The rounded professional

摘要

In today's accountancy firms, technical capabilities alone rarely bring promotion. Firms increasingly seek evidence of an individual's commercial knowledge, client relationship building skills, new business development ability and leadership and management capability. They seek a more rounded professional. Accountants are required by their respective professional bodies to continually develop their technical skills. Technically-focused continual professional development is an accepted part of their life and career. At the same time firms, to identify the rounded competencies, are building key performance indicators into staff and partner appraisal systems. The gap between technical training and the competencies being sought by accountancy firms is a challenge for any individual looking to progress to partnership level. Also, time and money invested in developing non-technical skills is patchy to say the least. Often soft skills development is left to being picked up 'accidentally'on the job.