{"id":25843,"date":"2013-01-28t13:15:31","date_gmt":"2013-01-28t18:15:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/48e130086c.nxcli.net\/?p=25843"},"modified":"2016-04-19t11:13:56","modified_gmt":"2016-04-19t15:13:56","slug":"not-every-firm-needs-a-general-patton","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/\/www.g005e.com\/2013\/01\/28\/not-every-firm-needs-a-general-patton\/","title":{"rendered":"not every firm needs a general patton"},"content":{"rendered":"

but leadership remains crucial to making things happen.<\/strong> by marc rosenberg, cpa the author of \u201ccpa firm management and governance<\/span>.\u201d <\/span><\/a><\/span><\/em> every firm asks the question, at one time or another:\u00a0 do we want the firm managed by a leader, which for a cpa firm is the managing partner, or managed by one or more committees of partners?<\/p>\n

\"marc
marc rosenberg<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

more on cpa firm management and leadership for pro members <\/strong><\/em>[go pro her<\/a><\/strong>e<\/a>]<\/strong>:<\/em><\/strong> overcoming the three biggest obstacles in succession planning at cpa firms<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>\u2022<\/em>\u00a0 <\/strong>cpa firm merger \u201cnon-negotiables\u201d<\/a> \u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong>the \u201caha moment\u201d in cpa firm leadership<\/a> \u00a0 <\/strong>\u2022\u00a0 <\/strong>leadership is overrated: it\u2019s good management that makes successful firms<\/a>\u00a0\u2022\u00a0 40 great ways to improve firm profitability<\/a>\u00a0 \u2022\u00a0 four management metrics that fool even the best-run firms<\/a>\u00a0 \u2022\u00a0 19 ways to improve accounting firm profitability<\/a> \u2022\u00a0<\/strong>de-bunking the myth about niche marketing for tax and accounting firms<\/a> \u2022\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

i’ll make a case for having a strong leader. d. quinn mills, in his “leadership: how to lead, how to live” (2005), states the case nicely for why organizations need leaders:<\/p>\n

few things are more important to human activity than leadership. effective leadership helps our nation through times of peril. it makes a business successful. it enables a not-for-profit organization to fulfill its mission. the effective leadership of parents enables children to grow strong and healthy and become productive adults.<\/em><\/p>\n

the absence of leadership is equally dramatic. without leadership, organizations move too slowly, stagnate, and lose their way. much of the literature about organizations stresses decision-making and implies that if decision-making is timely, complete, and correct, then things will go well. yet a decision by itself changes nothing. after a decision is made, an organization faces the problem of implementation\u2014how to get things done in a timely and effective way. problems of implementation are really issues about how leaders influence behavior, change the course of events, and overcome resistance. leadership is crucial in implementing decisions successfully. management by committee<\/strong> most organizations find that management by committee is not a good way to efficiently run a business.\u00a0 cpa firms are no exception.\u00a0 here is a chart listing various reasons partners give for preferring management by committee over a mp, and a rebuttal for each reason: \"\"<\/p>\n

add it up. which side are you on?<\/p>\n

related: <\/strong><\/em>practice development is no longer an optional activity<\/a> \u2022 10 good ways the achieve partner accountability<\/a> \u2022 pick your partners right to begin with<\/a> \u2022 the first nine questions your partner team needs to embrace for optimal profitability<\/a> \u2022 profitability and the value of strategic thinking<\/a> \u2022 the five essential building blocks for creating a strong accounting firm<\/a> \u2022 the seven signs of great leadership in a cpa firm<\/a> \u2022 compensation issues for the new managing partner<\/a>\u00a0\u2022<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

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(copyright 2010-2012 rosenberg. adapted with permission.)<\/span><\/h6>\n