leadership

workflow for dummies

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exhausted man rubbing his eyes under glassesso you can quickly tell when a delay is the client’s fault. plus: the 12-step tax return and 8-step writeup workflows.

by frank stitely
the relentless cpa

let’s play buzzword bingo. i’ll go first: workflow.

more: what goes into a client project? | 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
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workflow is the cpa firm buzzword of the decade. every vendor leech trying to suck the life out of your bank account drops this term, and in so doing, workflow now means everything and nothing at all. marketers have so devalued the term that we shouldn’t be surprised that no one has an effective workflow, because no one knows what it is. let’s flush the confusion.
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the top 5 concerns of great managing partners

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industrial metal number 5growth and mergers didn’t make the cut, so what did?

by marc rosenberg
the rosenberg practice management library

i recently updated my research on the role of the managing partner. how better to do this than to poll great mps from across the country? so that’s what i did.

more: partners: when to speak up and when to shut up
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i received responses from 17 mps: three from firms with revenue exceeding $50 million; five firms were $20-50 million; six firms were $10-20 million; and three firms were $5-10 million. as i expected, i received very eloquent, powerful and somewhat diverse advice.
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tough lessons from tax season

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how to conduct an after-action review for a better season next year: 8 essential questions, 11 new opportunities.

by sandi leyva
the complete guide to marketing for tax & accounting firms

now that the initial tax deadline is past us, it’s a good time to take a look back to see how things went and how they can be done better. this is called an after-action review, and it’s not the same as a de-brief or a post-mortem. it’s a great tool for large companies, and small businesses can benefit too.

more from sandi leyva: change overload: 5 simple coping strategies |  39 advisory services for accountants  |  mix and match marketing channels  |  marketing materials 201: some advanced tips  |  testimonials: why and how  |  10 marketing materials you need  |  make direct mail work for you  |  how to use ‘warmed-up’ telemarketing  |  content marketing types and tips  |  write your way to expert status    |  71 places to find new clients  |  awards can boost your reputation  |  are you newsworthy?  |  step-by-step: how to make newsletters work for you  |

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an after-action review is a fantastic process to help you look back at a project or period of your business to see what, why, and how things occurred and how they can be improved for the future. taking a profit-focused view will help you get the most out of the idea.

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the five rules of smart tech

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how the best managing partners stay on top of technology.

by marc rosenberg
quantum of paperless: the partner’s guide to accounting firm optimization

the duties of managing partners 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 quantum of paperless: firms need ‘best practices’ manuals  |  optimize scanning procedures  |  why a digital tax workflow system is vital  | how long do you need that file?  |  don’t underestimate document management  | digital communications unify messaging  | hotspots the answer for field access  | check your bandwidth  | remote access requires planning  | proactively manage application updates  |

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this can be quite challenging because, unlike most managing partner duties, managing the technology function is a highly technical skill that most managing partners don’t have. so, they need to be smart. they need to know what they don’t know and rely on experts, both inside and outside of the firm, to guide them.

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what goes into a client project?

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woman drawing flowchart on a blackboard20 project types. 6 components for each. let’s make this simple.

by frank stitely
the relentless cpa

we have resolved to manage our projects effectively. just what are we managing? what is a project?

more: tammy’s tale of tax season tardiness | how effective project management makes your life easier | 2 lessons clients taught me | no consultant can solve your biggest problem | the great marketing hoax | what the value-pricers get wrong | 3 rules for asking great tax-return questions
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we could define a project in the manner supreme justice potter stewart defined pornography. “i know it when i see it.” but that will work as poorly for us as it worked for justice potter.
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grissom and aquila on partner performance evaluations

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woman conducting evaluationbusiness development is everyone’s job.

by august aquila and angie grissom
the august aquila leadership collection

he said: when conducting the partner performance evaluation, partners should not be surprised by the feedback. i often suggest that firms follow the following guidelines when it comes to delivering the annual (or semiannual) evaluation:

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agree together at the beginning of the evaluation period those competencies the partner should improve upon throughout the year. you may even wish to create an individual development plan that specifies those competencies and the activities in which the partner will engage to develop them.
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cpa firms can benefit from a strong internal communication culture

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man and two women talking in office3 critical components.

by steven e. sacks

a local reporter or a potential client contacts your firm after visiting its website. the website may have provided insufficient information, raised questions or caused confusion.

more: is your firm’s culture a magnet? | improve job satisfaction or it’ll cost your firm | we hear but do we really listen? | performing like crap can be a badge of honor | 7 steps to take as your firm grows | how enthusiastic is your staff? | can you recite your mission statement? | your firm’s biggest assets walk out the door every day
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now he or she calls the firm’s office at the number listed on the website. who will answer the phone? most likely the receptionist.
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how effective project management makes your life easier

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happier clients and happier staff are just the start.

by frank stitely
the relentless cpa

i have some excellent news. effective project management can make owning a firm fun and profitable again. if not fun, it will be at least more tolerable than a lifetime of root canals.

more: value pricers ignore half the pricing puzzle | beware the leeches and consultants | the value-pricing con job | the 21st-century cpa firm | ruthlessly efficient workflow management
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i have worked two aprils from the ncaa final four basketball tournament. this past september 15th, i worked from the beach. no one at the office seemed to miss me.
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is your firm’s culture a magnet?

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two men talking at table, one younger in plaid with man bun, one older with glasses and sweater over shouldersdon’t know? ask, and consider ways to change.

by steven e. sacks

in the famous words of management guru, peter drucker, “culture eats strategy for breakfast.”

more: improve job satisfaction or it’ll cost your firm | the holy grail: finding the right talent | today’s workplace challenge: communicating across generations, cultures, and diversity | how enthusiastic is your staff?
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accounting firms are starting to get this message because now they are instituting initiatives that would have been laughed at years ago: a) every day is jeans day; b) shorts when there is no client meeting; c) work from home; d) bring your own device to work; and e) reduced saturday hours during busy season. and on it goes …
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the seven leadership essentials for accounting firms

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businesswoman sitting on table while talking with four coworkersmanaging partners must learn when to say when.

by august j. aquila

while everyone learns by doing, we can certainly learn from others, especially those who have faced the same problem we are now facing.

more: gross profit in a professional services firm: opening a dialogue | client centricity leads to profitability | 6 steps to making your new pricing happen | preparing to change pricing philosophy
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do it sooner than later. this is perhaps the most often heard bit of advice that i hear from firm partners. too often we wait too long to address an issue. we know what the solution needs to be, but we are either afraid to decide or are hopeful that the problem will resolve itself. read more →