Archive for the ‘Helpful Information’ Category
Tuesday, February 18th, 2020
“I recently went to a new doctor and noticed he was located in something called a Professional Building. I felt better right away.” – George Carlin
Are you teaching your young accountants how to become successful as rainmakers? If they want to be on the ownership track, they need to be able to bring in new business to the firm. That’s an overwhelming assignment for new hires.
The journey begins in their first week by having new recruits meet with your marketing director as part of orientation. The MD will simply explain how it all works and share all the tools the firm has available to help them succeed.
No expectations are set (that happens later down the road) except that the beginner CPA needs to be visible and attend business, civic and charitable events along with a more experienced CPA.
A helpful exercise is to host a lunch and learn where two or three of the firm’s best business developer partners participate in a panel discussion about how they became successful at attracting new clients to the firm. Each partner will have a slightly different success story and the entire staff is invited to the lunch and learn to listen and ask questions.
Never let marketing/sales be a surprise to your team members. Make it part of your culture and provide the tools necessary to help them succeed.
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Nine tenths of education is encouragement.
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Anatole France
Tuesday, February 11th, 2020
Even if you are always busy, find time to read. Of course, read the most beneficial and motivational business books. But, don’t stop there. Read for enjoyment and meaning.
While on a winter get-away, I found a copy of Tuesdays With Morrie in the villa we rented. I’m sure you have heard of it. I hadn’t read it in years so I re-read it. It’s an easy read.
Here is just one takeaway:
“Find someone to share your heart, give to your community, be at peace with yourself, try to be as human as you can be.”
If you are “too busy” to read the book, read these 14 inspiring quotes.
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If you really want it, then you’ll make your dream happen.
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Morrie Schwartz
Monday, February 3rd, 2020
“Don’t be yourself – be someone nicer.” – Mignon McLaughlin
When was the last time you did something to show your most valued clients and lucrative prospects that you are thinking about them?
What about doing something for your team members during the next few stressful months?
How about sending them some green bagels on St. Patrick’s Day (I know a local law firm that did this every year)? Deliver a pumpkin pie just before Thanksgiving. It could be something as small as some of your promo items – pens, post-it notes, notepads, coffee mugs or candy with the firm logo.
For your team, it could be a thank-you note to their family for being so understanding during tax season. A handwritten thank-you note to the team member when they have gone above and beyond. It could also be new coffee mugs, portfolios, logo shirts or candy sent to their home on their birthday.
This came to mind because I received a promo package from OnPay, an online payroll processing service last week. It contained a small box of candy, a nice coffee mug, lip balm, and some great coffee. I was thrilled and it did cause me to write this blog post.
What can you “cause” your clients and team members to do by just being thoughtful?
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I always prefer to believe the best of everybody, it saves so much trouble.
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Rudyard Kipling
Monday, January 27th, 2020
“You may delay, but time will not, and lost time is never found again.” – Benjamin Franklin
I have observed that accountants are masters at procrastination.
Definition: Procrastinate: delay or postpone action, put off doing something.
You would think that people who are deadline driven would avoid procrastination. That doesn’t seem to be the case. Here’s what I have seen over and over again during my several decades working in public accounting.
Procrastination is practiced throughout tax season and as due dates near, fire drills begin. Thus, hectic and stressful times reign for ten days before the due date.
Procrastination runs rampant after a partner or management retreat. The common excuses are:
- We are too busy.
- We can’t work on it now (the firm initiative), we are too busy with performance reviews.
- The fall due dates are approaching.
- We have to do so much tax planning in December.
- We will have to wait until after April 15.
- After April 15, too many people are taking time off.
Experts tell us that most people procrastinate because they don’t like what they do. If you love what you do, you procrastinate less.
According to Jeffrey Gitomer, there are two things you can do to fight procrastination – 1) Set a false (earlier) deadline, and 2) Enjoy the deadline, instead of lamenting it.
I usually approach completing tasks this way. I do what I dread first and then can enjoy the projects I am passionate about.
If you are not passionate about what you mostly do, you better find another job.
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In a moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing to do, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.
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Theodore Roosevelt
Friday, January 24th, 2020
“Learning never exhausts the mind.” – Leonardo da Vinci
Convergence Coaching’s Spring Transformational Leadership Program™ (TLP) is open for registration! This year-long program kicks off at the end of May and is designed to take high-potential managers, senior managers, principals, and newer partners to their next level of success in leading others and the firm.
So much is changing. Now is the time to expand your visibility & take on a meaningful role to drive change at your #firm. Learn the skills you need to advance your #role with the @ConvergenceSays TLP. Here is a helpful video – https://youtu.be/xKP8KeKFMkg
For more detailed information about this valuable program, click here.
The program fills up quickly so don’t wait too long to register.
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Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.
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Benjamin Franklin
Tuesday, January 21st, 2020
“Am I unhappy at my job?” – Tony Nitti
Whether you are a tax professional, another accountant or an admin professional working inside a public accounting firm I hope you will take the time to read this Forbes article written by Tony Nitti.
It is titled, The Five New Year’s Resolutions Every Tax Pro Should Make.
I know! You are busy. You are always busy. Find the time to read.
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You don't have to love your career every day.
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Tony Nitti
Monday, January 20th, 2020
“It doesn’t make sense to hire smart people and then tell them what to do; we hire smart people so they can tell us what to do.” – Steve Jobs
It is very difficult to find and hire talented accountants and administrative personnel. Accounting firms have been struggling for years with this topic and it only seems to be getting more challenging. So, once you do hire a qualified person, how do you keep them?
I recently read a good article via HBR titled, Why People Quit Their Jobs.
In the CPA profession, we have heard for years that the reason people leave their jobs is the fact that they have a poor manager (boss).
Research now tells us that there is more to it than just a bad manager. Technology has enabled companies to better track reasons people leave jobs. A lot of it is personal reasons. Another interesting aspect is that large companies are tracking what employees are doing that might indicate they are unhappy with their current job like how much time they spend on LinkedIn.
It seems that comparing themselves to their peer group – both business peers and personal friends causes people to consider their current job status.
Take a few minutes to read the article, I think you will find it helpful in your quest to retain top talent.
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Hiring the right people takes time, the right questions and a healthy dose of curiosity. What do you think is the most important factor when building your team? For us, it’s personality.
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Richard Branson
Thursday, January 16th, 2020
“What differentiates sellers today is their ability to bring fresh ideas.” – Jill Konrath
In many CPA firms, the most successful rainmakers are still in the baby boomer category. Yet, as we all know, baby boomers are retiring at the rate of 10,000 per day.
Who will replace your top rainmaker(s)? This is a valid concern in many accounting firms. But, times are changing and so is the role of the CPA firm rainmaker.
In an informative article via Accounting Today, written by Lee Frederiksen, he notes that the rainmaker model is beginning to dry up!
Attracting new clients used to be based on the personalities of certain partners. These partners were out and about in the business community and made contacts that led to new business.
Now, a prospective client has checked out the firm, it’s leaders and the services they provide before anyone at the firm has actually met them. Future clients are searching for the firm with the right expertise to solve their specific business challenges. Hopefully, your firm possesses the services and expertise they are looking for and they can find it on your website.
Be sure to read the entire article.
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The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.
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Walt Disney
Tuesday, January 14th, 2020
“Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.” – Tony Robbins
I recently received my copy of the hireMAX Spotlight newsletter. I have enjoyed a long business friendship with the president and founder, Norm Bobay. hireMAX provides employee selection and development programs.
The newsletter article titled, 7 Steps To Achieve Your Business Goals, describes how Navy SEALs achieve their goals. There is a lot of good advice for CPAs who want to become more successful.
When most of us think about Navy SEALs, we think of their bravery and toughness. They take on dangerous missions and seem to achieve the impossible.
In the book The Navy SEAL Art of War by Rob Roy, he talks about how Navy SEALs accomplish these amazing feats. He explains that it’s more about the process than the ability. He lays out these seven steps that you can use to tackle your scariest goals.
- Always ask clarifying questions. SEALs ask very specific questions to understand their mission clearly. You need to ask yourself the Who, Why, What, When, Where, and How questions about your goal. Use each of these questions to better clarify your objective. You don’t want to go into a mission misinformed about what the objective of it was. The same thing is important when you go after achieving a goal.
- Inventory all of your available resources. This includes knowing what you have now and what’s coming down the road. Note your tangible resources such as technology and money. Don’t forget to include the intangible resources such as your network and your skills. Consider every resource available to you that can help you reach your goal.
- Clearly set up roles and responsibilities. If your goal involves help from your team, make sure they know their role and responsibility in achieving it.
- Maintain hyper-focus on your goal. Leaders don’t make excuses and they don’t let circumstances cause them to need an excuse.
- Think through all possible contingencies and outcomes. Be prepared to work around any problems that may arise. A failure to plan is a planned failure.
- Train every day. SEALs train a lot. They practice over and over again until they’re stress-proof. You need to do the same. The more you train, the faster you’ll be. Training can help you quickly evade problems that arise.
- The last step is to celebrate! Scratch that. This step is definitely not on the Navy Seals list. It’s great that you reached your goal but now you need an after-action review. Navy SEAL’s debrief after every mission. You need to do something similar. Look back to see if there are areas you can improve on when you go after your next goal. Rehash the mistakes you made and learn from them to do better next time.
Leaders can learn from Navy SEALs and utilize their processes in the business world. Implement the seven steps above and you’ll be on your way to achieving your next goal.
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The only easy day was yesterday.
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..a Navy SEALs motto
Monday, January 13th, 2020
“Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.” – Carl Sagan
Recently, I wrote about doing unexpected and helpful things for your clients. I am always surprised by the number of CPAs I talk to who do not send a newsletter to their clients. I always think of that old saying, “out of sight, out of mind.” It applies to CPAs.
Use your newsletter software to also send important reminders to your clients. These reminders are certainly unexpected and helpful.
Here’s a great example from Snyder & Company in Lancaster, Ohio that I received last week:
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Friendship, like love, is destroyed by long absence, though it may be increased by short intermissions.
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Samuel Johnson
