When you have the opportunity to listen in to a conversation with a leader of an accounting business of over 100 people, and you hear how seriously they take investment in their team now so that it delivers a return in 12, 18, 24 or even 36 months, it's well worth considering what’s being said. So, when Rebecca Mihalic of the Australian firm businessDEPOT talks about taking team members along to client meetings, not as a piece of furniture (to use her language), but as active participants in the meeting, using the tools of the meeting to enable them to contribute in a valuable, meaningful way, you can see how Rebecca is growing her team to deliver a result for her personally. She can cascade client relationship work to others, work that otherwise might not happen. It's a valuable discussion. There's a phrase towards the end of the discussion where Rebecca talks about creating a safe space to fail and a safe space to win as being one of the fundamental concepts that she uses when leading and managing her team. Please scroll down the episode page for this podcast for the contact information for Rebecca and for the additional, downloadable resources mentioned in the podcast. |
The Solution:
Maybe it works here because of my approach – I think because I give the team the space to fail and I give them the space to win.
I let them find the technology themselves – if we're talking specifically about tech.
If they find that tech themselves, given that they are the ones having the problem or frustration and wanting to do more than quit their job and go somewhere else to fix it.
Firstly, it is a great thing to know that there is an option for you to fix it – we want you to be more efficient, we want you to be happier – and if they find the solution, they're going to be so much more interested in making it work, because it was their idea.
SHOW NOTES
Connect with Rebecca
Connect with Paul
Resources relating to this podcast:
In this podcast, Paul and Rebecca discuss the health of the accounting profession in general terms. They talk about the talent shortage, not just globally, but particularly in the UK and Australia. There are not enough people wanting to be accountants and recruiting the right people is a challenge.
Rebecca therefore talks about the importance of growing and developing your team and the tools that they use, including bi-annual reviews, career plans, education and learning.
How good are you at developing your people, so that they stay and grow within your firm?
Most business owners fail miserably to methodically improve the skills, knowledge and abilities of their existing people, but when you repeatedly improve your team’s skills, knowledge and capabilities, they’ll help you build a better firm.
Build and use a methodical performance review (appraisal) process that fits the culture of your firm. Keep the process simple and execute that process brilliantly. Then you’ll better grow your accountancy firm.
If you want to discover more about how to nurture and develop the team you have, please click the link on the button to read the Business Breakthrough Report, 'High Performance Reviews'.
