accountantscoach

Second Life - the accountants have landed

Did you know that the Dutch affiliate of Baker Tilly International are the first European accountants to open a virtual office in Second Life. Accountingweb ran the full story, pointing out that the Americans got there first.  But there's still plenty of scope for consulting, budgeting and accountant coaching, I believe.

What do we accountants think of this? Are you tempted?  I am.  I''ve had a look round and as another manifestation of web 2.0 phenomenon, its pretty enticing.  But what puts me off is the ROI.  I can see it being addictive.  I'm scared of being sucked in. Much like my 10 year old son has been with Runescape, totally immersed in character. On one level its' a bit of fun but many are now taking it seriously as a commercial venture and that's where lil ol' 'risk adverse' me is baulking from taking the plunge.  Bear in mind that I am the obsessive type, there's not such thing as a dabble for me, I'm in there with two feet. 

Accountants, what do you think?  Any takers?  Who wants a strategy meeting in Second Life hosted by theaccountantscoach.com.  Will you join me?  Dare we?

Win-Win Negotiation - Finding a fair compromise

Here's another great article from James Manktelow at Mind Tools.  Regular readers will know I am a big fan of Mind Tools and I chose this article because it could well help you with negotiation at work whether with colleagues or as service receiver or provider.   Read on to learn the win-win negotiation method, introduced by Dianna Podmoroff's 'thought for the day'

Thought for the Day
Do You Need to Be Right?

Based on “Thought for the Day: Do You Need to Be Right?” By Dianna Podmoroff
Thought for the day is a regular feature at the Mind Tools Career Excellence Club.

Is being right more important to you than reaching agreements, or getting along with others? In a world where knowledge and education are valuable commodities, it’s easy to get caught up in wanting to be right all the time. You’re smart and educated, so why shouldn’t what you say be right?

Think about this – even if you ARE right, if asserting that fact results in damaged relationships, failures to reach agreement, or excessive time wasted arguing, is being right really worth it?

When you allow others to be right, you open yourself up to other perspectives, and you are perceived as a person who is willing to negotiate and reach agreements; not just argue to the death.

When you are experiencing conflict try saying, “You are right.” Watch how the dynamic of the conversation changes. Certainly there are times when being right is the only path to pursue: But when being right becomes your mantra on every point, every time, that’s when you need to step back and ask yourself why it is so important.

Try finding ways in which the other person is right: It’s a great starting place for negotiating your win-win solution!

Business Kissing – The Accountants Guide

Accountants, to kiss or not to kiss?  That is the question. 

Accountancy - Shape up or Ship out

Have you been following the AccountingWEB online debate, Accountancy - Shape up or Ship out?

Want to know who thinks what, among us ordinary accountants, not to mention a few movers and shakers?  Well if you do, and you haven't already been party to the debate, here's a quick whistlestop tour of the salient points. 

It all started at the end of February when AccountingWEB posed as its question of the week Accountancy - Shape up or Ship out?. The gist was to counsel member opinion as to whether accountants need to be more innovative, looking forward to a future as business consultants.  Or, for those with a longstanding reliance on compliance, to ship out of the accountancy profession, as their traditional compliance base is eroded and they're burdened with an ever-increasing regulatory load. 

Thinking about a career in Accountancy?

You're a student considering Accountancy as a career, but don't know where to begin and don't know how you're going to find the time to do your research.  Or maybe you've already set your sights on a career in Accountancy but are not sure how to choose the type of firm, the Accounting body, or the discipline.  You're possibly considering a career switch and not sure if a career in Accountancy is right for you. Perhaps you're a school leaver who needs to know whether to do a degree or go directly into Accountancy. 

And there's more......

Who can you turn to for guidance on application form completion, interview and case study techniques?  Who can mock interview you, give you feedback and coach your interview performance? 

www.theaccountantscoach.com, that's who!  With 18 years of Top 4 accounting firm experience: screening, interviewing, assessing accountancy applicants, not to mention planning and implementing accountancy recruitment campaigns.  With current experience of working with small local firms and middle tier, coaching and training accountants.  With the professional background of practising as a chartered accountant plus being a trained professional coach and NLP practitioner.  There is no one else who has this unique mix of skills to help you plan your accountancy career and take your first steps to getting your dream accountancy job.

Email me now for the special student rates at [email protected]

Imagine what you could achieve, working one-to-one with a specialised accountancy coach, focussed 100% on your goals, your actions, your results.

Email me now at [email protected] to set up a no-commitment call to discuss your preferred method of coaching: face to face, telephone, or email/instant messaging. 

''Carol has helped me to gain confidence in myself through her unique coaching style.  She has supported me in developing the self belief that will ultimately lead me to a successful career in accountancy''.  SF, Student accountant