Leaders vs. Laggards and the Seven Keys to Successful CPA Firm Management
Melissa Hoffman Lajara at The New York State Society of CPAs reports in the latest e-zine on my part in last week’s Practice Management Conference:
There are just two types of managers in the world: leaders and laggards, said Rick Telberg, the conference’s luncheon speaker, consultant and former editor-in-chief of Accounting Today.
Leaders “are people who consistently achieve their self-given goals,” Telberg said. “Leadership is an ever-changing thing … [with] adherence to a clear set of values.”
What else do leaders do? Leaders are twice as likely to have management that leads by example, conduct performance reviews that are useful, and hold top management accountable, which Telberg said was exceedingly important. Another sign of good leadership, he said, is continuous and thorough training, with leaders six times more likely to work with the best equipment and software available.
Leaders are also more likely to empower every staff member to “do what it takes to satisfy a client,” monitor client satisfaction, have concrete plans and strategic goals, have a lower turnover rate and have clients who don’t resist fee increases.
In the realm of technology, Telberg said leaders are five times more likely to be “early adopters” of new technologies. “I’m not talking about the ‘bleeding edge’ but the leading edge,” he said. “You have to have the technology in your firm that your kids have, at least.”
By and large, any firm that expects to succeed in spite of changes and obstacles needs to take a leadership approach and “trust that the right activities will yield the right outcomes,” he said.
Thanks again to Phil Whitman and Robert Fligel for the invitation to be part of such a distinguished roster of presenters, and to the great staff at the society for all the hospitality.
