seek input on your road map.
by gary bolinger
we live and work in a world that is in perpetual motion. customer and client needs will be different tomorrow than they are today. market expectations will evolve.
more: ask the right question(s) | seven elements of engagement for cpas | true advisory work isn’t just consulting
exclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.
all of the change we experience results in transformation. transformation creates disruption. cpas are not immune from any of this.
we all recognize the change, the transformation and disruption, even if somewhat unconsciously. but we rarely act in decisive ways to adapt. we get to the office and go about “business as usual” because there are so many pressing issues to deal with. business is just too good to be distracted. perhaps we are in denial that this evolving environment will impact us and what we need to do to maintain relevance and value. at least once per month, cpas need to address the biggest issues and ask, “how must we adapt?”
we are guilty of working in the business and don’t spend enough time working on the business. transforming your firm will be uncomfortable. but if you don’t disrupt your firm, some external force will. that is inevitable. when that happens, you are not the one in control. you will just be reacting. you might end up being roadkill. you need to be proactive.
proactive is an adjective meaning “creating or controlling a situation by causing something to happen rather than responding to it after it has happened.” the most successful people and businesses are proactive.
peter drucker was quoted in the 2009 book by william cohen, “drucker on leadership: new lessons from the father of modern management,” as saying, “you cannot predict the future, but you can create it.” so, the ball is in your court. you have a choice. sit back and wait for whatever happens and hope for continued success, or reshape your firm of the future based on the best information you have today and be prepared to make adjustments along the way.
these days, many experts suggest that there is an imperative to transition firms to more advisory services focus. advisory adds more value than traditional compliance services. if you look at the demand for compliance services over the past several years, you might agree that it is increasingly difficult to justify fees to clients. why is that? well, most clients simply don’t see value in compliance services. compliance services are generally about the past. successful companies and firms don’t much care about the past.
so, how do you transform? how do you create the future of your practice?
identify your events and trends that may impact your practice. ask others to contribute to your list. talk about the issues on your list with others in the firm (and not just partners). you should also find it valuable to talk to people outside of your firm about your list. learn from them.
consider your options. make another list of possibilities. review it every day for a month or longer. make adjustments to that list. share your list with others in the firm and get their honest feedback. talk to your best clients and ask what they expect today and what they think they might expect in the future (near term or long term).
now you have the beginnings of a road map of where you want to go. be prepared for detours and construction zones. while you may not get everything right the first time, your proactivity will best position your firm for the future.