<\/a>why everyone has to get on board.<\/strong><\/p>\n

by anthony zecca<\/i><\/p>\n

\u201ccoming together is a beginning. keeping together is progress. working together is success.\u201d \u2013 henry ford, inventor, founder and ceo of the ford motor company<\/p>\n

more: <\/b>five keys to becoming a high-performing firm<\/a> | assessing your firm<\/a> | incremental vs. exceptional success<\/a> | is your leadership team at the edge?<\/a> | leadership must drive culture<\/a>
\nexclusively for pro members. <\/span><\/strong>log in here<\/a> or 2022世界杯足球排名 today<\/a>.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

let\u2019s follow mary as she works through the first principle \u2013 creating a firmwide, standout team.
\n
\nmary\u2019s firm (continued)<\/strong><\/p>\n

mary is back in her office after the partners\u2019 meeting where she told all the partners that the firm must become a standout, high-performing firm and move out in front of the pack. she continues to think about what she shared at the partners\u2019 meeting and what comes next \u2013 how to move this process forward and create the vision that she shared. she knows she must get deeper into each principle and what leadership must do to fully actualize the goal \u2013 becoming a standout, high-performing firm. she decides to bounce some ideas off of another partner and asks jim, a trusted long-term tax partner, to join her for some discussion.<\/p>\n

\u201cjim, i need to think about how i want to discuss the first principle relating to moving our firm to a standout, high-performing firm. the first principle of being a standout firm starts with having a standout team. you and i know that everyone is not on board with this. although i am concerned that not all of our partners and staff will rise to the challenge, i am 100 percent committed to taking the steps to make this firm a standout, high-performing firm and helping each partner and our entire staff rise to the challenge.\u201d<\/p>\n

jim says, \u201clook mary, i understand and admire your passion, but is this something that we can really achieve?\u201d<\/p>\n

mary responds, \u201cjim, when we are successful in transforming our team into a standout team, we will take that first major step to becoming a standout firm that our clients love and that our competitors look up<\/strong> to.\u201d<\/p>\n

jim replies with one simple question \u2013 \u201chow?\u201d<\/p>\n

mary continues, \u201cnot easy, but it starts with getting everyone to understand what a standout team means and what it means to be a standout partner.\u201d<\/p>\n

jim asks, \u201cwhat does it mean to you?\u201d<\/p>\n

mary thinks about that and says, \u201cgood question. let\u2019s start with a few key concepts. first, everyone must understand that our client is this firm\u2019s true north. our clients are why we exist and what every aspect of our firm must focus on. second, let\u2019s put an end to silos and ‘my this and my that\u2019 \u2013 we are a team of one<\/strong>. finally, the only things we control 100 percent are who we are, what we believe in, how we work and what we deliver to our clients that helps them be more successful \u2013 that is our value differentiator.\u201d<\/p>\n

mary continues, \u201cjim, pivotal to our success in creating a standout team is standout leadership throughout the firm, starting with me. we need to lead with total conviction and commitment to transforming our firm and our partners to be a truly exceptional firm and team.<\/p>\n

\u201cto create a standout team, we need to ensure that our work product and processes are sharp, consistent and focused on creating value for our clients. as a team, we must have a shared value system that rewards teamwork \u2013 firm-first and client success-driven by the value we deliver every day. if we are to be a team of one<\/strong>, it must be built on trust and respect for all team members. to sustain our exceptionalism, we need to be able to adapt to change, accept constant learning and create a culture that shares the rewards of our success with everyone. finally, we must constantly maintain the focus on our true north \u2013 our clients and their success.<\/p>\n

\u201cjim, we have a lot of talented people in this firm, but we lack the cohesive strength that real teamwork generates. michael jordan (nba star) said it well: ‘talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.\u2019<\/strong> i want this firm and every single partner to win the championship, not just a few games.<\/p>\n

\u201cwe need to harness the strength and creativity of our individual talents and all work as one team to win this championship and become a standout, high-performing firm. when we get everyone to understand, believe in and commit to that one common vision, believe in our transformation goal and perform within that construct, we will be well on our way to having achieved the first principle \u2013 creating a standout team of professionals.\u201d<\/p>\n

mary continues, \u201cjim, creating a standout team is not accomplished solely through training programs or discussions. it is also not accomplished overnight. it is accomplished through leadership, consistency in actions, setting expectations, not accepting actions that do not reflect exceptionalism, and finally, total commitment to the transformation of the firm.<\/p>\n

\u201cas tom flores (former nfl player and coach) states, ‘<\/strong>total commitment is a paramount to reaching the ultimate in performance.\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cthe commitment must be clear, unwavering, visible and must start at the top with me, with every member of our leadership team and down to every partner in this firm.\u201d<\/p>\n

jim asks, \u201cmary, this all sounds great and i am 100 percent behind you, but how can we build consensus on this path?<\/p>\n

mary smiles and says, \u201cconsensus does not mean that we get everyone to agree but we need them to commit to the path that we need to follow to become that standout, high-performing firm. we need to make sure that there are no secret disbelievers who can sow the seeds of doubt. as nelson mandela (former president of south africa) stated, ‘one cannot be prepared for something while secretly believing it will not happen.\u2019\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

mary concludes, \u201cwe need to engage everyone and make clear that we understand there may be doubters but what we need is a commitment from everyone to the path we have chosen in spite of their doubt.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cconsensus does not mean that everyone enthusiastically says yes, it means that everyone commits to the path.\u201d \u2013 ron weiner, leader of perelson weiner llp<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

creating a standout, high-performing team<\/strong><\/p>\n

creating a standout team is a heavy lift, and there are a ton of challenges to overcome. in most center-led firms, there are a few standout partners surrounded by too many partners who believe their job is getting the report or tax return out on time and without error. that belief just keeps a firm stuck in the middle. edge leaders know that to drive the firm to high performance, all partners need to be driven to high performance. so, what are the steps to build a standout team?<\/p>\n

as henry ford stated, \u201ccoming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.\u201d<\/p>\n

henry ford\u2019s quote simply states the evolution from the partners and staff you have today, to the partners and staff the firm needs to be a standout, high-performing firm tomorrow. it starts with coming together as one team. edge leaders believe in the power of one team and commit themselves to creating a one-team culture, which is the first critical step to creating a standout, high-performing firmwide team. edge leaders also know that as they travel the path from a middle-of-the-pack firm to a firm that is a standout, high-performing firm, challenges will develop that will test the \u201cteam,\u201d and as the edge leader guides the team through the challenges it will strengthen the team.<\/p>\n

it is the edge leader\u2019s responsibility to create the culture, process, inspiration and confidence of everyone regarding what the firm and each individual is capable of becoming. it is critical that through the communications and actions of the edge leader, a shared vision develops throughout the firm so that the collective energy of every person is united with belief and commitment to becoming that standout, high-performing firm, team and individual. it is the edge leader\u2019s responsibility to communicate clearly what being a standout, high-performing firm means and what performance expectation is created for each individual. every person throughout the firm must become personally committed to, and personally care about, achieving that outcome.<\/p>\n

the process of creating a standout, high-performing team is a total firm process, not a process that just focuses on partners. you can\u2019t have a select team of standouts and be a standout firm. creating that standout team is not a one-month process or a cheerleading process; it involves retooling many aspects of the firm, and it requires a well-thought-out roadmap, which is outlined below.<\/p>\n

a team can\u2019t become a standout team by dictate.<\/strong> edge leaders can\u2019t just tell everyone, \u201cyou are going to operate as a team\u201d and expect that to happen. it\u2019s the same with getting people to work together in a collaborative model as a team \u2013 you can\u2019t dictate collaboration. this concept highlights one of the major differences between center leaders and edge leaders. edge leaders believe that teamwork is a choice made by individuals and not something that can be created by command-and-control cultures common in center-led firms.<\/strong><\/p>\n

i think back to when i was a kid, and kids still played sandlot baseball and football. when the two teams were being formed to play, i couldn\u2019t wait to be on a team and work my butt off, so my team won. i wanted my team to win and knew i needed to play my position as good as i could to help the team win. it\u2019s no different in a work environment. assigning a person to a team does not make that person a team player; it just makes them a team member. being a team player and operating within a strong team collaborative environment, where the team comes before the individual, does not happen because someone is assigned to a team. it has to be an individual choice \u2013 team players have to want and choose to be on a team and commit to the team\u2019s win.<\/p>\n

the firm\u2019s culture \u2013 driven by the edge leader \u2013 is what drives performance of teams. to illustrate this point, let\u2019s look at an example using our composite firm.<\/p>\n

mary comes back to her office from a meeting with her growth committee and the strategic initiative they agreed to implement. she thinks about who a good team leader could be and who could be good team members to implement this major growth strategy. she decides on the individuals for the team. she knows that each person must choose to be on the team and choose to accept ownership and responsibility for successful implementation of the strategy (edge leadership). the team leader and team members clearly understand the purpose for the change and have accepted ownership and responsibility, eagerly looking to move forward. mary tells the team leader (ellen) to let her know if the she runs into any roadblocks.<\/p>\n

the team begins implementation and shortly thereafter runs into a major roadblock \u2013 various partners who are critical to the success of the strategy are not always supportive. some get on board, some say they are too busy and some just don\u2019t want to change. ellen comes to the mary to explain the roadblock and looks for advice how to eliminate it. below are two scenarios wherein mary provides guidance to ellen:<\/p>\n

losing culture:<\/strong> mary tells ellen that she should not expect all partners to jump on board, and to work with the ones who are enthusiastic about the strategy. the ones who are too busy, or just don\u2019t like change or who think they are more important than the success of the strategy will never embrace it. let\u2019s move past this, and work with the ones who want to work with you and the rest may eventually come along.<\/p>\n

winning culture:<\/strong> mary discusses the roadblock with ellen, and they agree that the partners who are not cooperating need to be motivated and better informed as to why the changes are so important to the future of the firm. these resistors need to understand the importance of getting behind the strategy and supporting the effort. ellen and mary reach agreement and together they develop a process to get all partners aligned with the strategy and working to help the implementation of the strategy be successful. mary and ellen establish some benchmarks and check-ins to make sure their approach is working.<\/p>\n

as lara hogan (ceo of check 6 consulting) states, \u201cperformance more often comes down to a cultural challenge, rather than simply a technical one.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>of course, the second scenario is preferable. in that scenario, mary clearly understands and communicates to ellen that culture needs to be built around shared values, innovation, having the right people, living the values every day, and finally taking those who don\u2019t reflect the culture to the woodshed once in a while. firm culture is like the earth\u2019s environment \u2013 it needs to be nurtured, respected and embraced. the right culture will help everyone accept their responsibility for the firm\u2019s success. a shared culture built on characteristics such as teamwork, innovation, shared values and accountability will move your partners and staff from resistors to supporters, from individuals to supportive and enthusiastic team players \u2013 every time. it is a key driver in mary\u2019s efforts to create a standout, high-performing team that connects as a team.<\/p>\n

\u201cwhen you are a team that fails to connect, you will be a team that fails to win.\u201d \u2013 <\/strong>mike smith, former nfl coach<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

a great coach said that when team members connect and build strong relationships, they work for<\/strong> each other and not with<\/strong> each other. the power of the team is based on a collective willingness, focus and energy to work toward a common goal for the benefit of the whole \u2013 the firm becoming a standout, high-performing firm. motivation and attitude go hand in hand in increasing the success of any team effort. a cohesive team has a multiplier effect on the results that the team can achieve.<\/p>\n

a key factor in creating high-performing teams is to select a team leader who is a team builder and who believes in the power of the team to achieve standout performance. mary selected ellen to lead this growth team based on her willingness to lead the effort, her motivation, attitude and confidence to lead, which are necessary if others are to have the confidence to follow ellen through this growth initiative.<\/p>\n

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<\/a>
\nwhy everyone has to get on board.<\/strong>
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