Can Partners Change?

Source: Possibilities for CPA Firm Leaders, the Blog of Rita Keller

Following is an entire blog entry on August 21, 2008, which is reprinted with permission.

PREPARE YOUR PARTNERS, YOUR TEAM AND YOURSELF FOR CHANGE

I was recently asked what I thought was the biggest issue facing the CPA profession. It was very easy for me to answer the question. It is something that I "preach" to you about all the time and something I am passionate about (for the CPA profession) and worried about (for the CPA profession). Yes, change, massive change is coming.

You have always faced change in running your firm, however, the magnitude of the need for change in the way we manage and lead CPA firms is critical to the future of firms across the country.

Recently, Allan Koltin shared his "Dozen Observations on Changes."

1. Sometimes partners don't want to change, but will say they do.
2. Sometimes partners don't want to change, and won't change!
3. Sometimes partners want to change, but can't.
4. Sometimes partners want to change and can (this is where electric shock may need to be applied).
5. Sometimes partners want to change, but don't know how to change.
6. Sometimes partners can't change due to conflicting goals/demands.
7. Sometimes partners will change just enough to get you off their back!
8. Sometimes partners will change, but only if another partner also changes.
9. Sometimes partners will initially change, but are only doing it to ultimately prove you wrong.
10. Sometimes partners won't change, so don't waste your time trying to change them.
11. Sometimes partners will support the change, as long as they don't actually have to change.
12. Don't forget that the value of information is not in what you know. It is in what you know that sometimes the other person doesn't know that you know.

While some of these bring a smile to our faces, I know that we have all seen these behaviors first-hand.

Here's my advice: Work with the healthy part of your firm! Don't let one or two partners drag the entire firm down.

I used to say that you must have the commitment of the entire partner group. Ah, yes, age has educated me - often it is absolutely impossible. The nay-sayers use all kinds of tactics. An example: A firm established a tax committee made up of all levels of tax people in the firm. The committee works very hard in refining the firms tax procedures and work flow. They publish the procedures and have training sessions in January so that everyone is aware. After busy season, one partner is openly not complying. His excuse? "I didn't agree with them in the first place."

"A group becomes a team when each member is sure enough of himself and his contribution to praise the skills of the others." - - Norman Shidle.

From Possibilities for CPA Firm Leaders, August 21, 2008, the Blog of Rita Keller, shareholder of Brady Ware, a nationally known regional CPA firm. Rita is also a nationally known consultant, speaker and author on CPA firm management. Visit http://cpamanagement.blogspot.com/.

Measuring CPA Leadership Effectiveness

Full Service Real Estate Investment and Mortgage Finance.