The 2008 Management Summit Conference

Source: Texas Society of CPAs, Public Practice

This article was prepared by Roman H. Kepczyk of Info Tech Partners North America, Inc. for Public Practice.

Sam Allred of Upstream Academy gave some unique insights into time management:

• Although charge hours are constant, total hours are increasing.
• Young people are averse to the grinding practices of firm leaders.
• Those partners who do have a personal life are viewed as slackers by the grinder partners.
• Grinders often spend most of their time doing the things they like to do—things that could be delegated to lower levels.
• Grinders are inefficient because of continual interruptions.

• Your email inbox is overflowing.
• You don’t follow through on commitments.
• You miss important family events.
• You feel guilty when you take time off.
• You work at home frequently.
• Work is your hobby.

• Block out periods of time to work without interruption.
• Plan your days. Reduce socializing during the business day.
• Learn to manage email. Read Take Back Your Life, by Sally McGhee.
• Use partner meetings to make decisions, not to hear reports that can be read outside the meeting.
• Schedule family events ahead of work events.
• Teach others how to assume responsibility and not be so dependent on you.

Three types of leaders:

• Controllers of the firm.
• Leaders who direct the firm’s future.
• Many of the so-called great partners have been lucky, rather than great, because of the extraordinary business environment of the past 10 years.
• Two types of CPA firms—consortiums and firms. Consortiums are partner-centric and firms are firm-centric. For example:

• While many people believe clients are their most important assets, progressive firms believe staff are their most important assets.
• The most popular places to work are firms with vision, mission, and values, as opposed to firms that provide only interesting work, nice environments, and flexible hours.
• Management is responsible for recruiting the best talent. Think about recruiting the person who has been winning engagements over your firm.
• People you hire know other people you should recruit.
• You often meet potential hires at industry conferences.
• Compensation methods should reward those who bring in “hedgehog clients,” those that you enjoy working with and pay for value.

From Texas Society of CPAs, Public Practice. March/April 2008.

Measuring CPA Leadership Effectiveness

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