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It’s time for accountants to retreat

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23rd Feb 2010
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Barack Obama reckons change is the cure for America's ills. Can the same approach work for accountancy practices? Mark Lloydbottom reports.

Psychologists and psychiatrists don't agree on much, but both have noted that few like change. Politicians seek our vote on the basis they can deliver change. Margaret Thatcher delivered change (albeit at a cost), while America waits to see if its president can deliver on the high expectations of his successful 'change' campaign. There is a well known saying that if you keep doing what you are doing you will keep getting what you are getting. So what needs changing?

I don't know any accountants who don't work hard. They make a full commitment to their practice and so far as they can do what it takes to run a good practice. However, allow me to suggest that many are not satisfied with the status quo - there are always opportunities to be seized and improvements to be made. Life as a practitioner offers a platform for providing help and gaining reward, but what would you like to do differently and how do you go about achieving the required change?

Football managers like to take their players away for a winter break. This year the snow provided the window of opportunity for practice managers to take their staff away to a different environment (perhaps even somewhere warmer).

When I was in practice (even as a sole practitioner) I would go on a three-day review and planning retreat. These were always valuable times when I could consider what I wanted to achieve and how I was going to achieve it. Day three would involve bringing my managers into the picture and discussing how we would all make progress together.

I know some firms who hold a partners retreat abroad – taking time out in a warmer climate, spending time socially building relationships, as well as working through their planning agenda. I know a good number of firms who have an annual away day, but there are others who have no plans to take time out at all, regarding it as a waste of time.

While lecturing I have often asked how many intend to hold a retreat in the next year. The responses, even allowing for those that prefer not to raise their hands, leads me to believe that less than 25% of firms hold any sort of retreat. Why not? Maybe the devotion to chargeable time is so great no thought can be given to an exercise that will cost money. Maybe past retreats haven't worked – but why be held hostage to the past? A parent doesn't give up on their child when showing them how to ride a bicycle. Winston Churchill in his famous speech said, "Never, never, never give up." So join the ranks of those who hold their retreats and ensure that it is the first event that goes into the planning calendar.

A retreat provides you with the opportunity to look after your firm's best client – you and your firm! This is client service par excellence.

Some retreat basics
Go offsite
Treat yourself – find a venue that affirms your success. When on holiday would you prefer a four-star hotel or a five star? Maybe the venue offers recreational activities? Some firms I know use hotels where there are golf, gym and spa facilities. Low-cost airlines can deliver us to venues across Europe and often the total cost of the retreat compares favourably with a UK-based retreat.

Create your agenda

Plan the scope of the meeting beforehand by asking those attending what they would like to discuss. Frame your enquiry by asking what outcomes they would like. Your questions could include, ‘where can we improve?’; ‘what should we do differently?’; and ‘what should we stop doing?’ You could discuss reports produced in advance such as a client survey, staff survey, lock up release plan and so on.

Meeting management

Prepare a timed agenda to ensure you cover every item on the programme. You will need to have a time keeper who is responsible for ensuring the meeting is kept to time. Build in breaks – 30 minutes for refreshments allows an element of socialising. Have a few flip charts in the room so everyone can see what points of view are being expressed and decisions taken.

Start the night before

It might be an idea to begin with dinner and a social time. Some firms start with an external speaker while others invite spouses/partners to the retreat launch.

Self lead or facilitated?

This will depend on how you feel about having an outsider come in to manage the process versus a self-led approach. There are advantages to both – a facilitator provides a professional approach and allows everyone to participate while an internal-led meeting provides a more intimate and maybe less formal environment.

Share your experiences
What are your experiences with retreats? What has and hasn't worked for your firm? Share your recommendations below.

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By scohen
23rd Feb 2010 10:13

Time to retreat?

Mark

I find this interesting, having worked within L&D for accountants for many years and talked to quite a few of them. The call for chargeable hours is so strong, many of them (thankfully not all) will not go out for a day's meeting or training, let alone 3 days in retreat. What, no client calls? Turn off the Blackberry?

AND they breed this culture in their new and upcomging partners, managers and staff - who are then not given time to reflect on their own career path and the wider business and all the other "non chargeable" but highly productive activities needed to maintain a succesful practice.

I've also seen sections of large firms spend many thousands of pounds taking the partners and managers away for a conference and social - and it's resented by the rest as they don't get the same. The departments which are seen as more profitable, or shout about their success, aren't seen as something to emulate.

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