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Get  in  the  Game  Use  New  World  Tools  and  Broaden  Your  Playbook  to  Win  More  Business  in  the  Accounting  Profession  

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About  Doug  Sleeter  

@dougsleeter  

CPA  Practice  Advisor    Columnist,  Successful  Small  Business  Consulting    

Top  25  Thought  Leaders,  2011-­‐2014  

The  Sleeter  Group    800-­‐member  Accounting  Consulting  Group  Author  –  Textbooks  and  Reference  Guides  

Consultant  to  Software  Developers  

Accounting  Today  Top  100  Most  Influential  People  in  

Accounting  for  2008-­‐2013  

Small  Business  Influencer  Small  Business  Influencer  Champion  2013  

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Agenda  Become the Coach

Leading Change within Your Firm and With Clients

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Become  the  Coach  Leading  Change:  

Within  Your  Firm  and  

For  Your  Clients  

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Do  You  Have  What  It  Takes?  

Leading  Change  

Do  You    A. Serve  Your  Clients?    B.  Lead  Your  Clients?  

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Coaching  the  Team  

Leading  Change  

� Start  with  Your  Own  Firm  

� First  –  Learn,  Then  Learn  Some  More  and  Keep  Learning  

� Then  Teach  

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Polling  Question  #1  

7  

Where Is The Profession on Technology Adoption?

CPAs  

Where  are  YOU  on  the  curve?  

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Successful  Change  Leadership    The  Coach’s  Playbook  

1.  Set  the  stage,  collaboratively.    

2.  Plan  and  communicate.  

3.  Implement.  

4.  Follow  through.  

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Step  1:    Set  the  Stage,  Collaboratively  

� Motivation  and  Urgency  � Openly  discuss  reasons:  

� Changes  in  marketplace  � Opportunities,  Threats  � Increased  efficiencies  

� Threats  � Fewer  Manufacturing  Jobs,  More  Service  Jobs  

� Automation,  Zero-­‐Entry  

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A  Service  Based  Economy  

Source:  The  Economist  Jan  2014  

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The  Cheese  is  Moving      Accountants  are    94%  likely  to  Lose  Jobs  to  Automation    …  within  20  years  

Source:  The  Economist  Jan  2014  

How SMBs Select an Accountant

Bottom

Why SMBs Leave Their CPA

Bottom  

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Polling  Question  #2  

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Step  1:    Set  the  Stage,  Collaboratively  

� Form  a  Change  Team  � Get  buy-­‐in  � Find  Strong  leaders    � Involve  Front-­‐line  employees  

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Create  a  Clear  Vision  � Be  Succinct  � Why  Change  is  Necessary  

� What  Pain  You’re  Solving?  

 Reinforce  the  Vision  � Specific  Workflow  Changes  

� Envision  Success  

Step  2:    Plan  and  Communicate  

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Step 3: Get Going

Remove  Obstacles  � Address  fears    � Online  security  

� “We’ve  always  done  it  this  way”    

� Embrace  Learning  Curve  

Create  Short-­‐Term  Wins  � Small,  Clearly-­‐Defined  Initiatives  

� Recognize  Progress  

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Step  4:  Follow  Through  

� Measure  � BEFORE  � DURING  � AFTER    

� Anchor  Change  � Share/reward  success  

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Polling  Question  #3  

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Summary  

Successful  Transformational  Change  

 �  Think  Change  Leadership,  not  management  

�  Set  clear,  aspirational  targets  �  Create  a  clear  structure  � Maintain  energy  and  involvement  throughout  the  process  

�  Involve  all  stakeholders  � Measure  before  and  after  �  Reward  success  

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Questions