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Help Wanted: Oh, No! What Do We Do Now?

May 14, 2012 by Jennifer Blumer | No comments

 

Have you ever had to fire a team member? It is truly one of the most miserable parts of a business owner’s job. If you have never had to do it, consider yourself blessed. You may have to fire someone one day, but you can lessen that risk if you hire correctly. Don’t make the hiring mistakes we have made.

 

 

  • Don’t do all the talking! Jason and I love to hear ourselves talk. We can go on and on about how great our firm is, what it means to work in a ROWE, how we are going virtual etc. And while there is a place for that in the hiring process, you need to make sure you spend most of your time listening to your potential team member. If you do all the talking, you may conclude the interview thinking what a genius the other person was, when really, they were just smart enough to let you talk!
  • Don’t wait to hire until you are desperate and overworked. If you know you’ll need help by the fall or by next tax season, start meeting people NOW.
  • Don’t rush the hiring process. We expect to hire two new people in the coming months. We assume we will have several meetings over a period of several weeks or months rather than one or two longer interviews. Each team member will have an opportunity to participate in the process and provide feedback.

Small businesses like most firms in THRIVEal don’t usually need to hire regularly, so they may neglect to create a process for hiring. We did. We’d manage to find someone after making most of the above mistakes and then feel relieved until we needed to hire again. No process at all. We had created a process for vetting new customers, creating barriers to entry so that we would be sure we were a good match once the new customer was onboarded, but we had nothing to guide us as we selected new team members. How foolish! The fact that we have such amazing team members in spite of our sloppiness is a bit of a miracle. (That and we know some great people that referred other great people to us!)

Hiring correctly is so important. Training (and retraining) is costly in terms of time and money. And morale. Frankly, the thought of some of the training I see in my future is exhausting. That is why I will go out of my way to see that we hire correctly next time. Firing people that should never have been hired in the first place hurts your team. It’s discouraging for them to see people they care about lose their jobs, and it can create an air of uncertainty about their own futures.

We are still learning, but we have gotten a basic process down on paper (digital of course). Since we have made so many mistakes in the past, we decided to implement a few ideas from the Entreleadership podcast featuring Clint Smith. We are also seeking out some coaching on this topic from one of our own clients who has an excellent hiring process. If your process is still only in your head, then don’t kid yourself, you don’t really have a process. Our hiring process is brand new and includes at least 4 meetings with several current team members as well as ways to assess how the candidate interacts with technology and his or her writing skills. We expect to update this process each time we hire and as we learn, but it’s a start.

Need help with hiring your next team member? Check out Jay Shepherd’s book Firing at Will and listen to him on the December 2011 episode of the THRIVEcast. Also, be sure to check out the Entreleadership podcast I referenced above, and consider using a few questions from this list as well. What do you do to make sure you get the right people into your organization? Let me know in the comments.

Learning Styles 101

April 15, 2012 by Jennifer Blumer | 4 comments

Labels are tough for me. I know that people are very complex and that we shouldn’t put them into a box. People learn and change and are shaped by experiences, books, other people, etc. Still, I do love having a way to organize people into nice, neat categories. In last month’s article, I even labeled myself as an introvert. The reason that label can be a little tricky is that sometimes I behave like an extrovert and the label just doesn’t work. However, if I have been acting like an extrovert, I was probably out of my comfort zone.

Here come the labels.

People often learn best when they receive the information in a particular way. These are known as learning styles, and most people are dominant in one style: visual, auditory, or kinesthetic. Why should you care about learning styles? Lots of reasons. On a personal level, knowing your own learning style can help you make great choices for your own learning. I am an auditory learner so I LOVE podcasts and audiobooks. I take in information best by listening and speaking. I work through problems by talking through them. For some of you, being aware of the various learning styles will also be helpful to you as you coach your customers and team members. And if you are presenting information to a group or helping your child with homework, understanding how people learn can be immensely helpful.

I already referenced the auditory learning style. Auditory learners will also learn visually and kinesthetically, but listening and speaking are how they best take in information. An auditory learner may prefer the phone over email (unless like me, he is also an introvert) or may talk or hum to herself. Sometimes an auditory learner will appear to not be paying attention. Confession: I play games on my iphone during church sometimes. I really am listening, but I don’t need to SEE the preacher to take in the information. I even “watch” TV without looking at it sometimes. As long as I am in earshot and there is enough dialogue, I can follow the plot.

Visual learners may also enjoy audiobooks, music, and podcasts, but they will learn best when they can SEE the information. I am convinced my husband is a visual learner. There is no way he can watch a movie the way I do. He needs to SEE it to know what’s happening. For the client or team members that learn visually, you may want to use drawings, pictures, charts, and graphs. Put information in writing so they can see it. They might not remember what you say. Don’t just tell them information, show it to them! Visual learners may want to take notes so that they can read them later. They will remember what a new acquaintance wore or what they looked like, but not necessarily his or her name (unless they saw it on a nametag!). A visual learner that is bored may find something to watch to keep them entertained. If you know you are talking to a visual learner, creating rich imagery with your words will help them visualize the material.

Kinesthetic learners also learn through sight and sound, but they really like to touch things and move around. These are the people that simply cannot talk without using many gestures. They would rather attend a workshop than a lecture. They may sit near the door so that they can get up and down when they can no longer stand being seated. Kinesthetic learners will remember the part of the presentation where something was passed around the room or they were able to get up and move around. They may use touch to communicate and appreciate a pat on the back.

So what now? Resist the urge to try and figure out what kind of learner each team member or client is. A google search about learning styles will yield numerous articles, assessments, and plenty of criticism as well. Just be aware that there are different learning styles and not everyone will learn the way you do. If you find yourself saying, “I don’t know why he doesn’t get it. I’ve told him a hundred times,” the problem may be with how the information is presented. Try a new approach before writing the guy off as a dud. Use a video or something in writing or even a picture. Experiment until you find what works. We are doing this with some of our clients now. We work with quite a few clients in other parts of the country and while email is great for some brief communications, it isn’t always the best way to explain something new or confusing. So we are changing things up with MailVu and Conceptboard to reach clients in a new ways. It’s a matter of trial and error and putting the client’s needs above our own.

Part of THRIVEal’s why is to provide deeper education for our members. We want you to LEARN. So we do our best to reach you no matter your learning style through the blog, videos, Community Calls, the THRIVEcast, and the Deeper Weekend where all learning styles will be considered. (Kinesthetic learners will love Design Thinking Day at Deeper Weekend.)

Tell us in the comments how you are sharing knowledge in creative ways with your clients and team members.

Seven Habits of Highly Successful Firms, Part 7 of 7

April 9, 2012 by thriveal | No comments

XCM Solutions, Inc. (a robust workflow product we use in our firm) conducted a research project last year to identify the differentiating factors between high and low performing firms.  Some of the findings are amazing and support the things THRIVEal firms have been doing all along.  We’ll check them out over the next 7 posts.  Click the image to the left to download a copy of the full report.

 

Habit #7: High Performing Firms Seek Out Opportunities to Learn

High performing firms seek out opportunities to learn about their technology, instead of being passive about their technology choices.  It is imperative to seek out ways to gain knowledge about your new technology choices, whether through THRIVEal members, conferences, webinars and peers.

How do you seek out the new technology your firm needs?

Seven Habits of Highly Successful Firms, Part 6 of 7

March 30, 2012 by thriveal | No comments

XCM Solutions, Inc. (a robust workflow product we use in our firm) conducted a research project last year to identify the differentiating factors between high and low performing firms.  Some of the findings are amazing and support the things THRIVEal firms have been doing all along.  We’ll check them out over the next 7 posts.  Click the image to the left to download a copy of the full report.

 

Habit #6: High Performers Invest in their People Through Education and Training

High performing firms don’t implement new technologies and then leave their people on their own.  They see the future importance that training brings.  Especially when new technologies are implemented, training is what will make the use of the technology work more effectively for the firm and their clients.

Training is thorough and continuous for high performing firms.  That training is done on a timely basis attempting to avoid the pressure to implement quickly.

How do you implement technology?

Seven Habits of Highly Successful Firms, Part 5 of 7

March 21, 2012 by thriveal | No comments

XCM Solutions, Inc. (a robust workflow product we use in our firm) conducted a research project last year to identify the differentiating factors between high and low performing firms.  Some of the findings are amazing and support the things THRIVEal firms have been doing all along.  We’ll check them out over the next 7 posts.  Click the image to the left to download a copy of the full report.

 

Habit #5: High Performers Invest Wisely in the Best Solutions for Each Function

High performing firms invest in technology solutions that are best for each particular task.  High performers seek out the best technology for their solutions and choose only best-of-breed.  They don’t settle, but make the commitment to seek out the best solutions for each important function in their firm.

Of note, truly high performing firms don’t simply settle for a single vendor strategy in their search for the right technology, but expect collaborative products to be built allowing them the best choice among products that integrate with one another.

Do you seek diligently for the right product or settle for what the first vendor salesperson peddles you?

Seven Habits of Highly Successful Firms, Part 4 of 7

March 14, 2012 by thriveal | No comments

XCM Solutions, Inc. (a robust workflow product we use in our firm) conducted a research project last year to identify the differentiating factors between high and low performing firms.  Some of the findings are amazing and support the things THRIVEal firms have been doing all along.  We’ll check them out over the next 7 posts.  Click the image to the left to download a copy of the full report.

 

Habit #4: High Performers Understand Increased Productivity is a By-Product of Empowering People

In this habit, its all about being paperless and efficient.  Technology makes people work better and smarter, not only replace them.  Workflow systems are a part of a smart firm and empower the team in the firm to work in smarter ways.

High performing firms see their abilities to go paperless as mission critical, and urged other firms to simply “just do it.”  It is now a must for empowering the growth of your firm.

Do you see technology as a way to empower your people?

Seven Habits of Highly Successful Firms, Part 3 of 7

March 7, 2012 by thriveal | No comments

XCM Solutions, Inc. (a robust workflow product we use in our firm) conducted a research project last year to identify the differentiating factors between high and low performing firms.  Some of the findings are amazing and support the things THRIVEal firms have been doing all along.  We’ll check them out over the next 7 posts.  Click the image to the left to download a copy of the full report.

 

Habit #3: High Performers See Technology as a Strategic Endeavor

In high performing firms, they see those in charge of technology as part of the leadership of the firm.  These firms see their technology investments as part of their strategic advantage.  According to the report (on the left), these kinds of firms are three times as likely to follow a strategic written technology plan to grow.

High performing firms don’t see technology as nuisance and a necessity, they see it as a prudent way to move their firm ahead of their competition.  Do you embrace technology and its ability to move you forward?

The Profession Says It Wants Leaders. I Call BS.

March 5, 2012 by Greg Kyte | 10 comments

Every year, we see articles and surveys that indicate the need for CPA firms to attract and retain top talent—articles and surveys that express managing partners’ concern that there are not enough skilled potential employees in the labor pool. And one thing that firms say they are looking for is leadership skills. BS.

I will be the first to say that the accounting profession desperately needs leaders. My son, Grady, has BO. He’s seven. Twelve hours after a bath, he smells like a wrestling mat. He desperately needs something that’s strong enough for a [homeless] man, but made for a seven-year-old. But he’s afraid of my Speed Stick by Mennon. (You sang the “by Mennon” part in your head. I know. Me too.) He’s even more afraid of my Axe deodorant body spray. Arguably, my wife should be afraid of him using any Axe product because—according to commercials—it will turn Mrs. Taylor, his first grade teacher, into a skank. But Grady is afraid of where deodorant might take him. He’s afraid of change and afraid of the unknown.

CPA firms have a similar problem. CPA firms need leaders, but they don’t really want leaders. They say they want leaders, but they’re afraid of where real leaders might take them. And I’m going to say this is true for all CPA firms, not because it’s true but because it’s inflammatory.

What CPA firms really want is not leaders but exemplary followers. An exemplary follower is someone to whom partners can point and tell others, “Why can’t you be more like Holly?” And then Holly is hailed as a “leader” not because she has led anyone anywhere, but because she hes perfected following. Brilliant. An exemplary follower is someone who leads only by example. An exemplary follower tells other followers how to follow better. An exemplary follower internalizes the message and vision of the actual leaders and will cough it back up to those further down the organizational chart.

What is the big difference between a leader and an exemplary follower? Leaders take risks. Exemplary followers have a Skinnerian desire to make their leaders happy (Look it up, intern). They know how to get a Scooby Snack. Leaders have vision and passion. They want to change the world. They want to try new things and go new places. Fred A. Manske said, “The ultimate leader is one who is willing to develop people to the point that they surpass him or her in knowledge and ability.” No one knows who Fred A. Manske is. It’s not important. Wussies are afraid of hiring leaders because if they get a good one, they might get surpassed. Actually, they’re not afraid of hiring them; they’re afraid of leaders emerging once they are in the firm, and they will whack the moles of leadership until they forge the leader into an exemplary follower.

So what are you? Are you really a leader? If so, the profession desperately needs you. Or are you really just an exemplary follower? If so, employers really want you, but you will only help bring the profession to a better place if you align yourself with a visionary leader.

 

Greg was born in Akron, Ohio, in the shadow of the Firestone tire factory. He began to swim competitively when he was eight, swimming for the Mountlake Terrace Lemmings. He graduated in 1995 from the University of Washington with a math degree. He chose math for the ladies.  After serving ten-years as an 8th grade math teacher, he decided it was time for a career change, mainly because he “couldn’t stand those little bastards.” He began his accounting career with a local CPA firm in Orem, Utah, where he consistently failed the QuickBooks ProAdvisor advanced certification exam.  Greg currently works as the Controller for the Utah Valley Physicians Plaza. He lives in Provo, Utah, with his wife and two kids. He enjoys eating maple bars, drinking Diet Pepsi, and swearing.

Seven Habits of Highly Successful Firms, Part 2 of 7

February 29, 2012 by thriveal | No comments

XCM Solutions, Inc. (a robust workflow product we use in our firm) conducted a research project last year to identify the differentiating factors between high and low performing firms.  Some of the findings are amazing and support the things THRIVEal firms have been doing all along.  We’ll check them out over the next 7 posts.  Click the image to the left to download a copy of the full report.

 

Habit #2: High Performers View Improvement as a Continuous Cycle

Though improvement is a common part of high performing firms, they see it as a continuous process.  They keep assessing where they are and how to change and continue improving.  They want “better” not necessarily “best.”  Do you keep wanting better?

Seven Habits of Highly Successful Firms, Part 1 of 7

February 22, 2012 by thriveal | No comments

XCM Solutions, Inc. (a robust workflow product we use in our firm) conducted a research project last year to identify the differentiating factors between high and low performing firms.  Some of the findings are amazing and support the things THRIVEal firms have been doing all along.  We’ll check them out over the next 7 posts.  Click the image to the left to download a copy of the full report.

 

Habit #1: High Performers Embrace Change

One difference between high performing and low performing firms is that they embrace change.  They are not only early adopters, but they find change to be a positive part of their lives.  These firms actually encourage innovation and put their team members in a place where they can truly innovate and embrace change without the fear of failure.

Failures will happen.  They are part of life.  Will they make you stronger as a firm or paralyze you with fear?

 

 

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