leadership

building teamwork under covid pressure

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handshake at an office meetingthe pandemic only highlights problems that existed before the office buildings were bolted shut.

by steven e. sacks
the new fundamentals

with the covid outbreak, businesses of all types have had their teams work remotely while trying to ensure that the team structure was secure.

more: how can change management really produce change? | managing information overload | 6 types of non-listeners | listening: how a conversation works | exchanging knowledge has no downside | political correctness or just common courtesy? | syncing up for the covid era
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how to communicate with and ensure trust with each team member has presented challenges – some having to do with issues that normally occur even in an in-person setting, in pre-pandemic times.

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how can change management really produce change?

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post with two signs, "same" and "change"bonus: 3 steps to improving your culture.

by steven e. sacks
the new fundamentals

lately i have been in conversations on the topic of change management. there is no one right definition because consultants can view this concept in slightly altered ways. besides, one person’s view of change can be another’s view of slight modification. either way, there needs to be preparation from the firm, team and individual levels.

more: managing information overload | make your writing count | etiquette never goes out of style | make news, not noise | take that extra breath with email | effective communications in the age of covid | the new covid-19 workplace: are you prepared? | does your firm’s board know its role? | are executive performance reviews dangerous? | influence, don’t manipulate
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

on a visceral level, change management is a mindset of how to prepare, equip and support people so they can successfully adopt change to drive organizational success and the resulting outcomes. if you peel away the layer of consultant-speak, it is really about how to influence people to change their behavior from “in the moment” to “future thinking.”
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teaching the meaning of ‘done’

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angry boss in chair staring down at tiny businessmannot to be confused with the dreaded “done but.”

by frank stitely
the relentless cpa

in my last book, as with this one, i recommended hiring younger staff. in that book, i cautioned that you might have to teach very simple tasks like breathing and using the bathroom to your newbies. www.g005e.com posted an excerpt with my advice.

more: how we killed the tax season client meeting | why your firm needs to attract more millenials | the fool in the room | the 3 biggest tech failures of accounting firms | 7 steps to effective project management | wip-ing clients into shape | the land mines in tax returns | give your people the resources they need | the right way to assign staff projects | workflow for dummies
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

one reader posted that she didn’t believe it was the responsibility of an admin department to teach bathroom use. she was new to this hot new writing technique called sarcasm. she did a great job making my point that you have to teach your staff a lot of really basic things.
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managing information overload

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woman yelling into bullhorn and newspapers flying outthe right decisions depend on it.

by steven e. sacks
the new fundamentals

it’s a non-stop world of information, data and knowledge shared by anyone from anywhere. it overwhelms, frustrates, confuses, provokes, guides, influences, paralyzes and spurs action. what we research informs the areas we want to investigate further based on the level of knowledge that we need – or how seductive the messaging is, piquing our curiosity even more.

more: make your writing count | trust: one building block of success | make your presentations memorable | have a real-life conversation | is your message open to interpretation? | why proper communication is critical | how to select your firm’s board | real influence vs. immediate gratification | 4 ways to boost job satisfaction
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

newspapers, magazines, cable, radio, social media and a multitude of in-person events create this 24/7 world of information gathering. for business leaders, deciding where to look for information influences their approach to learning more. leaders who seriously take their role of decision-making want to learn; they collect the relevant data and anecdotal information so they can contemplate the pros and cons of certain actions to take.
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seven deadly sins that will destroy your firm

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businessman in an umbrella sails in storm in the nightthe pandemic actually brought us a positive.

by august j. aquila

my experience has been that firms suffer not only economically, but also professionally. clients and staff also suffer because the following behaviors hurt client service and staff development.

more: the morning after the merger | 6 action steps for a smooth retirement transition | the eternal riddle of being an effective leader | 7 pieces of leadership advice | tomorrow’s leader in 9 bullet points | 5 ways to get clients to accept a new pricing philosophy | 11 alternative pricing methods

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

if you notice any of these in your firm, act today to change the culture.

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edge leaders share 7 strengths

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here’s a clear picture of what this kind of leadership looks like.

by anthony zecca
leading from the edge

let’s take a stroll down memory lane and think about the leaders you have had in the past.

more on edge leadership: assessing your firm | the 4 traits of great cpa leaders | why leaders must ensure clarity | incremental vs. exceptional success | do you lead or just manage? | managing vs. leading | is your leadership team at the edge? | 6 leadership challenges through covid and beyond | edge leaders share 7 strengths | leadership must drive culture | leading from the edge
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

if you are like me, your experience reflects some really good leaders and some poor leaders, with most being in the middle, i.e., average center leaders. read more →

learning to love video calls

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four people on each side of a videoconferencetake the pain out of online meetings with weekly updates.

by jody grunden
building the virtual cfo firm in the cloud

if you’re the type of person who cringes at the thought of “another meeting,” i’m here to tell you, you’ve got to get over it. when you work with and for your clients remotely, you simply have to embrace meetings.

more: try an accountability chart instead | give your leadership team time to lead | hate billing? use a different method | use bots to your advantage | how to attract clients like a magnet | 6 steps for sales and conversion | the right way to onboard new clients | 4 ways to bill clients | how to evaluate workflow management software | when the irs and fbi come knocking | 5 questions to evaluate new tech tools
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

not only do meetings become the foundation of every relationship within your company, but they are the stimulus for where the work gets done.

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how we killed the tax season client meeting

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man working hard at office deskyep, there’s an app for that!

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: why your firm needs to attract more millenials | why millennials are the answer | calculating and cutting turnaround time | debunking the demise of the cpa firm | how many tax preparers do you need? | 3 tips for handling rookie tax preparers
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

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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make your writing count

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woman working at desktop computergood writing still takes time and careful consideration.

by steven e. sacks
the new fundamentals

every day we write something, whether it is a text, an email, a handwritten note (yes, they still exist), an article, speech, a report or something else. it takes practice and patience to become proficient. it does not matter what profession or field of endeavor in which you work. to be clear and concise is to respect the reader’s time and position.

more: 6 types of non-listeners | etiquette never goes out of style | make news, not noise | have a real-life conversation | exchanging knowledge has no downside | take that extra breath with email | effective communications in the age of covid | profit is not a mission
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

if you advise businesses, besides the guidance you impart, your most valuable product can be a memo, letter or a report. your report is the only tangible product the client will receive in return for paying your fee. it serves as a historical record of the effort you put forth. it can mask or reveal the quality of the fact-finding or analysis you conducted simply based on how clearly you communicated your information.
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try an accountability chart instead

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blank organizational chartthen check to see whether the right people are in the right seats.

by jody grunden
building the virtual cfo firm in the cloud

“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: give your leadership team time to lead | be more effective remotely with disc | protect client files from cyberthreats | get ready to launch virtual cfo services | riches in niches | marketing is about thought leadership | how to audit 401(k)s | 3 measures of the effectiveness of your team | how to profit with workflow apps
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.”
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trust: one building block of success

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businesspeople discussing chartsremote work and “rightsizing” make it more important than ever.

by steven e. sacks
the new fundamentals

people are so busy these days, juggling meetings, projects, conference calls, performance reviews and a whole slew of other responsibilities. each of these activities has a level of commitment attached to it. the person who is accountable for completing the tasks promises he or she will follow through. the other party who is requesting the deliverable expects that the promise will be kept.

more: 6 types of non-listeners | etiquette never goes out of style | make news, not noise | take that extra breath with email | effective communications in the age of covid | the new covid-19 workplace: are you prepared?
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

how often have we become disappointed that others have failed in their commitments?

a lot.
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leadership must drive culture

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superhero businesswoman wearing shadow capebehavior will drive the bus off the road.

by anthony zecca
leading from the edge

“culture is like the wind. it is invisible; yet its effect can be seen and felt.” – bryan walker, partner and managing director, ideo

more on edge leadership: assessing your firm | the 4 traits of great cpa leaders | why leaders must ensure clarity | incremental vs. exceptional success | do you lead or just manage? | managing vs. leading | is your leadership team at the edge? | 6 leadership challenges through covid and beyond | edge leaders share 7 strengths | leadership must drive culture | leading from the edge
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

edge leaders are magnificent creators and stewards of a winning culture. i use the concept of “creating” because, regardless of what process is used to develop the culture of the firm, it is the firm leader who either gives life to it or modifies it through action and communication. edge leaders reflect the firm culture in all their actions, and they focus on ensuring that the firm’s performance is achieved within the culture and roadmap (strategy) that creates a standout, high-performing firm.
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6 types of non-listeners

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woman on phone ignoring man across tableyou know the phrase: we hear but do we really listen?

by steven e. sacks
the new fundamentals

do you ever find yourself speaking to someone and notice that they are battling you and their iphone? a quick glance here, a one- or two-word text response there. unfortunately, it is the new normal – whether in business or in our personal lives.

more: etiquette never goes out of style | make your presentations memorable | have a real-life conversation | is your message open to interpretation? | trust is a key organizational ingredient | real influence vs. immediate gratification
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

those of us who encountered different forms of technology tools and platforms during the second half of our careers still believe that effective interpersonal communication still counts for something. of course, in this era of uncivil discourse, speaking over one another has, too, become the new normal.
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