Develop Effective Communication Skills in Your Team

Effective communication is the foundation of high-performing teams. In an accounting firm, communication skills directly impact collaboration, client trust, team efficiency and firm culture. Building a workplace where clear, impactful commun

ication thrives can improve leadership effectiveness and employee engagement and drive better business outcomes.

The Law of Credibility: Living your message 

The most effective messages align with actions. Leaders who communicate with authenticity, consistency and transparency build trust within their teams. According to research published in the Harvard Business Review, credibility in leadership is linked to less stress, more energy at work, higher productivity, fewer sick days, stronger engagement, greater satisfaction with life and less burnout. 

So, how do you build credibility as a leader? First, model the behaviors you expect from your team. Be transparent about decisions, even when delivering difficult news, and follow through on commitments to reinforce trust. 

The Law of Observation: Learning from the best 

Great communicators are also great observers. They study successful leaders, adapt best practices and refine their approach. Improve your communication by watching other successful professionals—both within and outside the accounting profession.  

You can also learn by seeking feedback from peers and employees. When they give honest feedback, actively listen to understand their perspectives. 

The Law of Conviction: Communicating with passion 

Conviction makes communication compelling. When you deeply believe in your message, you naturally inspire confidence. Whether discussing firm strategy, engaging employees or advising clients, passionate delivery helps imbue your messages with clarity and impact. 

Some tips for infusing passion into your communications include: 

• Align communication with personal and firm values 

• Use data-driven insights to reinforce points with confidence 

• Emphasize the "why" behind decisions to create buy-in 

The Law of Preparation: Setting the stage for success 

Preparation is crucial for effective communication. Well-structured messages are clearer, more persuasive and more engaging. When you need to share an important message and need to get your team members or clients on board, take some time to anticipate questions and objections before the meeting or presentations. This allows you to proactively address potential pushback and structure your message logically, using simple and concise language. 

The Law of Collaboration: Strengthening team communication 

Communication thrives in a collaborative environment. The best ideas often come from discussion and teamwork. You can improve communication throughout your firm by holding regular team meetings that encourage open dialogue, supporting cross-departmental collaboration to improve problem-solving and practicing active listening to show you value diverse perspectives. 

The Law of Simplicity: Clarity over complexity 

Accounting, taxes and advisory work is complex. Great communicators simplify complex ideas without sacrificing accuracy. To communicate effectively with your team members and clients, work on using plain language to explain technical matters, break down financial reports into digestible insights and use visual aids like graphs and dashboards to clearly show relationships between data points. 

The Law of Storytelling: Making messages memorable 

Stories engage and resonate more than raw data. You can improve communication by incorporating storytelling techniques into conversations with clients and team members. 

For example, use case studies in your marketing to illustrate the impact of tax strategies or financial planning. When advising clients or mentoring team members, share personal experiences to build rapport. You can also frame discussions around real-world scenarios to make technical concepts relatable. 

The Law of Anticipation: Creating engagement 

Engaged audiences retain information better. When you express enthusiasm, you make your messages more compelling. Practice dynamic delivery by varying your tone and pace to foster anticipation and engagement in your communications. Tailor your messages to the needs and interests of the audience. Also, asking thought-provoking questions can encourage interaction. 

The Law of Visual Expression: Enhancing communication with imagery 

Visuals reinforce messages and improve retention. Studies show that people remember 65% of visual content after three days compared to only 10% of written or spoken content. Use imagery in your content by: 

• Utilizing infographics to simplify financial data 

• Incorporating charts in presentations to support key takeaways 

• Using slides effectively to highlight key messages during meetings 

The Law of Results: Driving action through communication 

The ultimate goal of communication is action. Whether you want to inspire employees, persuade clients or lead organizational change, you must focus on outcomes. You can drive action by clearly defining the next steps at the end of meetings or discussions and using persuasive language to encourage people to adopt best practices. 

Strong communication skills are non-negotiable if you want to foster collaboration, build client trust and lead your firm into a successful future. So embrace the laws of communication shared here to create an environment where ideas are heard, understood and acted upon. 

Committing to continuous improvement in communication can unlock new levels of efficiency, engagement and growth. 

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Are you ready to upskill your team and transform your firm? 

The Boomer Learning & Development Circle is a peer group of learning and development professionals in the accounting profession who share tools and resources to properly support their firms’ learning and development goals. Apply now to ensure you’re focusing on the right skills, engaging learners and demonstrating value to other firm leaders. 

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Sandra Wiley, Shareholder, President of Boomer Consulting, Inc., is a leader in the accounting profession with a passion for helping firms grow, adapt and thrive. She is regularly recognized by Accounting Today as one of the 100 Most Influential People in Accounting as a result of her expertise in leadership, management, collaboration, culture building, talent and training.

Sandra’s role at Boomer Consulting, Inc. includes serving as co-director of the Boomer Leadership Academy as well as the Boomer Managing Partner Circle, the Boomer Talent Circle and the Boomer Learning & Development Circle. Her years of experience and influence as a management and strategic planning consultant make her a sought-after resource among the best and brightest firms in the country.