allanbeardsworth

I recently gave a talk to my colleagues in Liverpool about my career. Not for self aggrandisement, but since they asked me, as a change from my regular talks on technical matters; and I was requested to include pointers to help my colleagues’ careers.

Giving the talk was a very rewarding experience: it seemed to be enjoyed, but the icing on the cake was that several people asked to see me afterwards to discuss further certain matters, and I also got a number of emails asking me to elaborate certain points.

A common request was to give more details or a list of some of the books that had influenced me; so I thought I would blog about them. This is my first blog, and there is no better place to start than the book which has had more impact on my career than all other books put together, Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People.

The title sounds rather naff today, but reflects the time it was written, 1936; and mustn’t put people off. There is a twenty first century version (which I have on my iPad, but have not read yet) which is meant to update the text to today’s language and also email, social networks and so forth; but the 1936 edition is timeless in its principles.

The book, and the course I did with Dale Carnegie Associates, at the end of my 20s, brought me out of my shell and gave me increased confidence. I have used its principles continually since then. I whole heartedly recommend it.

Read more…

I think I have gained a lot, and lost nothing, by having certain principles which I have stuck with since becoming a senior practitioner, and then a partner, at my firm.

Fifteen years later, they have stood the test of time. Amended for when my mother died, and one or two minor tweaks, they remain unchanged. I decided a while ago to post them on my blog: since there is no downside in so doing.

In the early 1990s, I read a book, Taxes- Burden or Blessing?, by the then Bishop of Manchester, Stanley Booth-Clibborn. I haven't read it since, but should do so, though reading it helped me formulate much of my beliefs about my particular profession. It was around this time I worked out for myself my principles, which I first wrote down in 1997, on becoming a partner, and kept in my Filofax.

My present formulation is below. I can, as I write this blog, think of numerous cases where they have kept me in good stead, and still rue two occasions where I broke my rules, one from weakness- a domineering senior partner, and one from trusting where I knew I shouldn't.

My principles of doing business

 

 

Rabbi Hillel motto [6/03] – my fundamental principle

Rabbi Hillel, who lived at the time of Jesus, was challenged to explain the whole Torah while standing on one leg. He replied:

“What is hateful to yourself, do not do to others. That is the whole Torah; the rest is commentary. Go and study it”.

 

Full and frank with clients;

…with Revenue

When clients tell me something which makes me know that there is tax to pay (which hasn't been paid), clients must pay the tax.

 

“Sunday Times” test: how I would feel if I was mentioned in relation to a clients affairs by the Insight team; if the client was mentioned.

Or: how I would feel if Jane or mum [now 11/02, my children] found out: would they regard it as proper (or, if they didn't, is the difference solely because of not being commercial).

Bishop of Manchester book

David Bookbinder morals/hospital test.

How do I explain what I do? How to explain to my children etc that being a tax advisor is something worthy.

 

Try and be comfortable with our fees: hope that clients accept that much of what I do, and what our best colleagues do, come from thinking about them; always have a value for money check, but recognise the hours of thought from which ideas come.

 

Don't work for fees which I believe are below what is fair, particularly far below, or where price is the predominant factor.

 

Never let Deloitte interests outweigh clients

 

Preference to explain to clients; in sufficient detail to give them the facts and experience as much as they need to make a decision

 

Preference to explain “what I would do”; “if you were my best friend/dad/family”

 

Never to recommend a colleague just because they are colleagues (unless e.g due to geographical location it is obvious I don't know them)

 

Not to upset existing good relationships which are working for the client (i.e particularly incumbent tax advisors: if potential clients have good incumbent advisors, help, not displace; entirely different if the incumbents aren't good)

 

Not to accept rudeness to colleagues, including/especially junior staff/secretarial…

 

Open book approach to fees; prompt payment required; a smaller amount which the client is happy with, rather than a larger one that they are not.

 

Try hard not to let colleagues, particularly specialists, overcharge [two client experiences- one for TP, whether CF partner (LCSP) dominated, and the other where specialist partners convinced me that their proposal was market norms ] nor to be too hungry for work.”overselling” [6/07]

 

Preference for repeat business, from people I enjoy working with, rather than one off work: and preference against one off work just for schemes sake.

 

Preference for clients who want to minimise but pay the right amount of tax; but acceptance that some clients will adopt schemes- in that case, must know the risk.

 

Will not sell short lived schemes unless client knows it could be short lived, and that unwind can be costly. Only for savvy clients.

 

Preference for clients who are willing to let me get to know them, to some extent, rather than those who just want a e.g minimum cost service.

 

Preference for clients who I like [added after JA experience 2/99- though 5/10 can't remember who JA was]; who when I am reading articles or books in the evening etc, I will think of.

 

Preference against inter-office (particularly international) referred work; preference for NW [6/07] business.

 

An interest in charitable/not for profit work, or for clients with benevolent or community benefiting intentions.

 

Not sure where I stand on Co-op type areas (arms, testing animals….). So far I have never had to work on such cases, but of course Deloitte does, and therefore I benefit.

 

 

AWB 6/97 updated 6/07 and 5/10

 

 

I have been lucky with my career – I first wrote choice of career, but that isn't true, I meandered into what I do now, and what I have been doing for more than a quarter of a century.

A colleague saw me yesterday for career guidance. ( Jane, if you are reading this, don't laugh, some people do come to me for advice). I gave an impromptu talk yesterday to our regular departmental technical meeting about 'tax under Mrs Thatcher', drawing out some of the changes in tax law during the early party of my career, which tied in with Mrs Thatcher's tenure at 10 Downing Street. I was telling my younger colleagues [deleted the unnecessary word-they are all younger] about how things change, about reliefs which come in and go out, about the planning environment and how it has changed.

A few people saw me during the course of yesterday and told me they had enjoyed my talk. One, asked to have a word because she saw that I had enjoyed, and still enjoy my work, and she was struggling to decide what to do.

Cue picture:

 

This is an extract from a cartoon http://zenpencils.com/comic/98-alan-watts-what-if-money-was-no-object/

which resonates well with me.

I have never tried to encourage a colleague to stay with my firm when in their heart they know they want to leave. There might be short term gain in doing so, but at a long term cost: and it isn't the right way to do business. Far better, or at least I think it is, is to be straightforward with people, say what you mean, say what you believe; the world is a small place (Manchester certainly is… there are probably only a couple of degrees of separation between all Mancinians) and doing right by people brings its own rewards.