The Outstanding Professional (TOP) is a 12 month mentoring programme aimed at current or aspiring partners in accountancy firms. It is also a natural progression for those who have attended SWATUK’s Professional Skills Development Programme.
TOP’s aim is to help you to achieve greater levels of career satisfaction, effectiveness and productivity, as well as giving you the skills you need to develop yourself and your practice.
The programme is built around a number of different elements, including:
TOP has a twelve-month rolling structure and you can start at any time during the year. At the end of the 12 months, you may wish to continue with individual mentoring in order to bring about the changes you want to see.
Programme Content
Three one-day conferences per year
These one-day conferences provide an opportunity to come together with fellow professionals from across the country to discuss common issues, network with your peers and explore particular aspects of personal or practice growth.
Each conference is held in London and will give you the opportunity to network, share ideas and discuss current issues you’re facing with other professionals at the same stage in their career, helping you benefit from advice from a wide pool of expertise.
The topics of the conferences may vary, but have previously included:
More Fees in Less Time
The day is divided into four sections:
1. Rediscovering some hidden time that we all have, but which currently gets “lost”. Practical measures to protect time for development as well as delivery.
2. Designing the fee pipeline so that others build awareness of our services. Perfecting the client journey through the specific stages of awareness, familiarity, uniqueness, purchase-intent, purchase and loyalty. Managing the fee pipeline – and the reservoir that feeds it – so that it becomes self-generating.
3. Pricing our services according to the value we provide. Recognising why this value is usually hidden. Avoiding the common pitfalls in negotiation.
4. Two “hot-seat coaching” sessions where we collectively work on the real life businesses of two delegates, and demonstrate the power of these strategies in real application.
Value-Centred Sales and Marketing
This conference gets delegates to consider the benefits of creating a value centred organisation, and what business development activities can be implemented to help facilitate this. A value-centred organisation is one whose culture is to engage all its stakeholders to create value with them, whether those stakeholder are staff, clients, potential clients, suppliers etc.
Those who master a value-centred approach often discover that a lot of barriers simply disappear. As a result, they find that they are able to initiate conversations that they would not have imagined, often with senior decision-makers with whom they may previously had difficulty relating.
Throughout the day delegates learn how, by having a structure to work to, an individual’s confidence grows both from the actions they take and the results they achieve. Cross-selling opportunities materialise where beforehand they drew a blank. This also brings a sense of confidence for the future which is particularly valuable in the current economy.
Outstanding Talents
The theme of this conference is identifying and growing our core talents. What are our natural strengths? What is the difference between a talent and a skill? Who needs us most? What do we enjoy doing? If we could shift our focus, and dump / delegate the rest, what difference would that make to our weeks?
Individuals who constantly achieve fee growth do so by making the most of their talents. The purpose of the day is to give you some quality time to explore your own outstanding talent, and to provide some tools to support you in doing that. In order to prepare for it, try asking the following question of one of your existing clients: "If you were to refer me to somebody else who didn't know me, what would you say was my key talent?"
Our talents are the basis of our professional life. By being clear about them, we become clear about our strategy. A clear-cut strategy helps to position us at the hub of the client world - generating perennial referrals and recurring income.
Please note – your subscription to TOP includes access to the conference and refreshments during the conference only. It does not include travel or accommodation should you choose to stay overnight.
The conferences and teleconferences are delivered as a joint venture by SWATUK and Success 121, from whom we have acquired The Outstanding Professional licence. All correspondence for the teleconference and conferences will come from SWATUK. In turn, please direct all your emails and phone calls to us.
Monthly teleconferences x 12 per year (1 hour per session)
These monthly teleconferences (seminars over the phone) will provide you with an opportunity to identify ways to develop yourself, your team and your practice. You'll receive a workbook for each session, prior to the teleconference, together with details on how to access the teleconference.
The sessions provide an excellent opportunity to discuss common problems and share ideas with practitioners from similar sized firms in other parts of the country. It’s comforting to know you’re not alone and empowering to come away with sensible solutions that have been examined by others facing similar issues.
Each session will cover a different area as outlined below. Click on a topic below to find out more:
Monthly one-to-one mentoring by phone x 12 per year (1/2 hour per session)
Each month over a 12 month period you’ll receive a half hour mentoring session with your own experienced (and objective) coach.
The aim is to focus on what you are trying to achieve so we can help you achieve it. You’ll set yourself targets, and we’ll monitor these together to help ensure you’re meeting your objectives. We’ll review each target upon completion and examine what went well and what you could build upon for next time.
The issues covered are yours to decide. You may have a programme of ideas that you want to put into practice. Alternatively, you may pick up ideas from the teleconferences or the conference workshops that you want to implement.
Your mentoring sessions will give you time out to think them through and adapt them to fit your practice.
Bi-monthly email newsletter
 |
|
The bi-monthly practice management newsletter includes ideas to help you run your practice more effectively.
In particular, you'll receive articles and guidance covering:
- Developing your practice
- Managing cash flow
- Retaining clients
- Developing staff
- and much more
|
Online support materials and resources
When you join TOP, you'll be given access to a restricted area of SWATUK’s website, giving you access to a wealth of free resources and support materials. These currently include downloadable documents covering the following topics:
- Kicking the email habit
- Managing client hesitation
- Moving up the value chain
- Personal alignment
- Uncovering opportunity
We are constantly adding new resources to this section, so do keep checking back from time to time.
Cost
The whole programme costs £4,250+VAT per person for a 12 month period.
(SWATUK Full Members enjoy 10% discount).
This gives you access to:
- 3 one-day conferences
- 12 monthly teleconferences
- 12 monthly one-to-one mentoring sessions
- A bi-monthly email newsletter
- Exclusive access to a wealth of free resources from the SWATUK website
Alternatively, if you would prefer not to join the full TOP programme, you can just pay for the elements you want as shown below.
One day conferences:
- £500 each or 19 credits each
- £450 each for SWATUK Full Members, or ½ support day each
Monthly teleconferences
- £1200 or 46 credits
- £1080 for SWATUK Full Members, or 1½ support days
Prices quoted are for delegates to attend the full 12 months’ schedule of teleconferences. Unfortunately we cannot sell places on individual teleconferences.
One-to-one monthly mentoring calls
- £1800 / 69 credits
- £1620 for SWATUK Full Members, or 2 support days
Prices quoted exclude VAT
The Outstanding Professional (TOP) is a 12 month mentoring programme aimed at current or aspiring partners in accountancy firms. It is also a natural progression for those who have attended SWATUK’s Professional Skills Development Programme.
TOP’s aim is to help you to achieve greater levels of career satisfaction, effectiveness and productivity, as well as giving you the skills you need to develop yourself and your practice.
The programme is built around a number of different elements, including:
TOP has a twelve-month rolling structure and you can start at any time during the year. At the end of the 12 months, you may wish to continue with individual mentoring in order to bring about the changes you want to see.
Programme Content
Three one-day conferences per year
These one-day conferences provide an opportunity to come together with fellow professionals from across the country to discuss common issues, network with your peers and explore particular aspects of personal or practice growth.
Each conference is held in London and will give you the opportunity to network, share ideas and discuss current issues you’re facing with other professionals at the same stage in their career, helping you benefit from advice from a wide pool of expertise.
The topics of the conferences may vary, but have previously included:
More Fees in Less Time
The day is divided into four sections:
1. Rediscovering some hidden time that we all have, but which currently gets “lost”. Practical measures to protect time for development as well as delivery.
2. Designing the fee pipeline so that others build awareness of our services. Perfecting the client journey through the specific stages of awareness, familiarity, uniqueness, purchase-intent, purchase and loyalty. Managing the fee pipeline – and the reservoir that feeds it – so that it becomes self-generating.
3. Pricing our services according to the value we provide. Recognising why this value is usually hidden. Avoiding the common pitfalls in negotiation.
4. Two “hot-seat coaching” sessions where we collectively work on the real life businesses of two delegates, and demonstrate the power of these strategies in real application.
Value-Centred Sales and Marketing
This conference gets delegates to consider the benefits of creating a value centred organisation, and what business development activities can be implemented to help facilitate this. A value-centred organisation is one whose culture is to engage all its stakeholders to create value with them, whether those stakeholder are staff, clients, potential clients, suppliers etc.
Those who master a value-centred approach often discover that a lot of barriers simply disappear. As a result, they find that they are able to initiate conversations that they would not have imagined, often with senior decision-makers with whom they may previously had difficulty relating.
Throughout the day delegates learn how, by having a structure to work to, an individual’s confidence grows both from the actions they take and the results they achieve. Cross-selling opportunities materialise where beforehand they drew a blank. This also brings a sense of confidence for the future which is particularly valuable in the current economy.
Outstanding Talents
The theme of this conference is identifying and growing our core talents. What are our natural strengths? What is the difference between a talent and a skill? Who needs us most? What do we enjoy doing? If we could shift our focus, and dump / delegate the rest, what difference would that make to our weeks?
Individuals who constantly achieve fee growth do so by making the most of their talents. The purpose of the day is to give you some quality time to explore your own outstanding talent, and to provide some tools to support you in doing that. In order to prepare for it, try asking the following question of one of your existing clients: "If you were to refer me to somebody else who didn't know me, what would you say was my key talent?"
Our talents are the basis of our professional life. By being clear about them, we become clear about our strategy. A clear-cut strategy helps to position us at the hub of the client world - generating perennial referrals and recurring income.
Please note – your subscription to TOP includes access to the conference and refreshments during the conference only. It does not include travel or accommodation should you choose to stay overnight.
The conferences and teleconferences are delivered as a joint venture by SWATUK and Success 121, from whom we have acquired The Outstanding Professional licence. All correspondence for the teleconference and conferences will come from SWATUK. In turn, please direct all your emails and phone calls to us.
Monthly teleconferences x 12 per year (1 hour per session)
These monthly teleconferences (seminars over the phone) will provide you with an opportunity to identify ways to develop yourself, your team and your practice. You'll receive a workbook for each session, prior to the teleconference, together with details on how to access the teleconference.
The sessions provide an excellent opportunity to discuss common problems and share ideas with practitioners from similar sized firms in other parts of the country. It’s comforting to know you’re not alone and empowering to come away with sensible solutions that have been examined by others facing similar issues.
Each session will cover a different area as outlined below. Click on a topic below to find out more:
Monthly one-to-one mentoring by phone x 12 per year (1/2 hour per session)
Each month over a 12 month period you’ll receive a half hour mentoring session with your own experienced (and objective) coach.
The aim is to focus on what you are trying to achieve so we can help you achieve it. You’ll set yourself targets, and we’ll monitor these together to help ensure you’re meeting your objectives. We’ll review each target upon completion and examine what went well and what you could build upon for next time.
The issues covered are yours to decide. You may have a programme of ideas that you want to put into practice. Alternatively, you may pick up ideas from the teleconferences or the conference workshops that you want to implement.
Your mentoring sessions will give you time out to think them through and adapt them to fit your practice.
Bi-monthly email newsletter
|
|
The bi-monthly practice management newsletter includes ideas to help you run your practice more effectively.
In particular, you'll receive articles and guidance covering:
- Developing your practice
- Managing cash flow
- Retaining clients
- Developing staff
- and much more
|
Online support materials and resources
When you join TOP, you'll be given access to a restricted area of SWATUK’s website, giving you access to a wealth of free resources and support materials. These currently include downloadable documents covering the following topics:
- Kicking the email habit
- Managing client hesitation
- Moving up the value chain
- Personal alignment
- Uncovering opportunity
We are constantly adding new resources to this section, so do keep checking back from time to time.
Cost
The whole programme costs £4,250+VAT per person for a 12 month period.
(SWATUK Full Members enjoy 10% discount).
This gives you access to:
- 3 one-day conferences
- 12 monthly teleconferences
- 12 monthly one-to-one mentoring sessions
- A bi-monthly email newsletter
- Exclusive access to a wealth of free resources from the SWATUK website
Alternatively, if you would prefer not to join the full TOP programme, you can just pay for the elements you want as shown below.
One day conferences:
- £500 each or 19 credits each
- £450 each for SWATUK Full Members, or ½ support day each
Monthly teleconferences
- £1200 or 46 credits
- £1080 for SWATUK Full Members, or 1½ support days
Prices quoted are for delegates to attend the full 12 months’ schedule of teleconferences. Unfortunately we cannot sell places on individual teleconferences.
One-to-one monthly mentoring calls
- £1800 / 69 credits
- £1620 for SWATUK Full Members, or 2 support days
Prices quoted exclude VAT