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The Calm After the Storm |
by Kaye Lauritsen, Managing Director
Busy seasons can feel like storms; some are just thundershowers while others may resemble hurricanes. Regardless of how yours played out, you have survived another one. Congratulations! After taking that well-deserved break, take a moment to reflect on the season past, just as you would assess the aftermath of any storm.
- Count your blessings
No matter how hectic your life has been, you have just had the good fortune to meet with most of your best clients and provide them a valued service. Most CPAs I know are in public accounting because they love being a trusted advisor to great clients. Reflect on your client meetings and pull out those notes from client discussions. What better way to provide value to the clients you love to serve!
Now, think about the incredible people you have in your firm - the heroic efforts, dedication and client care they have exhibited over the last few months. If you forgot to thank them, do it now. Everyone appreciates genuine feedback and recognition for a job done well.
Take a few minutes to reflect. Think about all that has gone well, the firm you have created, your contributions, the satisfaction of a job well done, the clients that have benefited from your advice and talent and the people that make it all happen.
- Assess the Damage
Most storms cause some damage or highlight weaknesses in our infrastructure. It may be a good time for a post mortem of this last season to learn from the experience.
- What were the issues faced?
- How did the work flow?
- Are there any improvements needed in staffing?
- Were there training issues to address?
- Is it time to cull some clients that don’t appreciate and value your service?
- Do you need to assess technology needs? AdvanceCPA offers a Hosting Solution and PGP Encryption.
Take time to use this assessment to pull together action plans and priorities that will assist you next year. If you wait too long to think about this, key learning points may be forgotten.
- Prepare for the Future
Along with the short-term action plan you develop from the activities described above, it is also time to think long term to prevent future disasters.
- Take time to assess the performance of all your people. Identify those shining stars that are the future of your firm; develop them and treat them right. Remember there are always learning opportunities available at LearningLinks.
- Provide honest feedback to all your people – if they had some issues, what steps will improve their performance or is it time to upgrade?
- Brush off your succession and strategic plans. Are there any key action steps still lingering? Are the plans still relevant or has the recent economy had an impact that requires additional planning? Are there new markets or services you should begin offering?
We are often too busy and distracted during the storm to clearly see the way. Use the calm to set your future direction.
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