LIGHTEN UP - IT'S THE WEEK-END - SESAME STREET

Don't know about you, but I have sure enjoyed watching the Google logo this week for the Sesame Street characters that were featured each day.

Google honored Sesame Street on the 40th anniversary of the show.

Click here to see pictures of all of the logos and some fun Sesame Street videos.

“Someday we'll find it, that rainbow connection, the lovers the dreamers and me.” - - Kermit The Frog

"Now leave me alone and get lost! - - Oscar the Grouch

CPA FIRMS AND BLOGGING

Blogging is pretty old-hat by now. I would dare to say that about every CPA at least knows what it is. That wasn't true just a couple of years ago.

My point today is that there are still not enough CPA firms who are blogging to benefit the firm and the firm's clients. Need an example?

Check out the blogs by Henry & Horne (Tempe, AZ). They are doing several and just introduced two new ones: Tax Insights Blog and Accountants Understanding the Obstacles Blog relating to automotive accounting.

Check out all their blogs here.

"The taxpayer - that's someone who works for the federal government but doesn't have to take the civil service examination." - - Ronald Reagan

RELAX THE PERFECTIONISM MIND-SET WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR GOALS

CPAs are great people. They are the most trusted business advisor. They especially pride themselves in the quality of their work.

If you are living your work life inside a CPA firm, you know how thoroughly the client work gets reviewed. If you are not living inside a CPA firm, here's how it goes:

• The work is completed (financial statement, tax return, various financial projects, etc.)
• The work is proofed and corrected.
• The work is draft reviewed and then corrected.
• The work is quality reviewed and then modified.
• The work is partner reviewed and adjusted.
• Just before it is absolutely, positively finished and ready to go to the client, it is "released" and even at this point something is caught that needs to be changed (usually a very small detail).
  
• Then the partner assigned to the client work wonders why it takes to much time to get the engagement out the door!
  

CPAs often deny it but most are perfectionists.

When dealing with the management/operations side of the firm and when setting personal goals for yourself, please do not think that things have to be perfect. Rather than being your own worst critic, become your biggest fan. Human beings learn so much from their mistakes! When pursuing a goal, don't focus on perfectionism; focus on progress.

Breakdown your sometimes overwhelming projects and tasks into steps and don't hesitate to celebrate and reward yourself when even one step is accomplished.

I call it moving from status quo to an improved position. Do that once and then repeat, repeat and repeat.

I'm sure you have heard the saying, "eat the elephant one bite at a time." If you view your task as one giant goal, you are setting yourself up for failure or disappointment. Why not enjoy the bites along the way!

“I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.” - - Jimmy Dean

DO YOU TELL AND REPEAT ENOUGH SUCCESS STORIES?

Sometimes, inside CPA firms, we tend to talk about what's not working a whole lot more than what is working.

I believe it is for a good reason. CPA firm leaders want to continually improve things and to do this they need a thorough checklist of what appears to be broken. While I encourage your continual march toward a forward-thinking, well-managed firm, don't forget to stop and smell the roses!

Talk, talk, talk about the good things at your firm and encourage your leaders to cite examples of positive forces in your firm. It's funny how you will see others begin to do the same. Positive talk and positive actions creates positive energy and it is imitated.

Just such an action happened yesterday at the Alpern Rosenthal's annual leadership retreat in Pittsburgh. We were having a discussion guided by Holly Fuller and Steve Feldbauer on why the firm's mentoring program needed improvement. There were lots of great ideas and comments on how to "fix" it, when Frank Duzicky spoke up.

The room got very quiet when Frank began to speak.... "My firm mentor is Dave (David Charnock, COO, pictured above). I have benefited so much from Dave's guidance and counsel. He is so patient and never hesitates to spend time with me. I am a better professional, better employee, better manager, better husband and just a better human being because of Dave."

Wow...... the quiet room erupted in applause. That's what it is all about. I am so proud of Dave and fortunate that he is my friend and role model, too.

I will post more great ideas from the Alpern crew in future posts (plus some pictures). Be sure to talk about positive things today.

"A mentor is someone who allows you to see the hope inside yourself." - - Oprah Winfrey

DO NOT, I REPEAT, DO NOT WASTE TWO MONTHS

Last week at Management Summit, I enjoyed some lively discussion about focusing on firm governance, getting the right people on the bus and getting them in the right seats.

Do you have partners in the wrong seats? Perhaps, they are in the administrative, operations, HR seats rather than the revenue generating, nurturing future leaders and bringing in business seats??

A comment that was made to me, privately, was, "I don't think we have time to do anything about this now, I guess it should wait until after busy season."

Eeeeeek... Now, that gets my attention!

Leaders....PLEASE do not waste two entire months - November and December (and there is usually time up until February) to DO THINGS that need to be done at your firm!

CPAs, thank goodness, like to be sure things are correct (and maybe even perfect). Your firm management and operations will NEVER be perfect. It is a work-in-progress and should stay that way.

Continually focus on small changes that never cease. I call it taking baby-steps. Move from status quo (which is comfortable) to "an improved position." - - one step at a time. Then, repeat that same process.

Need to realign governance so that your partners are more productive? Need to develop a system so that your younger team members are better mentored and trained during busy season? Begin now, in November, don't wait until Spring.

Your systems will never be perfect - that's the joy of it. Have fun DOING THINGS!

"The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing." - - Albert Einstein

LIGHTEN UP - IT'S THE WEEK-END - PICTURES

Had a great time in Las Vegas with the attendees at Management Summit. Met some really great firm leaders. Although I was there to share ideas, I find that I always learn so much from those I meet.

Just wanted to share a couple of pictures from this week. On the left is a picture of The Everest Award that I was so surprised and honored to receive from Management Summit.

On the right is another "Is that YOU with Rita?" picture for the series that I share with you. Charles Hylan of The Growth Partnership and I had never had our picture taken together - so here it is!

For your week-end surfing, click here to see the whole series of "Is That YOU with Rita?"

Enjoy this late fall week-end. I'm sitting here in the Las Vegas airport and ready to get home so I can get ready for next week's adventures!

"From ghoulies and ghosties
And long-leggedy beasties
And things that go bump in the night,
Good Lord, deliver us! - - - Scottish Saying

H A P P Y H A L L O W E E N!

RED FLAG RULES - LATEST NEWS

Special thanks to Jim Metzler, AICPA Vice President - Small Firm Interests for letting me know the latest Red Flag news, as follows:

At the request of Members of Congress, the Federal Trade Commission is delaying enforcement of the “Red Flags” Rule until June 1, 2010, for financial institutions and creditors subject to enforcement by the FTC.

Click here for more info.


"The only sure bulwark of continuing liberty is a government strong enough to protect the interests of the people, and a people strong enough and well enough informed to maintain its sovereign control over the government." - - Franklin D. Roosevelt

TECHNOLOGY, SOCIAL MEDIA AND APPS - ON MY MIND

I have an iPhone. You all probably know that from other posts on this blog.

The Apps for the iPhone simply amaze me. In my usual networking at a conference (Management Summit) yesterday, I found myself excitedly talking to others..... what apps do you like best? Got any good games? What do you use for finding things when you are traveling? On and on.

This morning I received an email about a new app for iPhone that helps you interview people. Click here to see the demo. It shows you how to use your iPhone to assist in doing a better job of interviewing candidates. Fascinating. Just sharing because technology is moving so fast and sometimes CPAs move rather slow.

As I urged at my session yesterday and will do so again today - - - DO THINGS! Please do things to keep pace with technology and take action on the good ideas you hear at conferences, from your peers or from blogs you read, etc.

“Communication works for those who work at it.” - - John Powell

NEW ON-LINE RESOURCE FOR CPA FIRMS - iSHADE

Big day yesterday in Las Vegas at the first day of Management Summit.

Jeff Pawlow of The Growth Partnership introduced the Beta version of an on-line community for CPA firms.

I love it because it is a place where you can meet someone at Management Summit and continue to develop that relationship after the conference is over via the on-line group created for the conference. There are also several other on-line groups and will continue to grow and develop as more users take advantage of the resources.

I did note - it is Beta and you can be part of that process. It will be introduced to the general public in May, 2010. Check it out here.

To cap the day, I was extremely surprised and honored to receive the annual Everest Award at the evening reception. Special thanks to Jeff, Charles, Lisa and the entire TGP team. Also, a special thanks to my long-time friend, Roman Kepczyk, for his sneaky role in the ceremony!

"Without friends no one would choose to live, though he had all other goods." - - ~ Artistotle

MAKE IT EASY TO CONTACT YOUR FIRM

It drives me nuts when I visit a website and if I want to communicate with them I have to fill-out some fill-in the blank box that goes to some mysterious place or person. Or, it says email Info@cpafirm.com. Who is Info? When will Info look at this email? There is too much mystery.

In this age of instant contact and response, be sure that someone's real email address is on your website. Have a tax question? Email John.Doe@ourfirm.com. John is one of our tax partners.

Need to update your contact information or have a question about your invoice? Email Sally.Smith@ourfirm.com. Sally is our bookkeeper.

Need more help? You can always call our office - Judy, our Director of First Impressions will be happy to direct you to the right person.

Someone recently asked me if I thought it was okay to have an automated answering system for incoming calls in a CPA firm. After all, everyone is used to voicemail, email, texting and so on. Wrong move. Keep it human, be helpful, make it easy to work with your firm. You are in a service business and these days it is so easy for people to go elsewhere with a simple click of a mouse.

"There is nothing so annoying as to have two people talkng when you're busy interrupting." - - Mark Twain