Wednesday, September 15th, 2021

A Jerk Free Firm

“In my opinion, we don’t devote nearly enough scientific research to finding a cure for jerks.” – Bill Watterson

Recently, a comment from Allan Koltin caused me to give some thought to what a jerk-free firm might be. Koltin noted that if you had a jerk-free firm, the firm would be more likely to have appeal as a merger candidate.

I have observed that most CPA firms have at least one jerk at the leadership level. It could be a partner, a manager, a male, or a female but their jerkdom is well-known and dreaded. Sometimes they are even ridiculed among the team members. Usually, interns can identify the jerk within a week or so and can often do a great job of doing a comic imitation of that person.

Here is a link to where you can read about jerks in the workplace. But how do you define a jerk personality in an accounting firm?

Someone who:

• Talks excessively but never listens.
• Takes credit for other people’s ideas.
• Is always last minute causing chaos close to due dates.
• Doesn’t respect other people’s time.
• Leaves a mess in the lunch room for admin to clean up.
• Ignores the FIFO method for processing work and puts their jobs first.
• Seems to have no understanding that you have a personal life.
• Rarely express appreciation or gives recognition for a job well done.
• Openly makes fun of other people (staff/clients) and gets involved in the grapevine.
• Dodges client calls when they know there is a problem and delegates it to someone else.

I could go on but you can add to this list if you want.

I suggest you strive to develop a jerk-free culture by establishing some guidelines and goals. Be sure you have identified the firm’s core values and expect all partners to live by them and set a good example

Here is an example of some values that help make a jerk-free workplace;

• Client focused – Always striving to provide awesome client service
• Focused on excellence pertainig to hiring, establishing processes and working environment.
• Keeping our word – I always think of something Sam Allred said at a retreat many years ago as it applies to partners: “I will do what I say I will do, on time, without reminders.”
• Team oriented – Everyone at all levels are expected to give and receive feedback to help themselves and the entire team to continually improve.
• Self-sufficient – I will be a problem solver; not one who creates problems for others to solve.

Be able to say without hesitation, “We are a jerk-free firm!”

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