Issue 20– Fall 2008

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Service Spotlight: Distance Learning – Training Any Time, Anywhere

We know how hard it is to get away from the office, and the high cost of travel these days makes investing in CPE expensive. At ConvergenceCoaching, we recognize the need for our clients to have access to high-quality, difference-making soft skills CPE without having to travel. That’s why we’re developing an online distance learning program that will enable you, and members of your team at virtually all levels, to take high-quality courses any time from anywhere.

Our pilot program will be underway soon, and we’re shooting for a launch of a few courses yet this year.Our first courses, which are based on real life experiences within CPA and IT firms, are perfect for busy season soft skills training, as a retention strategy, and for firms who want to train everyone on the same courses, in the same way, over time. New people can easily “catch up” on what others have learned at their convenience - after hours, from home if they choose, and at their own pace.

Watch for more news about our distance learning program. For more information, contact Lisa Spear at lisa@convergencecoaching.com or (615) 292-9321. 

Inspired Ideas Blog!

We’ve launched a new blog called “Inspired Ideas” where we will regularly share new ideas and resources, explore issues, and generate discussion on topics relating to the CPA and IT professions - and even life in general.  Blogging is all about community and sharing, so we welcome your participation!

Check it out at http://blog.convergencecoaching.com and be sure to add your inspired ideas and opinions, too!

Attention BDO Seidman Alliance Members: Partner Leadership Training

BDO Seidman Alliance firm partners and owners should not miss this opportunity for leadership and management skills development!  ConvergenceCoaching is facilitating a two-day training event on Strategies for Motivating and Managing Diverse Teams on December 2 and 3 in Chicago, IL.   

In this course, we will explore:

• Differentiating your firm in the recruiting process and finding sources for successful hires
• Developing a culture of accountability with clear role definition
• Generational differences – and similarities – and how people of different ages, raised in different eras, are often motivated differently
• Gender differences and ways to bring out the best in both genders and avoid stereotypical traps
• Personality differences, beginning with an understanding of your own personality preferences using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, and then learning about your personality type and the types of others
• Methods for motivating and leveraging the talents of your diverse team

We look forward to seeing you and your partners at this excellent opportunity for continued leadership development!  If you are a member of the BDO Seidman Alliance, click on the link below to register for this session by November 18: www.regonline.com/FutureLeadersPartner2.

For more information about these events or if you would like to discuss tailored web-based or in-firm training for your firm or association, please contact Krista Remer at Krista@convergencecoaching.com or (402) 891-6393.

Upcoming Speaking Events!

The ConvergenceCoaching team will attend and speak at several events over the next several months, including:

October 23
AICPA PCPS
Medium Firm Networking Meeting
San Antonio, TX
www.aicpa.org/pcps
Presentation:
> Motivating and Managing Your People

October 23
BDO Seidman, LLP
Regional Meeting
Miami, FL
www.bdo.com
Presentation:
> Managing Interpersonal Relationships for Maximum Results

October 26-28
Missouri MAP Conference
Kansas City, Missouri
www.21stcenturymap.com

October 31 – November 1
Alliott Group
2008 Worldwide Conference
Athens, Greece
www.alliottgroup.net
Presentation:
> Harness the Power of Positive Thinking and Manage Stress Positively
> Practicing in Concert – Gaining Partner and Firm Alignment

November 17
Association for Accounting Administration
Colorado Chapter Meeting
Denver, CO
www.cpaadmin.org
Presentation:
> Motivating and Managing Your Diverse Team

November 17-21
BDO Seidman, LLP
Annual Leadership Conference
Scottsdale, AZ
www.bdo.com

November 18
Georgia Society of CPAs
2008 Firm Management Practice Conference
Greensboro, GA
www.gscpa.org
Presentation:
> Accountable Leadership
> Marketing to Win the Right Business

November 18
North Carolina Association of CPAs
69th Annual Symposium
Greensboro, NC
www.ncacpa.org
Presentation:
> New Partner Sources for Your Firm
> Managing Generational Differences in Your Practice

December 2-3
BDO Seidman, LLP
Future Leaders Training for Partners
Chicago, IL
www.bdo.com
Presentation:
> Strategies for Managing and Motivating Diverse Teams

December 7-9
Information Technology Alliance
ITA Fall Collaborative
Phoenix/Scottsdale, AZ
www.italliance.com

We hope to see you at these events and others in the future. Plan your calendars and register today!  Let us know if you will be attending any of the venues where we will be speaking. We'd love to catch up with you!

For our catalog with a complete listing of topics we offer for speaking, teaching, and custom in-firm programs and future updates to our speaking calendar, please visit www.convergencecoaching.com/speakingevents.htm.

The ConvergenceCoaching team offers a complimentary web seminar series designed to help you develop “soft” skills in a variety of areas, including leadership, marketing, sales, and human resources.  We are also able to provide continuing professional education (CPE) credit for a small administration fee of $39. 

Please watch your e-mail inbox for invitations and plan to join us for our upcoming 75-minute web seminars, which will be held at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time on the following dates:

• October 16 – Secrets to Niche Practice Success
• December 2 – Developing a Culture of Leadership & Accountability in Your Firm
• January 20 – Harness the Power of Positive Thinking

Client Corner

Take KAF’s 1040 Workflow Survey!

Workflow, business process improvement, and standardization have become hot topics of conversation in the CPA profession.To assist firms in analyzing their 1040 business process, public accounting firm KAF Financial Group is launching their second annual 1040 Workflow Survey and would like to invite individuals involved in the 1040 process to participate. 

All participants will receive the results of the survey so they can learn ways to improve their efficiency, increase productivity, and compare their workflow with the other nationwide participants.

The survey should take less than 25 minutes to complete and can be found by clicking here. Please complete the survey by October 22, 2008 to receive the results!

AICPA’s Succession Survey Results

The AICPA has released the results of their 2008 Succession Survey, which is intended to provide information to practitioners about how firms are handling the issue of succession planning. This report provides conclusions and recommendations regarding the regular and ongoing need for succession planning and will enable you to evaluate your efforts against those of your peers.

Download the free publication here!

Welcome New Clients!

The ConvergenceCoaching team welcomes our new clients to the Convergence circle of friends!  Warmest welcome to:

We are excited that you have taken the ConvergenceCoaching leap of faith and look forward to making a difference for you and introducing you to our network of clients and friends!

Spread the Word!

If you know someone who would benefit from receiving their own copy of our Coaching Concepts e-newsletters along with invitations to our web seminars and other events, e-mail their information to us at info@convergencecoaching.com.