the right decisions depend on it.
by steven e. sacks
the new fundamentals
it’s a non-stop world of information, data and knowledge shared by anyone from anywhere. it overwhelms, frustrates, confuses, provokes, guides, influences, paralyzes and spurs action. what we research informs the areas we want to investigate further based on the level of knowledge that we need – or how seductive the messaging is, piquing our curiosity even more.
more: make your writing count | trust: one building block of success | make your presentations memorable | have a real-life conversation | is your message open to interpretation? | why proper communication is critical | how to select your firm’s board | real influence vs. immediate gratification | 4 ways to boost job satisfaction
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newspapers, magazines, cable, radio, social media and a multitude of in-person events create this 24/7 world of information gathering. for business leaders, deciding where to look for information influences their approach to learning more. leaders who seriously take their role of decision-making want to learn; they collect the relevant data and anecdotal information so they can contemplate the pros and cons of certain actions to take.
there are those really competitive firm leaders who want to obtain business intelligence who will, at the same time, also attempt to hide or restrict others’ ability to access the knowledge because of how onerous the effort was to collect the information. these are not leaders, but misleaders.
“everybody gets so much information all day long that they lose their common sense.” – gertrude stein
even worse than this type are those leaders who are complacent; whose belief in nonintervention – combined with a don’t-rock-the-boat mentality – prevents their firm from taking the appropriate action to counter competitive pressures.
this is not the time to maintain the status quo. cpa firm partners who realize this will thrive on collecting all types of information.
- who is doing what in our profession?
- what is the next greatest innovation or business model, whether it is in business development or compensation?
- who has responded to washington’s dictates?
- who is doing really cool stuff to preserve market share?
these are the types of questions effective cpa firm managing partners ask. they have an inherent ability to transform information into knowledge and then into wisdom, resulting in decisions that promote action.
this cannot be done in a vacuum, however. the ability to ask these questions with the expectation of getting solid information happens when the managing partner trusts his or her partner group and has forged close ties with them. some managing partners may think by asking questions of their associates it shows a level of vulnerability. quite the contrary. it shows trust and a philosophy that collective thinking is the foundation of a strong and flexible firm. the practical leader looks to the leadership team for answers, which indicates confidence in others.
where timely and relevant information sharing helps a firm
critical operational matters arise daily. one area involves the hiring process. the leaders must understand the firm’s needs in order to identify the next partner, either promoted or hired from the outside. if looking to bring in a partner from the outside, during the information-gathering process, which forms the basis of the interview process, leaders will listen much more than speak because they want to learn about an individual’s experience, values and other qualities. this has to be done to determine if he or she is a right fit for the firm.
think about any cpa firm that is looking for a coo. the coo will have many different direct reports, and will have to exhibit a team-based mindset. perhaps the previous coo had an autocratic style that alienated others. the managing partner or the administrative partner will compile information about a candidate’s work history. some may have an outgoing personality but show an independent streak. others may have a more subdued personality but express a philosophy toward teamwork. the firm’s leader(s) will gather the information collected from the candidates and align it with the personal information gained from past situations in order to winnow down the candidates to those who appear to be team players. a personality-type test can indicate who would thrive in the organization.
managing dissension
another area where the right information can help is when there is dissension among the leadership group. the usual thinking is to nip disagreements in the bud before they become unresolvable. this is a recipe for disaster. the ready-shoot-aim approach will only exacerbate a bad situation. you need to set aside emotion and replace it with pragmatism. this means that you gather information to avoid forming prejudgments. once sufficient information has been collected (again, this includes speaking with a trusted team), the firm’s managing partner will then meet with the involved parties to get his or her own perspective.
the managing partner will bring his or her leadership team together and listen carefully to what is said (as well as to what is unsaid) to collect the information. at some point, the leader will ask questions, seek clarification and present each party’s position. by using this deliberate approach, miscommunication will be minimized and a consensus reached on how best to proceed. this can help to avoid conflict and prevent issues from festering.
assessing performance
part of a managing partner’s role is to assess the performance of his or her partner group. there is a sense of dread to “review day” because of how it may have been handled in the past. in order to make an effective assessment of the team, information gathering should be done on a regular basis so there are no surprises or misunderstandings. there is the concept of “management by walking around” – picking up tidbits here and there that you can then use to create a composite profile of teams or individuals. as yogi berra was quoted as saying, “you can observe a lot just by watching.”
effective leadership includes incorporating assessments and information gathering into a regular work routine to support judgments and appropriate actions to take. a workplace survey is an effective tool to collect relevant information. the anonymous nature of the survey will provide the leader with unvarnished feedback necessary for making needed changes, whether it involves deploying human assets in different departments or changing the lines of reporting.
no matter what purpose the information serves, it should be
- readily available and provided,
- encouraged,
- carefully studied and
- effectively used for taking corrective action.
the more information you gather and carefully assess, the more successful your decision-making will be.
makes sense, no?