Leadership & Learning

Leadership & Professional Development

Our leadership development programs are designed to help your people step up to the next level of leadership in your firm. We help future and new leaders identify and focus on the areas that are most crucial to your their ongoing success. 

We work with firms to create learning events and programs that are customized to your firm’s goals and tailored to integrate with your other initiatives. Whether you’re seeking to provide learning for your entire team or a specific cohort (partners, managers, seniors, coaches, administrators), we work with you to ensure it is engaging, difference-making and action-oriented. Our learning programs can be delivered in person and virtually, depending on the desired goals, topics and duration.

Review our course catalog to find topics related to leadership, communication, conflict management, people development, marketing and business development. Then, contact us to discuss options for your team!

As you consider options for developing talent, here's a resource to help you map your next steps and find the program best suited for your future leaders and rising stars.

Transformational Leadership Program™ (TLP)

The TLP is designed to take your new and future leaders to their next level of success in leading others and your firm. Throughout the intensive one-year program, participants engage in the following:

• In-depth assessments including a 360 self-examination, input from their superiors, staff, and peers, and a personality assessment designed to heighten the participant’s self-awareness and aid in identifying strengths and areas for growth and development
• Two mandatory, 2-day, in-person workshop experiences where they will learn specific leadership, communication, management, people, and business development skills and build career-long peer networking relationships.*
• Online self-study and instructor-led interactive webinars that provide year-round learning opportunities
• Tailored one-on-one coaching sessions for both the participant and their in-firm coach or advisor conducted by our leading CPA profession and behavioral experts designed to keep the process honest, accountable, and rewarding
• A special project of their choice where they will be responsible for a specific, measurable result that will benefit the participant and your firm.

Participants can expect to invest a minimum of 60 hours during the twelve-month program if they take advantage of all the learning and coaching opportunities available to them (excluding travel time, if applicable, and time to develop and implement the difference-making project they choose). The participant's in-firm coach can expect to invest a minimum of 16 hours in the program, through participating in an assessment of the participant, three coaching calls with the participant and their assigned Convergence Coach, supporting and mentoring their participant through their program goals and special project, and holding 30-minute monthly check-ins.

Read the full program overview here.

*COVID-19 Update: The ConvergenceCoaching team has been carefully watching the progression of COVID-19 and monitoring the advice of the CDC for traveling and meeting in large groups to help us make a decision about the format of upcoming workshops. At this time, based on CDC guidance, we are excited to return to in-person workshops for our TLP Summer 22-23 program. Workshops are a mandatory component of the TLP; therefore, participants should be prepared to travel and participate in-person.

Participant and facilitator safety remains our #1 priority. As each workshop approaches, we will continue monitoring CDC guidelines related to COVID-19 and will implement appropriate safety guidelines as needed. And, if in-person gatherings are no longer recommended by the CDC, we will shift the workshop to a remote format over Zoom.

For more COVID-19 updates and resources, click here.

Secure your spot in the TLP at https://lms.discoverlink.com/convergencecoaching/. If you’d like to discuss the Transformational Leadership Program™ or customizing an in-house program for your firm, contact us today.

When you invest in your firm’s future, you create a practice that attracts top clients and talent for years to come.

Who Should Participate: High-potential managers, senior managers, directors, new partners, and key administrators

Duration: 1 year

Class Size: 26 participants

Level: Intermediate

Instructional Delivery Method: The two, 2-day workshops are held in-person, while the remaining components are delivered in an interactive webinar or self-study format.

CPE Credits: Up to 49 credit hours

NASBA Fields of Study: Personal Development, Business Management & Organization, Communications & Marketing, and Personnel/Human Resources

Prerequisites: None

Advanced Preparation: Any materials to be prepared in advance of the interactive webinars and workshop will be sent to participants via email

Click here for more information regarding our refund, complaint and program cancellation policies and/or please contact us.

Rainmaker Development Program^® (RDP)

The ability to develop business is a skill that most firms seek in their future leaders. It is also the one area in which most professionals feel least developed or experienced. With the emergence of the global coronavirus pandemic, many professionals are selling and delivering services in a brand new climate. Our program focuses on developing your sphere of influence and managing prospects in a remote environment, in addition to a traditional face-to-face environment.

If you have a group of professionals who wish to become better business developers, consider incorporating our Rainmaker Development Program^® (RDP) into your learning programs. This program provides a mix of learning and “real life” experiential activities to build real skills in personal marketing and business development.

Our standard program entails six interactive webinars that teach participants critical personal marketing and business development concepts. Between webinars, your RDP participants will be tasked to complete assignments with support from an in-firm coach who they identify, reporting their progress by a specific date. In each subsequent webinar, we discuss challenges and successes, learn the material for the next concept and agree on a new assignment to facilitate real learning and progress.

The topics covered in our standard RDP include the following:

• Developing as a Rainmaker
• Making a Bigger Difference for Your Clients
• Building Your Sphere of Influence
• Qualifying Opportunities For Success
• Sales Strategies to Close More Business
• Furthering Your Target Accounts And Building Thought Leadership

To view the full description of the content of each interactive webinar, click here. The cost to participate in the RDP is $2,995 per person, including CPE credit.

Individual coaching for RDP participants by a ConvergenceCoaching coach can optionally be included in your firm’s program. If you would like to learn more about the program or the possibility of facilitating a custom in-firm RDP, please contact us.

Who Should Participate: Experienced managers and above with some exposure to personal marketing and business development

Duration: 6 months

Class Size: 14 participants

Level: Intermediate

Instructional Delivery Method: Group Internet-Based

CPE Credits: Up to 14.4 credit hours in the areas

NASBA Fields of Study: Marketing and Communication

Prerequisites: Some exposure to personal marketing and business development activities

Advanced Preparation: Advanced prep materials to be sent via email to participants ahead of the first interactive webinar

Click here for more information regarding our refund, complaint and program cancellation policies and/or please contact us.

WE HAD PARTICIPANTS IN OUR 2019 PROGRAMS WHO SELF-REPORTED GENERATED REVENUE UP TO 20 TIMES THEIR RDP REGISTRATION FEE!

:

Client Advisor Program™ (CAP)

In this dynamic and uncertain market, clients require a different level of service to support their business continuity and financial well-being. Their needs demand more than our compliance deliverables, providing information and guidance to help them make swift decisions as they manage cash, pivot their business models, and navigate staffing, technology and other infrastructure changes. To make the shift to a truly strategic client advisor, you’ll have to shed old ideas and habits and develop both your advisory skills and an advisory approach to engagements.

The ConvergenceCoaching Client Advisor Program™ (CAP) is an entirely remote, modular program designed to teach experienced CPAs and consultants advisory skills and strategies to deepen their client relationships, broaden the support they provide clients beyond compliance services and ultimately make a bigger difference in the lives and businesses of their clients.

The program seeks to teach CPAs and consultants how to identify their ideal clients for advisory and coaching services and implement various strategies and frameworks to develop deep rapport with clients, engage in query to uncover needs and to develop, scope, and price solutions, too. CAP participants will partake in six, interactive webinars covering a range of client-centric topics. After each webinar, participants will complete specific homework assignments related to the ideas covered and will report back on their outcomes to experienced coaches who will provide them feedback. The result is participants become more indispensable to clients and drive growth with every module mastered.

Each 2-hour interactive webinar is conducted via a videoconference platform that maximizes interactivity with all participants. Class size is managed to enable ample time for sharing and a size conducive to networking with peers from other firms and developing lasting relationships, too.

The program’s six modules and associated outcomes are outlined in our overview. The cost to participate in the CAP is $2,995 per person, including CPE credit.

To view the full description of each webinar's content, click here.

For questions or more information, contact us for a copy of the CAP FAQ’s or to schedule a call with one of our team members.

Reserve your seat today and become a more transformative advisor and coach to your clients! 

Who Should Participate: Experienced managers or partners who directly manage client relationships and have some exposure to sales and business development

Duration: Six interactive webinars over 4 months

Class Size: 14 participants

Level: Intermediate

Instructional Delivery Method: Internet Group-Based

CPE Credits: Up to 14.4 credit hours

NASBA Fields of Study: Personal Development and Communications & Marketing, Business Management & Organization

Prerequisites:Experience owning client relationships, some exposure to sales and business development

Advanced Preparation: Advanced prep materials to be sent via email to participants ahead of the first webinar

Click here for more information regarding our refund, complaint and program cancellation policies and/or please contact us.

ConvergenceCoaching^®, LLC Leadership Development Program for Seniors and Supervisors™

ConvergenceCoaching^®, LLC Leadership Development Program for Seniors and Supervisors™ is an opportunity for seniors and supervisors in accounting and consulting firms to learn foundational leadership skills and grow their personal effectiveness and productivity. Over the course of three months, participants will engage in four interactive webinars and one self-study course on topics that are extremely beneficial to one’s long-term career success.

Participants can expect to complete the program having learned strategies for:

• Increasing visibility and collaboration at all levels in their firm
• Asking for and embracing difference-making performance feedback
• Elevating communication skills that drive results
• More effectively defining and managing priorities and daily work for themselves and their team
• Setting the building blocks for strong professional relationships with colleagues, clients and others in their network

To view the full session description, click here.

Registration for the Leadership Development Program for Seniors and Supervisors is $599 per person.

Who Should Participate: Seniors or Supervisors or team members in an equivalent role, including operations team members. If you would like to learn more about the program or the possibility of facilitating a custom in-firm Leadership Development Program for Seniors and Supervisors, please contact us.

Duration: Three months

Class Size: Up to 65 participants

Level: Basic

Instructional Delivery Method: Group Internet-Based and self-study

CPE Credits: Up to 13 credit hours

NASBA Fields of Study: Personal Development, Communications & Marketing and Business Management & Organization

Prerequisites: None

Advanced Preparation: None

Click here for more information regarding our refund, complaint and program cancellation policies and/or please contact us.

Remote and Blended Work Video Learning Programs

Remote and blended work is here to stay, with many firms offering flexibility to choose where work is completed or even where team members live. According to our 2020 Anytime, Anywhere Work™ Survey results, over 81% of firms expect an increase in people working remote going forward.

Successfully managing a remote or blended workforce requires firm leadership to adopt a new mindset and for all team members to learn new skills. Leaders must let go of outdated ways of thinking, shifting to proven strategies that will serve them in today’s location-independent market for talent and clients.

To help your firm’s partners and managers shift to this new remote and blended paradigm, we have developed Do It Yourself (DIY) Remote and Blended Work Video Learning Programs designed to support you in driving change wherever your firm is now. These on-demand DIY videos and toolset with associated resources allow you to share them with your team members in smaller, manageable segments and use them over time to ensure that all team members benefit from new ways of thinking and working. The Video Learning Programs for CPA and Consulting Firms include:

Winning When Working In A Remote or Blended Environment ($399) NEW!

Firm-wide success in a remote, blended or hybrid environment won’t happen unless each of your people has the knowledge, strategies, and skills to be successful themselves when working remotely or when working with blended or hybrid teams. This video series focuses on individual skills development to ensure your people do their part to secure the firms success in your flex-forward work environment. When you combine these individual contributor work strategies with firm-wide remote and flex management strategies, your firm will be poised to capitalize on the new way of working – with talent and clients. This video learning program is comprised of the following segments:

• Managing Mindset
• Segment one uncovers the unique factors that influence remote working relationships, such as managing personal preferences and generating hopeful intentions. You will learn key leadership behaviors that set you up for success in a remote and hybrid environment and how you can be 100% responsible for the outcomes you create and promote a “get-better” approach to remote and hybrid work.

• Being Transparent
• This segment addresses the crucial steps each individual will take to maintain transparency when working in a remote or blended environment. Each team member has a different work style and schedule. In this video, you’ll learn how to talk straight at work and at home and define clear ownership, so everyone is accountable to support a successful remote or hybrid work environment.

• Clarifying Expectations
• Nothing will transform your team faster than getting clear on expectations. In this video, you will learn the steps to “Committing with Clarity,” to ensure expectations are clearly set no matter where or when a team member is working. We’ll also teach you how to communicate when feedback is necessary so that when the unexpected does arise, each team member is prepared to manage the conflict in a productive, supportive manner.

• Communicating to Build Your Success
• When working in a remote or blended environment, it’s important to understand expectations for how and when to communicate, including the use of various tools such as email, messenger, phone and text. This video discusses how to be proactive in communicating your status, how to stay connected to clients and one another through technology, and how to ensure that important messages are received.

• Creating the Right Work Environment
• Your environment plays a critical role in your ability to be productive while working remotely.  You’ll learn how to design an inviting space that maintains a boundary between an individual’s work and personal life while a professional brand. Additionally, you’ll learn tips for taking care by managing your ergonomics and security.

• Staying Focused and Strong
• There are so many amazing benefits to working remote, and there can sometimes also be feelings of isolation or being off-course when working outside a traditional office setting. In this segment, you’ll learn to plan ahead, reduce distractions, and manage your time. Additionally, you will discover methods for keeping your mind, body, and emotions balanced, so you can show up as your favorite version of yourself at work and at home, too.

• Developing Your Hybrid Work Plan
• In this video, you’ll learn how to design an individualized, work plan that works for you, your team, your clients, and the firm. Discover how you can exceed your team’s expectations in a remote or blended environment and how to maximize the time you spend in an office. Learn how to gain agreement on a flexible plan that benefits everyone involved, whether you’re geographically remote or local and working from home.
  

  Successfully Managing Remote and Blended Teams ($399)

  Improve your firm’s ability to manage a remote and blended workforce. This video learning program includes a toolset with resources, customizable tools, and articles to help you implement these ideas, including our Flex and Remote Work Guidelines template. This video learning program is comprised of the following video segments:

• Trends and Market Data
• This very short intro video reviews market-driven analytics that support the continuing shift to a remote or blended workplace. Use this data to educate your team members about why your firm must make the leap to becoming a workplace where remote team members can succeed.

• Mindset Shifts Required
• This video will help you learn the very important mindset shifts and trust building needed to lead in a remote and blended environment.

• Nurturing Culture and Staying Connected
• In this discussion, you’ll identify strategies to build a culture to stay close and connected with your team members even when you’re not working in the same physical space.

• Clarifying Expectations
• When expectations are clear, projects run smoothly, and teams feel “in sync.” This segment helps you create an environment of clear expectations for roles, projects, work product and staying in communication.

• Leveraging Technology
• In this final video of the series, you’ll learn about a range of remote work technology enablers that can make your team more efficient and effective when working remotely.
  

  Successfully Serving Clients and Developing Business in a Remote and Blended Environment ($349)

  Learn how to serve clients outside of your geography with strategies that also apply to in-area clients, which includes a toolset with resources, customizable tools, and articles to help you implement the ideas in this video series. This learning program is comprised of the following segments:

• Trends and Market Data
• In this short first video in the series, you’ll be exposed to market data pointing to client expectations for an increasingly digital and customized experience.

• Being In Touch With Your Clients
• This segment will help you recognize that great client service and really knowing your clients in a remote or blended environment happens with intentionality and by making time to reach out, connect, and offer assistance that supports their latest needs.

• Going Borderless With Your Niche
• Remote client service opens up possibilities for expanding outside your geography and growing your pool of target clients, and this segment will explore borderless reach.

• Building Your Brand
• This segment will explore digital marketing strategies to reach prospects and stay in touch with clients. We’ll explore ideas for creating thought leadership and becoming a “famous person” in your specialty area, reaching targets outside your geographic area as well as local prospects looking for a more digital experience.

• Remote or Blended Selling
• This final video in this series will help you learn remote selling techniques to support business development with prospects outside your geography and augment what you’re doing in your local area as well.
  

  Addressing Common Objections to Remote and Blended Work ($349)

  Struggling with buy-in to remote? Challenged with firm leaders or team members who aren’t convinced remote or blended work will work? ConvergenceCoaching facilitators and remote-work experts address the common objections that impede the move to a more-remote environment in this video series, including:

• Why Remote or Blended?
• This first video provides a quick look at the latest market drivers causing firms to embrace the remote and blended paradigm.

• How Will I Manage a Remote or Blended Workforce?​
• In this video, you’ll learn ways to overcome objections like how we’ll manage a team that we can’t see, how will we collaborate when some of us are working remotely, and how to manage meetings when some participants participate remotely.

• Will Remote Resources Be Productive?​
• This segment addresses common productivity concerns with a more-remote environment. We’ll discuss concerns like whether your remote team will be productive, how to keep a blended team on track, and how to ensure that the in-office team doesn’t get overburdened because of working with remote team members.

• How Will I Train and Develop Remote Resources?​
• This segment provides talking points for your firm leaders who cannot picture effectively training and developing remote team members. In it, you’ll learn strategies to overcome objections like we can’t onboard or run internships in a remote paradigm, people don’t learn as well remotely, and remote team members can’t elevate to leadership roles.

• Will We Lose Our Culture?​
• In this last video of the objection handling series, we’ll explore concerns related to changes to your firm culture caused by remote and blended work and how to address them, plus a discussion of some cultural pitfalls that sometimes arise as you have more team members working remotely.

Please note, you will have access to the Remote and Blended Work Video Learning Programs for one year from purchase, and they are not eligible for CPE credit. We will send you a firm username and password within two business days for you to share with your firm members. They will use these firm credentials to log in, view the videos and access the toolset. The firm password will allow you to keep your personal learning center credentials private while also sharing the resources more widely in your firm.If you are a leader in a State Society or CPA Association interested in making the Remote and Blended Work Video Learning Programs available for your member firms, please contact us.At ConvergenceCoaching, LLC. we are here to provide support for your firm’s transition to a more remote, blended environment. Contact us to learn more about our personalized learning for teams, as well as coaching and consulting services.

You can purchase each of the video learning programs separately:

• Winning When Working in a Remote or Blended Environment $399
• Successfully Managing Remote and Blended Team Members  $399
• Successfully Serving Clients and Developing Business in a Remote and Blended Environment  $349
• Addressing Common Objections to Remote and Blended Work  $349

Or save $200 by purchasing all three Remote and Blended Work Learning programs at once for a total cost of $1,296.

Individual Coaching Program (ICP)

If you are seeking development for an individual that is tailored to specific growth or focus areas, contact us to discuss our Individual Coaching Program (ICP) options. ICPs are a customized approach to helping an individual grow as a leader and professional.

• Programs can range from 6 months to one year or longer and typically entail the participant doing the following:
• Participating in a 360-degree feedback process via our Leadership Attributes Evaluation (LAE)
• Taking the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI) assessment
• Identifying an in-firm coach to support their development and participate in a selection of coaching calls
• Holding a series of 60- to 90-minute coaching calls (video optional) with a Convergence coach
• Embarking on agreed-upon actions out of each coaching call and reporting back on progress or roadblocks

Depending on the individual and the goals for the ICP, certain elements listed above may be removed from the program or modified accordingly to best support the expected outcomes. Pricing depends on the structure and goals identified for each ICP. Contact us to discuss your needs and whether and ICP would be a fit for you or your team member.

Understanding Diverse Personalities

Are you seeking a fun and insightful way to help your people learn more about themselves and their peers, while also improving your team’s collaboration? Consider engaging ConvergenceCoaching to facilitate the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI) assessment and a follow-up learning workshop for your team.

The MBTI® is an assessment designed to identify your personality preferences in a variety of areas including communication, data gathering, decision making, organization and teamwork. There is no “right” or “better” type than others – all 16 types are valid and contribute talents and gifts to your team in different ways. Understanding your type preferences and the preferences of others can help you understand how to better communicate and interact with your team members – leading to greater productivity, increased innovation and deeper relationships. And, the insights learned often help others improve their client relationships, too.

We also facilitate personality diversity workshops for firms that use the DiSC® profile as their standard assessment. Contact us to discuss how understanding personality differences can make a real difference for your team’s success.