leadership

why merge and what to watch out for

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four checklists for thinking through the process, picking the right candidate and making it work. 

by august aquila
creating the effective partnership

it seems that you can’t pick up a newspaper today without reading about a merger of national, regional or local firms.

if you are a partner in a cpa firm that is contemplating a merger, you are about to enter into an extremely risky venture. this article will help you to lessen your risk and give you a better chance of having a successful merger. read more →

partner problem? first, ask yourself these 21 questions

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dealing with dysfunctional partners: the six-step process.

by august aquila
creating the effective partnership

as much as you would like to, you cannot ignore them; nor can you accept them as they are. doing that would be unfaithful to your core principles and ultimately cause more harm to the firm than any one of them is worth.

that leaves us with three options: rehabilitate them, fire them or place them outside of the firm. but first, be sure it’s not you.

read more →

how to use compensation to keep partners engaged

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finding the perfect compensation system

by robert j. lees
and august j. aquila
creating the effective partnership

a critical element in keeping partners engaged is having a compensation system that rewards them for doing the right things. every compensation plan should be constructed to help the firm enhance its ability to service clients, achieve its strategic goals and attract, reward and retain the right people. if a firm’s plan does not accomplish these objectives, it needs to be restructured. read more →

six questions to test your partner team’s performance management systems

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goals alone won’t won’t get you there.

by robert j. lees
and august j. aquila
creating the effective partnership

many leaders believe that people remain focused and committed to their performance goals if the goals are clear and compelling. however, that’s not our experience with accounting firms.

according to franklin covey’s “the 4 disciplines of execution: achieving your wildly important goals,” team engagement and accountability are necessary to maintain commitment to goals and we are firmly in this camp. read more →

12 reasons cpa firm staff meetings are a waste of time

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four quick fixes and a magic bullet.

by august aquila

the fact of the situation is that too much time is wasted in meetings that don’t accomplish anything. we meet, we talk and we leave. no one takes minutes, there is no follow-up and we are all glad that another meeting is over. don’t get me wrong; i am not a meeting basher. a meeting can be an effective way to make sure you are on course to achieve firm and departmental objectives and use your “bully pulpit power” as the managing partner. read more →