Managing Partner Bootcamp Accounting's #1 Program for Firm Leadership
Stop Managing. Start Leading.
MPB is a Masterclass in Leadership, where professionals managing accounting firms are developed into leaders of exceptional ability.
Through an immersive learning experience, attendees develop a personalized skill set that empowers them to lead with intention — and proactively implement resolutions as problems arise. The leadership proficiencies that most successful managing partners and firm leaders gain through trial and error over many years are acquired at MPB over 6 days.
Ready to Accelerate?
Strong leadership skills can be the difference between a good firm, and a GREAT firm. If you are serious about investing in your leadership abilities, now is the time!
Schedule a free consultation with Gary Shamis to see if MPB | Leadership Accelerated is right for you.
Who is MPB For?
Designed for Accounting Firm Leaders
MPB was conceived of by one of the profession’s most accomplished and influential managing partners from his own tenure building, growing, and selling a Top 40 firm. A team of subject-matter experts bring decades of relevant, industry-specific experience to a curriculum designed for leaders in and of accounting firms. MPB is for managing partners, regional leaders, emerging leaders, service-area partners, and c-suite professionals wanting to enhance their competencies and committed to taking their skills to the next level.
Firms Ready to Invest in Their People
This is a unique and measurable opportunity for newer and incoming managing partners to gain immediate knowledge and confidence; seasoned managing partners to hone their skills; and other leaders within the firm who seek confidence in managing teams and clients. Additional opportunities keep alums engaged in this dynamic community of like-minded leaders, including, but not limited to, quarterly webinars with insightful subject-matter experts and an annual one-day, in-person seminar to reunite classmates and discuss contemporary issues.
Testimonials This Program has a 99% Satisfaction Rating from Alumni
"The bootcamp gave me the tools, perspective and peer support group that I needed to take on my new role as CEO. I signed up for the bootcamp because of the content, and left with a new group of colleagues and friends with whom I continue to collaborate with today."
- Eric Majchrzak | CEO, BeachFleischman
"MPB is a terrific option for those who need to step up and understand how to run any type of professional firm. The camaraderie, setting, and quality of the presenters and topics make this one of the most impactful personal experiences anyone, who is rising to the level of managing partner or equivalent, can have."
- Robert Gialamas | Vice President of Operations, CBIZ
"The Managing Partner Bootcamp is invaluable to our partner group. It allows our current and future leaders to refine their skills, outlook, and perspective on successfully running a professional services firm. The speakers, content, and connection have been top-notch."
- Tommy Lee | CPA Partner-in-Charge, Aprio
"Winding River Consulting has done a great job developing this bootcamp and the content. I did not know what to expect. I attended many programs and thought this would be another one that I might come out gaining "something." However, I came away with much more. I really enjoyed it."
- Richard Crabtree | Whalen & Company, CPAs
"Well thought out. You could tell every detail was discussed beforehand. Professional staff are excellent and very helpful and caring."
- Joseph Saka | CEO, Berkowitz Pollack Brant
"The entire program was outstanding. Really appreciate the effort that went into developing a curriculum and recruiting expert instructors. At most conferences, there are usually a few high points with a lot of "filler," but this program was solid throughout."
- Chris Meshginpoosh | Managing Director, Kreisher Miller
"I highly recommend the program. You will not leave the Bootcamp without learning more about yourself and how to lead others. From top to bottom, the program is first-rate. I plan on sending one of my firm's future leaders to next year's program."
- Robert Blackham | JD. Chairman, Roetzel
"As a practice leader for many years who is now transitioning to CEO, I have always valued the opportunity to get out of the office and meet leaders in other firms who are willing to share experiences. The Managing Partner Bootcamp did not disappoint! The content for both sessions was very well conceived and delivered by Gary Shamis and the team. Though I went believing I was ready for this new chapter, I still found the experience insightful. The small size of the cohort lent itself to great discussions, both during the sessions and after hours over dinner. I highly recommend the program."
- Paul Oliveira | Partner, Litwin, Renza
As a former CPA firm managing partner now serving managing partners across the country, this program is an experience worthy of investment. While covering the broad range of topics a managing partner faces, participants can develop lasting relationships with an intimate group of peers who will serve as a network for years to come. Gary has assembled a top-notch team that has designed the program to contain the right balance of expert instruction, peer interaction, and group networking.
- Anna Brosche | Partner, BDO
As a new CEO, this was exactly what I needed to help guide my decision-making process.
- Gian Pazzia | CEO, KBKG
"This was the best practice management course I have ever taken. Gary Shamis and his stellar team brought their collective "A" game, never a dull moment."
- Charles F. (Chuck) Mullen | Chairman, Apple Growth Partners
"As a new managing partner, I found MPB to be extremely valuable. To spend a few days immersed in the knowledge and experience of Gary, his colleagues, and the other partners in the room, is unlike any other leadership opportunity I have found in the CPA profession. We covered tough topics that come up every day in this role and others that hopefully never come up but you need to have the tools and resources to manage these issues when they do arise."
- Jessica Freiburg | Managing Partner, Sassetti
"MPB was a refreshing change from the normal classes. The content was designed by someone who had been there and done that which showed. It was much more proactive and addressed the challenges we were likely to face in the future rather than rehashing the issues of the past. In addition, the relationships that were built both with the staff and other managing partners will continue to add value."
- Tyson Pruett | Shareholder, Doty, Pruett, Wilson PC
"The Managing Partner Bootcamp is the best training available for the managing partner and future leaders of a CPA firm. The bootcamp transformed my thinking and my CPA firm. Gary Shamis is one of the greatest managing partners, mentors, and authors in the history of the profession and he shares his knowledge and insights in the program."
- Brad Wagner | Wagner, Duys & Wood, LLLP
"The real-world perspective that Gary, David and the rest of the Winding River team bring to the discussions is invaluable. Throughout the program, we focused on how to build not only a successful firm but also successful leaders within our firm, a topic that’s front of mind in the current labor market. Additionally, the community and relationships gained throughout the process are top-notch. I still stay in touch and collaborate with my MPB peers."
- Ben Wilson | Partner and Vice President, Adams Brown CPA
"As a practice leader for many years who is now transitioning to CEO, I have always valued the opportunity to get out of the office and meet leaders in other firms who are willing to share experiences. The Managing Partner Bootcamp did not disappoint! The content for both sessions was very well conceived and delivered by Gary Shamis and the team. Though I went believing I was ready for this new chapter, I still found the experience insightful. The small size of the cohort lent itself to great discussions, both during the sessions and after hours over dinner. I highly recommend the program."
- Paul Oliveira | Partner, Kahn, Litwin, Renza
A Growing Community of...
95+ Firms
150+ Leaders
Meet Our Alumni
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What inspired MPB?
Our CEO, Gary Shamis, is an industry pioneer who transformed what began as his father’s small firm into the 37th largest accounting and consulting firm in the nation (acquired by BDO in 2014).
In his three-decade tenure as firm managing partner, Gary saw a significant lack of leadership development training designed specifically for accounting firm managing partners. Often, he realized, CPAs find themselves elected or appointed to senior leadership positions without receiving any formal leadership or practice management training. Gary took the skills he believes every firm leader should have, including those he gained through trial and error leading one for more than forty years, and created MPB.
What is the Curriculum for MPB?
MPB covers four key pillars:
Skills – this area focuses on developing the power (soft) skills required to effectively lead a firm. We cover critical thinking, executive presence, communication skills, negotiation, crisis management, and more.
Practice Management – these sessions address topical issues like firm strategy, risk management, nurturing your firm’s talent, and organizational development and governance.
Growth – digital growth and transformation have had a huge impact on the accounting industry in recent years. This area explores modern firm growth strategies, the role of M&A, and much more.
Human Capital – talent acquisition, management, and retention are going through a period of profound change in the accounting industry. These sessions tackle contemporary issues including DE&I, hybrid work environments, professional development, and building a winning culture.
What is the format of the different types of sessions?
Sessions at MPB are a blend of lectures, discussions, case studies, and group exercises. Because attendance is limited to 12 participants, every session is interactive and allows participants to openly explore the challenges they face in their firms.
Each cohort concludes with an iLab, an exercise that sees teams collaborating to create and present an innovative initiative that could be implemented to benefit their cohort firms. With their solution, teams demonstrate the knowledge gained over the course of their MPB experience.
Why is MPB split into two three-day sessions? Do I have to attend both?
We know our attendees have busy schedules and that committing the time may seem daunting. But alum will attest to the fact that MPB was the best investment they made in themselves.
Our current format of a half day, full day, half day, builds in adequate travel time and gives our attendees the ability to fully immerse themselves in the experience.
The break between the two sessions allows attendees to take time to build on the ideas they learned during the first session and then reflect on these during the second session. We work to provide all attendees to create strategies with ideas they can actually implement.
What makes MPB different from other leadership development training programs?
Managing partners have always learned through trial and error. There’s never been a program with a curriculum of skills that managing partners need to build to be successful.
Until now.
MPB is that program. It’s our focus to equip leaders with both the hard and power (soft) skills they need to move themselves, their firms, and the entire profession forward.
The accounting industry faces a unique set of challenges – those that a generic leadership development course simply can’t prepare accounting firm partners for.
What is the biggest benefit attendees feel they've gotten out of MPB?
By far, the most significant advantage our participants rave about is the rapid growth of their leadership abilities during our bootcamp. Our presenters provide attendees with a wealth of real-world experience and invaluable advice, all tailored to fit our comprehensive 6-month course.
It is our goal to give you 30 years of real-world leadership experience and know-how in your 6 months with us. All of our attendees are bright people and will figure out the answers. it is our goal to accelerate that process for you.
How much does MPB cost?
The investment is $12,000. There is a 15% discount for BDO Alliance, PrimeGlobal, and Leading Edge Alliance member firms. This covers your courses, food, and apparel.
It does not cover your travel expenses or lodging.
Quick Hits From Just Two of Our Sessions
Meet Your Facilitators Experienced Industry Leaders and Subject-matter Experts
What Is the Investment? $12,000 Per Seat
BDO, LEA, and Prime Global members receive a 15% discount per seat.
Our Brand Promise: We are so confident you will attain a measurable ROI, we offer a money-back guarantee.
Join an Upcoming Cohort
When
Session 1: May 19 - 21, 2025
Session 2: October 20 - 22, 2025
Where
This rigorous, intense training is spread over two three-day sessions: one in the fall, and one in the following spring (attendance at both sessions is mandatory and included in your registration).
When
Session 1: October 20-22, 2025
Session 2: TBD, May 2026
Where
This rigorous, intense training is spread over two three-day sessions: one in the fall, and one in the following spring (attendance at both sessions is mandatory and included in your registration).
What You'll Learn Your Line-up of Elite Presentations and Workshops
SKILLS
What's Expected of a Leader?
Tips & Tricks
Advanced Negotiation Skills - Risk Management
Crisis Management
Self-care & Energy Management
Executive Presence
Case Studies I
Presenting: Your Most Important Business Communication Skill
Difficult Conversations
GROWTH
3 Elements of Effective Practice Growth - Digital
3 Elements of Effective Practice Growth - Organic
3 Elements of Effective Practice Growth - M&A
PRACTICE MANAGEMENT
Strategy & Execution
Staying Independent
What's on Your List?
Risk Management
Organizational Development & Governance
Developing the Bench
Case Studies II
What's Expected of a Leader? (And What's Not)
HUMAN CAPITAL
Contemporary Issues: DE&I, Performance Management, Professional Development, and Hybrid Teaming
Culture
The New Human Capital Model
A Discussion Surrounding AI
Session 1
Presenting: Your Most Important Business Communication Skill
We’ve all sat through presentations that were dry and unengaging. Our most important ideas are regularly conveyed in front of a group yet often presenters rely too heavily on PowerPoints and buzzwords. Our persuasive success requires we have the charisma and skill to narrate these ideas in a meaningful yet relatable way. In this session, we’ll review the tools and techniques necessary to hone a skill that remains essential to our success as thought leaders.
Our learning objectives in this breakout are to:
- Be able to understand the correlation between confident presentation skills and strong leadership
- Build confidence in using presentations as business and communication tools
- Identify some of the psychology behind what makes a presentation effective
- Recognize the benefits and detriments of oral and visual delivery
- Establish a “jumping-off point” for participation in individual presentations for the second session of Managing Partner Bootcamp
Credit Hours: 1.2
Field of Study: Communications and Marketing
Prerequisites: None
Who Should Attend: Accounting Leaders
Program Level: Intermediate
Advanced Preparation: Program Level: None
Delivery Method: Group Live
Difficult Conversations
Nobody likes to have difficult conversations, but as a firm leader, you’ll have your fair share of them. They’re inevitable. The ability to manage conflict is one of the most necessary qualities in a leader. This session will provide you with the tools necessary to resolve a myriad of situations and to navigate successful outcomes in difficult conversations.
Our learning objectives in this breakout are to:
- Be able to describe communication strategies based on a given situation’s intended outcome
- Distinguish the types of conversations you need to be involved in
- Have a list of new strategies/tools to successfully negotiate difficult conversations
Credit Hours: 1.8
Field of Study: Personal Development
Prerequisites: None
Who Should Attend: Accounting Leaders
Program Level: Intermediate
Advanced Preparation: Program Level: None
Delivery Method: Group Live
A Framework for Organizational Development & Governance
Key to an organization’s success is its ability to adapt to change and to generate a collaborative environment. To generate teams that are both cohesive and task-focused in an environment where change is rapidly becoming the norm, the key process of organizational development helps groups come together to plan and take effective action for change.
Learning objectives in this breakout include:
- Learn from an Industry Expert what worked for his firm in terms of organization design as they grew and scaled
- Best practices on how to design an organization that is built to change and grow
- Assess where your firm is with respect to being aligned for change and what changes might be helpful as you consider your firm’s growth strategy
- Come away with tips to enhance communication and processes to enhance organizational adaptability
Credit Hours: 1.2
Field of Study: Business Management & Organization
Prerequisites: None
Who Should Attend: Accounting Leaders
Program Level: Intermediate
Advanced Preparation: Program Level: None
Delivery Method: Group Live
Culture
What kind of culture do you have at your firm? Do you really know? Does that culture feel differently for your rookies than it does for you? What is the connection between a thriving culture and a thriving book of business? This session will explore how to assess your culture and what tools you need to ensure a robust talent acquisition strategy that is already focused on retention.
Learning objectives include:
- Assessing the effectiveness of your own culture
- Defining what a successful culture looks like for your firm
- Connecting the dots between what your people need and what your clients want
- The biggest do’s and don’ts of cultures that thrive
Credit Hours: 1.2
Field of Study: Personnel/Human Resources
Prerequisites: None
Who Should Attend: Accounting Leaders
Program Level: Intermediate
Advanced Preparation: Program Level: None
Delivery Method: Group Live
Three Elements of Effective Growth - Organic
Traditional growth has historically been defined as organic accretion of clients through business networking, proposal submission, and word of mouth. However, the ecosystem in which we do business has changed markedly since the COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts on the way prospects function in the market is changing that definition. Compound these factors with the increasingly commoditized nature of accounting, tax, and auditing practices and traditional growth now looks like an entirely different beast. How do we compete in this new ecosystem and what new tools can we use to achieve traditional growth goals?
Learning objectives in this session include:
- Define the new parameters within which traditional, organic growth occurs
- Understand how prospects are functioning differently within these new parameters
- Gain new tactics for reaching your prospects where they are
- Learn how marketing is changing and redefining its role in growing firms
Credit Hours: 1.2
Field of Study: Business Management & Organization
Prerequisites: None
Who Should Attend: Accounting Leaders
Program Level: Intermediate
Advanced Preparation: Program Level: None
Delivery Method: Group Live
Three Elements of Effective Growth - M&A
In today’s world firms should be considering how they can use an M&A strategy to enhance growth. Rather than a serendipitous event, firms should consider size, geography, talent, services, verticals – and find the right fit, not just any fit.
Learning objectives in this session include:
- Be able to define the elements of an effective M&A strategy
- Understand different deal structures and the pros and cons associated with each
- Learn to assess the impacts size and geography will have upon the outcomes
- Learn to assess talent, service offerings of target, and verticals and their impacts on strategic objectives
- Create a framework for your firm’s specific M&A strategy
Credit Hours: 1.2
Field of Study: Business Management & Organization
Prerequisites: None
Who Should Attend: Accounting Leaders
Program Level: Intermediate
Advanced Preparation: Program Level: None
Delivery Method: Group Live
Three Elements of Effective Growth – Digital
The historical path to growth relied on traditional and organic efforts including business development, networking, and referrals. While these will always be a part of the growth playbook, new trends have emerged over the last 18 months. Accelerating technology and the shifts in the way buyers make decisions are impacting professional service firms now more than ever before.
Learning objectives in this session include:
- Grasp what it means to be ‘data-driven’ and its relevancy to growth decision-making
- How virtual sales will increase revenue and help you to obtain new clients
- How the digital economy can lead to exponential growth with a niche strategy
- Understanding how the new buyer’s journey is being influenced
Credit Hours: 1.2
Field of Study: Communications and Marketing
Prerequisites: None
Who Should Attend: Accounting Leaders
Program Level: Intermediate
Advanced Preparation: Program Level: None
Delivery Method: Group Live
Developing the Bench
Too many accounting firms are promoting people into leadership without the requisite skills that go beyond their technical acumen, crossing their fingers and hoping for the best. Truly thriving firms have effective leaders at every level that are functioning BEYOND that level on a regular basis. This session explores how to map careers that create momentum that is immune to long-time partners retiring, and instead creates a plan for continuous growth.
Learning Objectives Include:
- How to identify people gaps and opportunities
- How to perform career mapping for your current roster of leaders
- How to create development plans for up-and-comers
- How to spread power now to magnify the force of your firm in the marketplace
Credit Hours: 1.8
Field of Study: Personnel/Human Resources
Prerequisites: None
Who Should Attend: Accounting Leaders
Program Level: Intermediate
Advanced Preparation: Program Level: None
Delivery Method: Group Live
Crisis Management
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube are now the places where a reputation built up over years can be shattered in an instant. In a split second, accountants can find themselves in a position where they need to know how to manage a crisis situation for themselves, their firm, or their client. In this 24/7 instant news environment, accountants - and their clients - simply cannot wait until a legal decision is rendered. They must be prepared to vigorously defend their situation in a wide variety of stakeholder venues and media outlets. Accounting and legal teams must be equipped to negotiate the Court of Public Opinion so they are not declared “guilty” before they can be heard in a Court of Law, even stopping a situation from spawning a court case at all. In this seminar, attendees will:
- Understand the current media landscape (traditional/legacy media vs. new media)
- Understand the difference between legal challenges and reputational challenges
- Understand the need for collaboration between accounting, legal, and PR departments
- Know the fundamental rules of the “Damage Control Playbook”
Credit Hours: 1.8
Field of Study: Communications and Marketing
Prerequisites: None
Who Should Attend: Accounting Leaders
Program Level: Intermediate
Advanced Preparation: Program Level: None
Delivery Method: Group Live
Staying Independent
The conversation around M&A, private equity, firm capacity, and growth are top of mind for modern accounting firms. But too often, shifting the conversation to be proactive on remaining independent is not brought to a firm-wide, strategic level. Becoming (or remaining) a great firm requires three core pillars: Leadership, Succession Planning, and Partner Alignment. Firm independence has never been more challenging in today's rapidly evolving and homogenizing business world. What’s on the horizon for your firm?
Join us as we talk about the importance of the three core pillars of successful independence, along with the 7 boxes you will need to check as you navigate your firm through the path to staying independent.
Learning Objectives:
- Gain a deep understanding of the current challenges and trends influencing the accounting profession.
- Explore emerging roles and opportunities within the evolving landscape as it relates to firm independence.
- Discover strategies to safeguard your firm's independence and autonomy.
- Learn from real-world examples of firms that have successfully embraced change.
Credit Hours: 1.2
Field of Study: Business Management & Organization
Prerequisites: None
Who Should Attend: Accounting Leaders
Program Level: Intermediate
Advanced Preparation: Program Level: None
Delivery Method: Group Live
Case Studies I
Work with Gary Shamis as he shares several case studies from his experience as managing partner at SS&G. Attendees will work together with assigned groups to develop solutions to each proposed case study. Then, Gary will share with the group some of the strengths and pitfalls of your group's solution, as well as what ACTUALLY happened with each particular scenario.
Learning objectives:
- Understand the challenging scenarios managing partners will be faced with in a leadership role
- Learn from past mistakes and successes at SS&G
- Review best practices when handling different types of workplace decisions
Credit Hours: 1.2
Field of Study: Business Management & Organization
Prerequisites: None
Who Should Attend: Accounting Leaders
Program Level: Intermediate
Advanced Preparation: Program Level: None
Delivery Method: Group Live
Session 2
Negotiation Skills - Risk Management
This course is designed to give participants an understanding of the interpersonal skills, factors and processes that support and contribute to the development of effective negotiation strategies, resolution of issues and management of conflict in a variety of contexts and situations.
Learning outcomes are as follows:
- Understand the negotiation process and strategies
- Be able to recognize stakeholder dynamics and motivations
- Manage and influence attitudes, values, perceptions
- Be able to build consensus through self-awareness, effective communication and interpersonal style
- Be able to demonstrate techniques for creating positive outcomes in particularly difficult interactions
Credit Hours: 1.2
Field of Study: Communications and Marketing
Prerequisites: None
Who Should Attend: Accounting Leaders
Program Level: Intermediate
Advanced Preparation: Program Level: None
Delivery Method: Group Live
A Brand Called YOU: Executive Presence
Companies have brands. Products have brands. Even services have brands. But did you know that you have a brand? With it, you can effectively achieve success in building strong relationships, cultivating loyal talent, and growing the firm. Still, you can’t realize your full potential and impact as a leader without possessing executive presence. In this session, we get personal with a deep dive into your brand and presence. Bring your laptops for this hands-on workshop.
Our learning objectives include:
- Understand what a brand is and how it works
- Creating, developing, and managing your brand
- Developing internal and external factors for executive presence
- How your brand and executive presence work together
- Creating your leadership legacy
Credit Hours: 1.8
Field of Study: Personal Development
Prerequisites: None
Who Should Attend: Accounting Leaders
Program Level: Intermediate
Advanced Preparation: Program Level: None
Delivery Method: Group Live
Self-Care and Energy Management
Steering a firm to world-class stature requires a holistic approach – not just to the firm but to our everyday lives. Because running a firm is so mentally and physically challenging, and because there are so many demands on our time, we can only invest in our firms what we invest in ourselves. In this session, we’ll learn why it behooves you to take a wellness-minded approach to your living and fold that into your firm culture.
Our learning objectives in this breakout are to:
- Gain a broader understanding of the term wellness and how it relates to your organization and employees
- Introduce new ideas on how to create a corporate wellness climate
- Gain an understanding of specific methods used to achieve wellness for yourself and your employees
- Grasp personal and corporate benefits of wellness implementation
Credit Hours: 1.8
Field of Study: Personal Development
Prerequisites: None
Who Should Attend: Accounting Leaders
Program Level: Intermediate
Advanced Preparation: Program Level: None
Delivery Method: Group Live
The Components of a Successful Firm: Strategy and Execution
Too often firms design highly detailed, sweeping strategic plans. Although the architects are well-meaning and intensely invested, the plans break down under practice as actionable items get mired in the details. The relationship of time spent on the plan to time spent on execution becomes skewed and the plan yields few measurable results. In this session, we’ll learn what it takes to create a strategic plan that is actionable, realistic, and measurable.
Our learning objectives in this breakout are to:
- Define strategy and how to develop highly actionable strategic plans that will produce results
- Develop realistic, fruitful firm and partner goals that will support your strategic plan
- Understand the way in which strategy and execution are inextricably linked
- Learn to execute a succinct and actionable S.W.O.T. analysis to plot your firm’s course
Credit Hours: 1.2
Field of Study: Business Management & Organization
Prerequisites: None
Who Should Attend: Accounting Leaders
Program Level: Intermediate
Advanced Preparation: Program Level: None
Delivery Method: Group Live
Case Study Roundtables
Case Study Roundtables
Time to turn up the heat! What is it really like to deal with dangerous, difficult, and overwhelming situations? That is part of your job description – and to get you ready, here are some real-life scenarios. Course objectives include:
- Be able to identify, implement, and prioritize resolutions to immediate scenarios with legal and financial impacts to the organization
- Develop critical thinking, evaluation, and problem-solving skills applicable to practice management through practical application
- Apply the theoretical scenarios to problems in current firm context to brainstorm potential resolutions
- Utilize suggested frameworks for analysis and decision-making
Credit Hours: 1.2
Field of Study: Business Management & Organization
Prerequisites: None
Who Should Attend: Accounting Leaders
Program Level: Intermediate
Advanced Preparation: Program Level: None
Delivery Method: Group Live
Contemporary Issues: DE&I, Performance Management, Professional Development, and Hybrid Teaming
Well, you made it. Covid is ending (we think) and we can go back to business as usual. Never. The way we used to approach EVERYTHING from performance management to workplace to professional development to inclusion has forever been changed in the last two years, and the success of any accounting firm lies in the mastery of these pillars. This session will explore how the world has changed for us in the industry and what it means for us to fully embrace an entirely new way of being with regard to our people.
Learning objectives include:
- Understanding the current landscape
- The efficacy of the tools firms are currently using to handle the changes in these issues
- How to create a cohesive strategy that makes you the employer of choice for the best people in your market
- A self-reflective look at what you may be currently missing and what to do about it now
Credit Hours: 1.2
Field of Study: Personnel/Human Resources
Prerequisites: None
Who Should Attend: Accounting Leaders
Program Level: Intermediate
Advanced Preparation: Program Level: None
Delivery Method: Group Live
What's Expected of a Leader? (And What's Not)
Being an effective leader now means something very different than it did just 2 years ago. There are so many variables that a managing partner must manage in order to be the firm of choice both as a service provider and as an employer. We will explore what your biggest priorities should be as you navigate growth, the talent wars, brand relevance, the economy, and much more.
Learning objectives include:
- What your people really need from you
- How adaptability in leadership allows you and your people to thrive
- Why spreading power, but also accountability is a managing partner imperative
- How clients can clue you in on the way forward
Credit Hours: 1.2
Field of Study: Personal Development
Prerequisites: None
Who Should Attend: Accounting Leaders
Program Level: Intermediate
Advanced Preparation: Program Level: None
Delivery Method: Group Live
The New Human Capital Model
Talent strategy is no longer a turn-key firm function. The profession was already feeling the first nip of the capacity crisis pre-pandemic given the drop in accounting graduates across the US and those sitting for the CPA exam. Add the Great Resignation to the mix and now talent strategy must remain top-of mind for every firm Managing Partner. Join Gary and David to discuss the 4 key areas to a successful talent strategy and ways to prioritize these initiatives within your firm.
Learning objectives include:
- Grasp the opportunities and the challenges an outsourcing approach can present
- Be able to analyze your internal processes and understand how they may be contributing to the problem and brainstorm potential solutions
- Understand the three areas of Practice Management is key to addressing talent and capacity issues
- Develop a framework for Attraction & Retention initiatives that draw talent to your firm
Credit Hours: 1.2
Field of Study: Personnel/Human Resources
Prerequisites: None
Who Should Attend: Accounting Leaders
Program Level: Intermediate
Advanced Preparation: None
Delivery Method: Group Live
Tips and Tricks
As CPAs, we’re well-equipped to understand the financial aspects of our practices. But our firms can’t be managed well through numbers alone. Numbers on the balance sheet are a function of the environment shaped by its leaders. Everything from the way you manage your time to the way you interact with your competitors can affect your organization from the top down. Gain practical techniques you can use every day to design your firm, not simply manage it as problems arise.
Session objectives are:
- Leverage your human capital to play a part in development of culture, business development, and lines of communication
- Understand the importance of open relationships with competitors and how to leverage them
- Grasp the importance of physical environment and first impressions on clients of the firm, both within and without and understand how to keep your finger on the pulse of your organization
- Develop clear protocol for delegation and accountability throughout the organization
Credit Hours: 1.2
Field of Study: Business Management & Organization
Prerequisites: None
Who Should Attend: Accounting Leaders
Program Level: Intermediate
Advanced Preparation: None
Delivery Method: Group Live
Case Studies II
Work with Gary Shamis as he shares several case studies from his experience as managing partner at SS&G. Attendees will work together with assigned groups to develop solutions to each proposed case study. Then, Gary will share with the group some of the strengths and pitfalls of your group's solution, as well as what ACTUALLY happened with each particular scenario.
Learning objectives:
- Understand the challenging scenarios managing partners will be faced with in a leadership role
- Learn from past mistakes and successes at SS&G
- Review best practices when handling different types of workplace decisions
Credit Hours: 1.2
Field of Study: Business Management & Organization
Prerequisites: None
Who Should Attend: Accounting Leaders
Program Level: Intermediate
Advanced Preparation: Program Level: None
Delivery Method: Group Live
What's on Your List?
In today's fast-paced and competitive accounting landscape, managing partners and firm leaders face an overwhelming array of responsibilities. "What's On Your List" is a strategic session designed to help firm leaders cut through the noise and focus on what matters most for their firm’s growth and sustainability. Through practical tools and real-world examples, participants will learn how to effectively prioritize their efforts to drive better results and stronger leadership.
Learning Objectives:
- Identify the most critical areas of focus for firm growth and stability in the current market.
- Develop a clear, actionable plan to prioritize key initiatives while managing competing demands.
- Enhance leadership decision-making by aligning firm priorities with long-term strategic goals.
Credit Hours: 1.2
Field of Study: Personal Development
Prerequisites: None
Who Should Attend: Accounting Leaders
Program Level: Intermediate
Advanced Preparation: Program Level: None
Delivery Method: Group Live
CPE Credit Earn over 30 hours of CPE Credit
We offer over 30 hours of CPE Credit for this program.
Winding River Consulting is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: www.nasbaregistry.org.