Leadership Archives - Page 6 of 47

25 Ways to Turn Good Firms into Great Firms

April 4, 2016

Profitability and benchmarking are part of it, but not all of it.

The 25 best practices below have been extracted from Rosenberg’s work with great firms over a 20-year period. Few firms do them all, but the elite firms do most of them.

MORE ON RETREATS: Partner Buyout 101 | 27 Tough Questions Every Firm Needs to Address | 10 Benchmarking Missteps | 18 Essential Management Questions to Cover at a Retreat | Thinking of Merging? Discuss It At a Retreat | Retreat Logistics: How Long, What Kind? | Why Do CPA Firms Conduct Retreats?

What grade would you give your firm on each of these?
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14 Ways to Keep Sex from Wrecking Something Great

March 2, 2016

By Ida O. Abbott

Apply a presumption of innocence.

By Ida O. Abbott
Sponsoring Women: What Men Need to Know

If you are concerned about the possibility of sex-related problems, consider the degree of risk involved and whether you are willing to assume it.

MORE ON SPONSORING WOMEN FOR LEADERSHIP: How to Help Your Protégée Project the Right Image | How to Promote Your Protégée to Coworkers | 8 Steps to Guiding Your Protégée | 17 Ways to Follow Through on Sponsorship | How Protégées Can Help Sponsors | Fears of Innuendo, Gossip Impede Development | Women Must See Politics As Leadership | Why Some Women Resist Using Networks | Bias Persists Against Women with Children | Why Men Don’t See Women as Leaders | Thanks for the Advice, But I’d Really Prefer a Promotion | 18 Ways to Boost Your Protégée

Before you decide, consider

first that you might be exaggerating the risk, and
second that this is a risk that can be prevented and managed.

Innovate or Die

February 28, 2016

By August J. Aquila

Use a ‘skunk works’ mentality so the compensation trap doesn’t ruin you.

By August Aquila
Creating the Effective Partnership

The focus on most CPA firms is on billable hours. While there is nothing inherently wrong with this focus, it has become the overriding focus of firms.

MORE ON LEADERSHIP FOR PRO Members: 3 Ways to Halt a Poor Leader | 5 Questions for Every MP to Answer Honestly | Does Your Dashboard Need Fine-Tuning? | The 4 Best Ways to Use Your Senior Partners | How to Tell a Culture Change Is Due | Today’s Top Six Partner Compensation Trends | 11 Steps to Building a Better Partnership Team | Why Your Firm Should Be a Republic | 8 Financial Ducks to Line Up Now | Partnership Is About Persuasion

There is nothing wrong with making money today, but what about building for the future? With “today” being the dominant focus, what is the encouragement to CPAs to innovate? In most firms there is no alignment with innovation and compensation.
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How to Help Your Protégée Project the Right Image

February 24, 2016

By Ida O. Abbott

‘Soft skills’ advice is needed, especially with ‘double bind’ issues.

By Ida O. Abbott
Sponsoring Women: What Men Need to Know

Feedback is important at any level of professional development.

MORE ON SPONSORING WOMEN FOR LEADERSHIP FOR PRO MEMBERS: How to Promote Your Protégée to Coworkers | Can You Afford to Be a Sponsor? | Fears of Innuendo, Gossip Impede Development | Bias Persists Against Women with Children | Why Men Don’t See Women as Leaders | 18 Ways to Boost Your Protégée

But for a woman trying to become a leader, honest, clear and practical feedback is essential. She needs to know both how well she is performing and how to project the image she wants others to have of her.
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3 Ways to Halt a Poor Leader

February 21, 2016

By August J. Aquila

And 8 things these people have in common.

By August Aquila
Creating the Effective Partnership

Many accountants could add to this list, but here are some of the surefire signs that a firm has weak leadership driving the firm toward implosion.

– The way partners resolve issues is by finger pointing.

– The firm is in a spiral downward trend.

– The best producers often decide to leave the firm or just look out for themselves.

How to Promote Your Protégée to Coworkers

February 17, 2016

By Ida O. Abbott

9 ways to help her get better assignments.

By Ida O. Abbott
Sponsoring Women: What Men Need to Know

Promoting your protégée to others is an important part of sponsorship.

MORE ON SPONSORING WOMEN FOR LEADERSHIP: How Protégées Can Help Sponsors | Why Some Women Resist Using Networks | 5 Ways Women Get Shoved Aside | Why Men Don’t See Women as Leaders | Why CPA Firms Need More Women

Here are nine concrete steps:

8 Steps to Guiding Your Protégée

February 10, 2016

By Ida O. Abbott

How you can steer her to opportunities.

By Ida O. Abbott
Sponsoring Women: What Men Need to Know

Once you have identified a woman to sponsor and determined that you click, you may be wondering how to get started.

MORE ON SPONSORING WOMEN FOR LEADERSHIP: Can You Afford to Be a Sponsor? | Fears of Innuendo, Gossip Impede Development | Women Must See Politics As Leadership | Why Some Women Resist Using Networks | 5 Ways Women Get Shoved Aside | Women Leaders Provide 6 Market Advantages | Why CPA Firms Need More Women

Here are some concrete steps to take:
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17 Ways to Follow Through on Sponsorship

February 3, 2016

By Ida O. Abbott

An effective sponsorship requires work from both parties.

By Ida O. Abbott
Sponsoring Women: What Men Need to Know

When you sponsor a woman, there are many steps that you can take to ensure that the relationship is productive and achieves its objectives.

MORE ON SPONSORING WOMEN FOR LEADERSHIP: Can You Afford to Be a Sponsor? | How Protégées Can Help Sponsors | Beware Misunderstandings About Work Relationships | Fears of Innuendo, Gossip Impede Development | Women Must See Politics As Leadership | Why Some Women Resist Using Networks | Bias Persists Against Women with Children | Standards for Women Still Differ | Thanks for the Advice, But I’d Really Prefer a Promotion

Here are some tips for getting off to a strong start and following through effectively, especially by focusing on career opportunities and promoting your protégée to others.
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