avoid last-minute deal making

woman and man shaking hands across a deskfive questions to ask.

by steven e. sacks
the new fundamentals

cpa firms often believe the most crucial part of negotiations to close a deal happens at the final stage of talks. but in order to have a satisfactory conclusion, you must set the tone at the beginning stage with an honest and forthcoming discussion based on mutual benefit – with an underpinning of respect and trust.

more: five common negotiating mistakes | courtesy still matters | bigger firm, bigger thinking | 5 steps to better time management | swot’s the purpose? | is your firm’s culture a magnet or a repellent?
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for young professionals, it is never too early to evaluate your negotiation aptitude. think about this as a process with key milestones. this gives you the chance to make modifications along the way and to avoid the last-minute pressures of bargaining that can remove the advantages you have created. adhering to a game plan will reduce the chances of objections from the other party, or even worse, the backing out of an arrangement that you considered to be a “lock.” this can be applied to discussions involving a promotion or a pay increase.
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how a great managing partner impacts firm growth

eight ways that firms benefit.

by marc rosenberg
the rosenberg practice management library

there are two cases for heavy managing partner oversight in practice development.

first case. cpa firms are very top-line-oriented businesses. expenses are largely fixed because most are for personnel compensation and benefits, so opportunities for increasing profits from cost-cutting are greatly limited. as a result, increases to the revenue or top line often fall directly to the bottom line. it’s easy to see why, far and away, increasing revenue is the most effective way to increase profitability. because the managing partner is (or should be) responsible for the firm’s profits, it makes total sense for the managing partner to play a major role in the firm’s growth.

more: 10 ways to hold partners accountable | five ways to evaluate partners | manage partners with goal setting | overarching authority that managing partners must have | herding cats: advice for managing partners
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second case. if a firm’s staff is its most important asset (or at least tied with clients), then revenue growth is the firm’s life-giving force. without revenue increases, firms become stagnant and die a slow death. therefore, revenue growth requires heavy involvement by the managing partner.
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tax season client meetings: kill them now

man working hard at office desklet’s try to spike phone calls and emails while we’re at it.

by frank stitely
the relentless cpa

what did dorothy and her friends fear in the wizard of oz? “lions and tigers and bears, oh my!” dorothy feared the wrong things if she’s a partner in a cpa firm. we don’t see much wildlife in our offices during tax season unless you count fast food delivery people and the occasional crazy client.

more: make your firm faster, smarter, richer … with millennials | seven ways to beat staffing shortages | the happier, saner, richer tax firm | avoiding projects hung up in process | teaching the meaning of ‘done’
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we should really fear the events that destroy our priorities and drain hours from productive work. meetings and phone calls and emails, oh my! let’s look at why these communication methods are so destructive from a practice management standpoint.
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do you give yourself too much credit?

young black businessman looking at his reflectionprobably. here’s how to change your ways.

by bill reeb

“focus on changing you” is an important technique to embrace. for your life to change in a meaningful way, it is about you changing – not anyone else.

more: how to focus your priorities | why clash when you can harmonize? | make tension work for you | it’s all right to enjoy success | failure paves the road to wisdom | are you paralyzed by fear? | how to change the way you think (and why)
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while this sounds cliché, it is absolutely true. as a consultant, i work with organizations helping them with everything from improving operating processes to succession. because every project i am involved in requires me to deal with a number of different personalities, if i want the client to achieve a successful outcome, it becomes critical for our team members to understand the following premise:

change occurs when you change!

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