Develop your soft skills in training courses that benefit both the person attending and their organization. This course, part four of the five-course series, is applicable for various accounting departments (i.e. audit, tax, consulting, and accounting services) but because these are universal leadership concepts, they are equally applicable to other professional business leaders. AHI soft skills training will help improve efficiency, make managers and senior managers more effective with others, and increase the organization’s bottom line. Also, as these courses often include other industries besides accounting, there is an opportunity to work and network with leadership professionals from other industries. All of AHI's courses rely heavily on participant interaction and these virtual programs have co-opted many of Zoom’s features to preserve the same strengths of the in-person training: visual interaction between the instructor and all participants (plan to be "on screen" throughout the program) breakout rooms to ensure small group engagement and instructor interaction screen share for small group presentations easy delivery of video presentations fillable PDF for online note-taking in the course materials.
DESIGNED FOR
Managers and Senior Managers in audit, tax, consulting and accounting services Sole practitioners
BENEFITS
- To help experienced staff develop the nontechnical skills needed to make their firm more profitable by improving their ability to profitably manage multiple engagements, communicate with staff, partners, and client personnel, and recognize and deliver value-added services.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Expectations of the Supervisor: Participants develop an understanding of the criteria for performance of supervisory personnel in CPA firms and learn why supervisors must perform significantly different functions than less experienced staff. Participants’ attitudes about their changing role in the firm are discussed, leading to an analysis of the supervisory function.
- Managing Self and Priorities: Participants are introduced to techniques that are designed to help them balance their life and work. Self-tests are used so that participants can determine how they currently use their time, their delegation ability, and their work/life balance. Exercises and cases illustrate and provide hands-on application for such activities as goal setting, prioritizing, organizing the work space, limiting interruptions, learning to delegate, and utilizing assistants’ time efficiently.
- Improving Communication Skills: Cases and exercises are used to help participants learn the different ways supervisors communicate and how to be more effective communicators. For example, two-way communication, developing good listening habits, non-verbal communication, and acting as a role model are all explored.
- Human Motivation: The purpose of this session is to help participants understand their own, as well as other people’s needs, as a way to accomplish their goals and those of the firm. Participants learn about, and obtain practice in applying basic motivational techniques. Significant time is spent discussing motivating younger staff and the supervisor’s role in helping their firms retain higher-quality staff. Self-tests are included so participants can identify managerial styles as well as potential for change. Cases are used to relate skills to practical situations including supervising assistants, dealing with partners, and resolving conflicts.
- Supervising, Evaluating and Coaching Staff: This session focuses on the supervisory skills needed in implementing effective on-the-job training, making performance appraisals, and evaluating and counseling staff. This session addresses the reasons for the many differences in assistants and how to deal effectively with staff of different needs. Skills are practiced during in-class exercises using case studies and role plays that emphasize difficulties public accountants face in supervising assistants.
- Helping Your Organization Grow: This session begins by emphasizing three ways organizations grow: keeping existing clients satisfied, expanding services to existing clients, and getting referrals from clients and contacts. Cases and discussion are used to show participants ways to help their company or firm grow. Participants are encouraged to learn how to effectively market these services to existing and prospective clients.
COURSE LEVEL
Advanced
PREREQUISITES
3 to 4+ years of experience
ADVANCE PREPARATION
None