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

2. 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

4. 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 your firm 3

5. What Good Leaders Influence @ Your Firm

6. 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

7. 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

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

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

10. Characteristics of “Next Gen” Leaders

11. Generational Differences ABOUND

12. Generational Differences
Generation X
“Millennials”
Latchkey Kids, MTV Generation
Gen Y & Z
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

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

14. 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

15. Many Generational Differences

16. WAIT! What’s the Vision?

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

18. 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

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

20. 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.

21. Important Core Skills in your Future Leaders

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

23. Components of an Effective Leader Development Program

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

25. 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

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

27. 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

28. 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

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

30. 2) Utilize Multiple Learning Styles

31. 3) Adequate Frequency

32. 4) Realistic Application

33. 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”

34. Making it STICK @ Your Firm

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

36. 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

37. What’s Working @ Our Firms

38. CPAmerica’s NextGEN Conferences

39. What’s Working @ Our Firms?

40. Q&A 3

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

42. Thank you! Resources for you at www.kueselconsulting.com/CPamerica
Art Kuesel