firm are its clients and its people. these relationships are typically protected through a legal agreement between the firm and its people. known as restrictive covenants (or, colloquially, as “non-competes”), under these contracts former partners and employees are prohibited from soliciting or serving firm clients, and soliciting or hiring firm employees.
restrictive covenants are becoming increasingly more significant in the accounting industry because of the growing mobility of and competition for a scarce workforce and partner and employee “fallout” following a merger. the ever expanding popularity of social media only contributes to the uncertainty surrounding the enforceability and effectiveness of post-employment restrictions.
to recruit the best, you must sponsor women for leadership.
by ida o. abbott
sponsoring women: what men need to know
smart accounting firm leaders want to be in the forefront of efforts to advance women.
as the global economy continues to become more competitive, firms need to use all the talent they can muster — and more and more of that talent will be women.
more on sponsoring women for leadership: beyond mentoring to sponsorship | ‘soft skills’ advice needed, too | use others to promote your protégée | 8 ways sponsors can highlight opportunities | 17 ways sponsors can help protégées | 3 ways to open a sponsorship conversation | what sponsors need from protégées | 3 ways to derail sponsorships | 4 ways sponsors can help women seek power | bias about women with families lingers | judged on performance, not potential? must be a woman | gender bias still a problem | why women are overlooked (and how to fix it) | 3 ways men are favored in the workplace | women need promotions, not just advice | mentor or sponsor? how to distinguish roles | 4 ways women leaders improve firms
companies that successfully tap into the full potential of women will be far ahead of their competitors. the key to doing it is to identify women who are likely to succeed and sponsor them, so they reach the top levels of leadership. that requires direct personal involvement by leaders, particularly leaders who are men.