Earlier this year I was consulting for a businesswoman and needed last year's tax return. The manager on her account promised it to me on a date about six weeks later. A week after that deadline passed, I asked where it was, and it was promised to me in two weeks. That was a month ago.
I am sure this accountant is competent, but I would never recommend her firm to anyone. The person I was dealing with is an experienced manager and CPA, and the firm is not so small, with over 50 people. Overall, they might be a great practice, but my opinion was formed by the one person I dealt with. I tend to blame the practice's leadership and not this person. I have to believe this manager's lies are well known among the partners, but for whatever reason they made a decision at some point in the past to overlook her "shortcomings." Terrible choice and probably made with a short-term outlook of not upsetting the applecart and the expediency they think they are getting.
Whatever they are getting is at the cost of long-term effectiveness. A quick check by me indicated this firm is the same size today as it was 10 years ago, and the leadership hasn't changed but is 10 years older. Perhaps they are where they want to be and are just biding time, taking out what they need and waiting for who knows what.
Anyway, let's talk about you. Do you manage your staff and culture? Do you have a clearly defined culture? Have you communicated what is really important and how it should be dealt with? Do you reinforce this continually and never digress? Do you maintain a big-picture long-term view of your practice or run it to get through the day? Do you do everything I am suggesting but just pay it lip service? Or do you really follow through and provide training on this for your staff (and partners) and implement and reinforce what should be done?
This is not rocket science. Meet your due date commitments. Always look to provide value to your clients. Have happy, excited staff. Be a learning organization. Get rid of lone rangers who refuse to conform to what you want your culture, client service and practice to be. Culture is not a buzzword or a touchy-feely moment, but a way to act all the time, 24/7/365, in and out of the office. Everyone in your practice reflects the image of your practice with everything they do, whenever and wherever they do it.
If you accept and retain losers, that will make you a loser also. Manage your culture and then you will not have any "worst employee." They will all be winners and so will you.
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