job #1: setting direction.
by robert j. lees and august j. aquila
how to engage partners in the firm’s future
there are many reasons why too many managing partners fail to truly engage their partners, especially as no managing partner we know ever sets out to fail. read more →
how the best managing partners gain commitment.
by robert j. lees and august j. aquila
creating the effective partnership
in the very best firms, the partners debate the options and, while it is incredibly rare for every partner to agree with every single aspect of the vision and strategy, the partners agree to line up behind the ultimate decisions. read more →
four checklists for thinking through the process, picking the right candidate and making it work.
by august aquila
creating the effective partnership
it seems that you can’t pick up a newspaper today without reading about a merger of national, regional or local firms.
if you are a partner in a cpa firm that is contemplating a merger, you are about to enter into an extremely risky venture. this article will help you to lessen your risk and give you a better chance of having a successful merger. read more →
from why and when to who and how.
by august aquila
creating the effective partnership
acquiring or merging another firm has become one of the most popular ways to grow a practice.
for seven big reasons: read more →
goals alone won’t won’t get you there.
by robert j. lees
and august j. aquila
creating the effective partnership
many leaders believe that people remain focused and committed to their performance goals if the goals are clear and compelling. however, that’s not our experience with accounting firms.
according to franklin covey’s “the 4 disciplines of execution: achieving your wildly important goals,” team engagement and accountability are necessary to maintain commitment to goals and we are firmly in this camp. read more →
by robert j. lees
and august j. aquila
creating the effective partnership
as much as a firm’s performance is driven by partner engagement, partner engagement is driven by performance goals. our research shows that when partners’ performance goals – individually, as a team or department – are misaligned with the firm’s strategic initiatives, the firm will suffer.
we see this too often in multilocation, multinational firms where what’s important in one location isn’t in another and, as a result, it’s downplayed in favor of local priorities. unfortunately, though, it’s the whole firm that suffers, not just the initial location. read more →
define measures of success and timesheets.
by robert j. lees
and august j. aquila
creating the effective partnership
current thinking suggests that people who focus on a few key goals have a greater chance of achieving or surpassing their goals and all of our work confirms this is true.
in our research into what truly successful managing partners do, one of the things the successful managing partners do that differentiates them from their peers is to focus their partners’ efforts on the firm’s key deliverables as a way of avoiding dissipation of energy and a loss of momentum. read more →
the new practice management discipline.
by august aquila
author of leadership at its strongest
no profits, no mission, as one of my partners is fond of saying.
while leadership, balanced life, outstanding client service and efficient processes are critical for success, they mean nothing if the firm is not sufficiently profitable to make investments for the future and compensate performers. i want to focus on ten ways to make your practice more profitable.
these ten areas form the basis of a practice operational review. read more →
good planning is key.
by august aquila
aquila global advisors
the following steps are proven aids in helping your merger or acquisition go smoothly:
1. define your reasons. before you start down the m&a path, you need to define how it will help the firm fulfill its strategic vision. it is never a good idea to acquire or merge a firm just for the sake of doing so. if a merger or acquisition does not further your strategic vision, it probably is best to walk away from the opportunity, because it really isn’t an opportunity.
the new practice management discipline.
by august aquila
aquilaadvisors.com
no profits no mission, as one of my partners is fond of saying.
while leadership, balanced life, outstanding client service and efficient processes are critical for success, they mean nothing if the firm is not sufficiently profitable to make investments for the future and compensate performers. i want to focus on ten ways to make your practice more profitable.
these ten areas form the basis of my practice operational review. read more →
don’t wait until the end of the year to find out how well you are serving clients.
by august aquila
you can ask clients at the end of the year about how well you met their expectations, but that does not give you any time to change your current modus operandi before year-end.
a better way is to have leading measures that tell you how you are doing during the course of the year.
let’s look at eight. read more →
remember rule number one – “no integration, no successful merger.”
by august j. aquila
you decided to conduct a merger to achieve some strategic objective, you went through all the emotional turmoil of getting both parties to sign the documents, and you think you are done.