Take Yoda’s Advice on Strategic Planning

https://cpatrendlines.com/?p=66294Seven questions to determine whether you’re ready.

By Marc Rosenberg
The Rosenberg Practice Management Library

“Do or do not – there is no ‘try.’”

Those are the immortal words of one of my two favorite movie mentors, Yoda from Star Wars. (Mr. Miyagi from “Karate Kid” is a close second.)

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Yoda is giving young Luke Skywalker his Jedi training and asks if he is ready. Luke responds, “I’ll give it a try,” prompting our beloved Jedi Master to utter his famous quote. When I come across this line, it makes me think of managing a CPA firm (OK, I’m a little weird about these things!).

Over the years, many CPA firms have invited me to help them create a strategic plan. Most of the time, I decline. Why? Because they don’t have what it takes to be successful at it and I don’t want to be associated with a consulting project that fails. The partner group needs to be in a position to do the strategic plan, not try. To help me decide if they have the right stuff, I ask these questions: