CPA firm managers in crisis

CPA firm leaders across the country are continually challenged to be the CPA firm employer of choice in their markets, challenged to build a culture where both experienced and beginning accountants want to stay and become owners in the firm. The loyal, reliable and proven manager-level people in your firm are seeking answers from a partner group that is often nonresponsive, and actually in denial that a problem exists. Partners are beginning to understand that they have grown an entire generation of technicians who have made the partners' lives very comfortable, but who neither want to, nor have been groomed to, take over ownership of the firm. Managers are feeling very frustrated, unappreciated and taken advantage of. What firm leaders need to do is provide fertile ground for open, honest dialogue, as well as a track for rewarding the loyalty of longtime managers. Make the time to discuss this topic with your experienced managers. They are key to the success of your firm, yet they have been under-coached and under-developed.