Leading An Accounting Firm

14Managing Processes for Your Future Firm

“Quality is not an act, it is a habit.”

~ ARISTOTLE

As pointed out in earlier chapters, the distinction between leaders and managers is that leaders set the vision for what the firm does, and managers get the work done through team members. Of course, leaders do some managing, and most managers are building their firms toward the future. However, when leaders get caught up in managing, they tend to ignore setting the direction for the firm, and it becomes detached from its vision and mission. Similarly, when managers only do work or micromanage others, they tend to ignore training and developing others, and their scope of work influence is limited to what they do themselves. Jim DeMartini, managing partner of the top-100 firm Seiler LLP in Redwood City, CA, says, “I think that accounting firms give way too much training to professional accountants on management. I believe that firms should employ full-time managers who have that skill set.”

This chapter will cover the importance of good management to leadership. Leaders can have good self and staff leadership but still fail without good management. Leaders can have a compelling vision and mission but still not move forward without good management. In this chapter, I’ll touch on the key processes and metrics necessary for managing an accounting firm. Many books and seminars are devoted to the management of accounting firm. What I am attempting to do in this chapter is place management in ...