Developing Future Leaders at your Firm June 2015 CPAmerica A&A Conference Presented by Art Kuesel

Art Kuesel, President Keynotes, Presentations, Workshops on Growth EXPERTISE (Cont.) Keynotes, Presentations, Workshops on Growth Growth Plan Development/Implementation Managing Partner Coaching Sales & Marketing Recruiting STREET CRED Top 100 Most Influential Person in Public Accounting: 2014 In-house and external experience Clients include scores of T250 Firms including a third of the T100 Frequent writer and blogger for Accounting Today Accomplished speaker and presenter on growth trends EXPERIENCE Sales Executive 3 years inside $60M CPA firm 5 years inside $25M CPA firm 6 years at PDI/Koltin Consulting 2 years at Kuesel Consulting EXPERTISE Leadership and Sales Coaching Sales/Marketing Training

Workshop Agenda What can good leaders influence @ your firm? Characteristics of next gen leaders What’s your vision? Important core skills in your future leaders Components of a leader development program Making it stick @ your firm 3

What Good Leaders Influence @ Your Firm

Personal Reflections on Leadership Leader “Dale”: Defined an objective Inspired me to achieve it within a set of general parameters Encouraged and helped me when it became challenging Motivated and rewarded me along the way Gave me the authority to make decisions in the best interest of the objective Allowed me to fail

Personal Reflections on Management Manager “Jeff”: Wanted me to accomplish a task In an organized and effective manner With frequent upward Q&A utilizing his knowledge on the subject For his ultimate approval/decision making and credit And, he wanted me to avoid failure at all costs

Personal Reflections on Management Manager: Plan, organize, coordinate to accomplish a task Leader: Inspire and motivate

Good Leaders GREATLY Influence People Retention People Acquisition Client Retention Client Acquisition Profitability! Anything else?

Characteristics of “Next Gen” Leaders

Generational Differences ABOUND

Generational Differences Generation X “Millennials” Latchkey Kids, MTV Generation Gen Y & Z 1965-1980 1981 to 2002 50 million 98 million 36-51 years old 14-37 years old Cynical Prefers informal work environment Suspicious of Boomer values Favor outcomes over process Value control of their time Want open communication regardless of title Dislike office politics Value merit over experience Acceptance-seeking (“The Trophy Generation”) Need constant feedback & reinforcement Expect a training and learning culture environment Collaborative Like to challenge old traditions Want to succeed, and do it fast Like social networks

Characteristics of Gen X Leaders Thrive on change Independently creative Straightforward Adaptable Flexible Hate being micro-managed.

Characteristics of Millennial Leaders Conscious Future-Oriented Transparent Collaborative Problem solvers Further, they want their leaders to mentor others, achieve personal goals, and effect positive change in their community

Many Generational Differences

WAIT! What’s the Vision?

What’s Your Vision? Vision: An inspirational declaration (North Star) of where you are headed long-term

Why you Probably need a Vision… Clarity for the vision gives direction… Which breeds passion… Which gives meaning… Which provides synergy… Which defines focus and success… and visionary leaders can inspire and motivate effectively and clearly! Source: Sandra Wiley

Beyond the Vision… Vision Mission Core Values Strategic Areas of Focus Strategic Goals Actions

Companies with… …a defined vision and mission that are aligned with a strategic plan… Will outperform their peers, attract better talent, and retain better talent. Source: Bain & Co.

Important Core Skills in your Future Leaders

Core Skills for Leaders in CPA Firms Firm Development Business Development People Development Client Development Personal/Professional Development

Components of an Effective Leader Development Program

1) Comprehensive Curriculum Firm Development Business Development People Development Client Development Personal/Professional Development

Personal and Professional Development Personal SWOT Defining your Personal Leadership Style Creating a Personal Development Plan Time Management 101 Accounting Firm 101: How a Firm Makes Money

Client Development Understanding your Role with the Client Being a Proactive Advisor Developing Relationships and Building Trust Cross-Serving/Selling Achieving Loyalty – and Referrals!

People Development Delegation and Leverage as a Development Tool Team Building 101 Serving as a Mentor and Coach to your Team Performance Management Delivering Effective Feedback

Business Development Capitalizing on your biggest asset: Your Clients Building a Personal Brand and Niche Developing a Referral Source Network Succeeding at the Sales Process

Firm Development Herding Cats: Leading Other Partners Creating a Culture of Accountability Strategic Planning 101 Leveraging Technology Talent Acquisition Niche Growth and Expansion

2) Utilize Multiple Learning Styles

3) Adequate Frequency

4) Realistic Application

Taking the Leap! Step 1) Define your Objectives and goals YP’s? Basic Skill Building? Future Partners? Leadership? BD? Technical? Step 2) Insource, Outsource, Blended? Step 3) Decide on your resource investment ($, hours p/p, people to develop the program) Step 4) Build your program Remember: Consider making this program exclusive, and “by invitation/application only”

Making it STICK @ Your Firm

Making it Stick: Best Practices Motivated Participants Frequency of Program Touches Performance Coaches to Support Participants Evaluation & Feedback Results = Something

Why Leadership Development Programs Fail Overlooking context, Decoupling reflection from “real work”, Underestimating mind-sets, Failing to measure results Failing to clearly define objectives from the beginning, lacking flexibility in the program, making it a required activity Lack of content of interest to attendees, lack of coaching and personal support, attendees afraid to fail Source: 1) McKinsey, 2) Triputti-Lunden, 3)Baltzell

What’s Working @ Our Firms

CPAmerica’s NextGEN Conferences

What’s Working @ Our Firms?

Q&A 3

What’s Next? New Role for the CHRO Why we Love to Hate HR The Future of HR Rethinking HR

Thank you! Resources for you at www.kueselconsulting.com/CPamerica Art Kuesel art@kueselconsulting.com 312.208.8774 www.kueselconsulting.com