Posts Tagged ‘leadership’
Closing the Loop: Lessons from a Lifetime of Practice, People, and Progress
If you’ve been reading my blogs over the years, you’ll recognise the same drumbeat beneath every topic: make it simpler, make it smarter, make it serve people. I’ve written about pricing and productivity, talent and leadership, marketing and client experience, and systems, data, and the great unbundling of work by technology. I’ve nudged (and occasionally…
Read MoreLeadership Strategies for Accounting Firms
Leadership in an accounting practice is the ability to guide people and the firm toward shared goals through influence, clarity and consistent action. In high-performing firms, strong leadership shows up in measurable outcomes across practice management. What great leaders improve: Leaders do things differently, and they get superior results. Above all, they work well with…
Read MoreFrom Compliance to Confidence: Managing an Accounting Firm in the Modern Era
Running a successful accounting firm today goes far beyond technical expertise. The environment is shifting rapidly, driven by client expectations, technology, and workforce dynamics, and firms need to adapt if they want to thrive. Effective management requires clarity of vision, purposeful leadership, and a deep focus on people. Leadership and Culture At the heart of…
Read MoreWhat Star Performers Want: Creating a Firm That Attracts and Keeps the Best
The success of your firm comes down to one thing: your people. Talent is your biggest competitive advantage and your most valuable asset. But attracting and retaining star performers takes more than good coffee and casual Fridays. The best people want more, and firms that understand this will win the talent game. Keep it interesting…
Read MoreThe Struggle for Accountability: Why Your Firm Needs an Accountability Framework
I encounter a common theme when working with firms: frustration with accountability. Too often, people are unwilling to take responsibility, and others are unwilling to hold them to account. This isn’t a simple issue to solve. It’s partly cultural. It’s also often a result of using the wrong performance measures, or a complete lack of…
Read MoreBecoming a Memorable Leader
As an ambitious leader, you want to be someone that people recognise and remember, don’t you? Being a memorable leader can be easy because people tell their “horror stories” fairly regularly. If you think back on the leaders who stand out in your mind, it’s probably the ones who made mistakes who are remembered. You…
Read MoreBuilding the Future of the Accounting Profession
Mentorship of young professionals is a critical part of accounting firm team development. Mentorship enhances the skills and knowledge of young accountants and fosters a culture of continuous learning and professional development. In this article, we will explore the importance of mentoring, the benefits it brings to both the team members and the firm, and…
Read MoreDo we really need all this complexity?
This modern world is getting so complicated. There are complex accounting standards, ESG reporting, gender equality reporting, WH&S, and countless HR policies. There are surveys for almost everything. The list is endless. I sometimes wonder how anyone can make a profit. This complexity also brings some danger. Solutions can often be simpler than they appear,…
Read MoreSoft Skills – the Future for Successful Accountants
If you have been working for several years in the accounting industry or maybe just a few, you would have noticed that successful team members know more than technical accounting skills. They know how to manage a meeting, put clients at ease, deal with difficult clients and scenarios, persuade and negotiate, and make themselves known…
Read MoreUnlocking the Secret of Being a Gun Leader
Leadership skills are essential to progressing your career for a wide range of reasons including: You already know that and will undoubtedly be looking forward to discovering more about this (and other insights) at the 2023 Young Guns Workshop. There is one leadership skill that isn’t often mentioned that truly is a critical one. It’s…
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