OUTLOOK: Soft Skills Are Front and Center

Leadership must be ready to challenge mindsets … and not slowly.

By Sarah Dobek
The Rosenberg MAP Survey

EDITOR’S NOTE: Every year, the Rosenberg MAP Survey asks the industry’s top consultants to share their observations from CPA firms across the country. How do you think the next 12 months will unfold? Also, how would you assess the last 12 months?

I believe that over the next 12 months, firms will continue to focus on ideal clients with a more strategic focus on client acceptance. This will help with bandwidth constraints, ensure strategic growth and protect resources. As an outcome, firms will be challenged to improve scoping conversations by considering their services.

MORE: OUTLOOK: It’s Time for a New Business Model | Rosenberg MAP: Partner Incomes Surge 11.4%
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Client experience standards will become a stronger focus as well. As a result of focusing on advisory and consulting services, they will identify and likely face challenges around skills development in these areas. Training and development inside firms will continue to evolve, and by next year, firms will be back in full swing with their soft skills development training if they weren’t already in 2023.

Posted on November 12, 2023

Sarah Johnson Dobek

About the Author

Sarah Johnson Dobek is President and Founder of Inovautus Consulting, a national consulting firm that develops strategies, programs, and training designed to help accounting firms grow faster and in the right direction.

She is a contributing author to Bridging the Gap: Strengthening the Connection between Current and Emerging Leaders in the CPA Profession

Sarah and her team work with firms to assess their growth goals and execute practical marketing and business development plans. With her unique background in operations, human resources, practice management, and marketing, Sarah delivers insightful, practical advice that guides organizations down the right path toward achieving the growth they desire. Sarah's ability to understand where an organization is starting from, coupled with her disciplined approach to best practices, drives results for firms and helps them to evolve.

Prior to forming Inovautus, Sarah was the Director of Marketing for a Chicago-based accounting firm and the Director of Consulting Services at PDI Global, where she learned the nuts and bolts of public accounting firms and the importance of aligning marketing, people, and practice management strategies to achieve growth.

Sarah is a sought-after speaker for conferences, board meetings, and professional service associations and societies. She is a thought leader appearing throughout the profession through articles, podcasts, and videos in Accounting Today, CPA Society publications, the AICPA Journal, CPA Practice Advisor, and more.

Having been named a "Top 100 Most Influential Person" by Accounting Today in 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, and 2018, and a three-time "Top 20 Under 40 Vendor" by CPA Practice Advisor, Sarah is without a doubt glued into the profession. Living and breathing her passion, she's also a member and former board member of the Association for Accounting Marketing (AAM) and the past President and member of the CPA Consultants Alliance.

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