Thought Leadership News

Accounting firms can gain a valuable competitive edge by developing professional skills to complement technical excellence, writes Mary Cloonan For mid-sized accounting and advisory firms, growth and expansion isn't just about technical excellence. Winning new clients, strengthening relationships and building a standout reputation requires more than just number-crunching. When it comes to standing out in a competitive market, professional services can mean the difference between growth and stagnation. Your team may have deep expertise in tax, audit or corporate finance, but do they have the confidence to build relationships, communicate complex ideas clearly and position your firm as a trusted advisor to clients? Too often, firms fail to actively develop their team’s professional skills as a core element of their service offering. Why communication and commercial skills matter Traditionally, technical ability was enough to climb the ladder in accounting. If you were a brilliant accountant, career progression followed naturally—but not anymore. Clients now expect more than just technical expertise. They want commercial awareness, proactive advice and a relationship-driven approach. The most accomplished leaders in the profession have mastered their technical skills. What separates them from the pack is their ability to connect with clients, lead teams and create commercial opportunities. As artificial intelligence and automation become more embedded in accounting and advisory work, the human skills of communication, engagement and trust-building will likely become more prominent differentiators. The firms that recognise this shift are more likely to do well in the future—and, let’s be honest, calling these skills ‘soft’ is misleading. It makes them sound easy, like they can be picked up over tea and a chat. Anyone who has watched a technically brilliant, but socially awkward, colleague try to ‘build rapport’ with a client knows otherwise. Honing effective professional skills takes work, just like any other form of professional expertise. For a long time, many in the accounting profession believed these interpersonal competencies couldn’t be taught. However, professional skills can be improved and developed with practice, coaching and the right support One thing is for sure: if you don’t try, it definitely won’t happen. Firms risk losing talent if they don’t invest in professional development. Today’s accountants and advisors want more than a competitive salary, they want training, opportunities for career progression and scope to develop the skills needed to succeed in today’s dynamic business environment. Forward-thinking firms are responding by embedding business development, communication and leadership training into their culture. Recognising the importance of these professional skills is one thing, embedding them into your firm’s DNA is another. Here is how to make a real impact: 1. Offer training Firms invest heavily in continuing professional development and technical training but often neglect client-facing skills. Structured programmes covering business development, negotiation and executive presence should be built into career progression at every level. These skills are fundamental to long-term success. 2. Use mentoring to reinforce learning These skills cannot be developed in a seminar room alone. They require real-world practice. Pairing younger professionals with experienced partners can help build their confidence in client conversations, pitching and networking. However, mentoring only works when it is viewed and managed as a structured, firm-wide priority—not just an informal arrangement. A quick ‘shadow me in this meeting’ approach won’t cut it. 3. Measure what matters You are missing a trick if your performance metrics focus solely on billable hours and technical skills. Tracking client engagement, business development efforts and leadership contributions can help to reinforce the value of these skills. Encourage team members to record their networking activities and new business wins. This promotes accountability and highlights the contribution of rising stars in the firm. 4. Encourage client interaction Waiting until a team member is a senior manager before you put them in front of clients is a mistake. The sooner professionals gain experience in meetings, negotiations and relationship management, the better. Encourage managers and associates to lead discussions, present insights and handle follow-ups. This builds confidence and capability. (And let’s face it, the sooner they learn how to recover from a botched pitch or awkward introduction, the better.) 5. Embed a supportive culture If the partners at the top of a firm view business development as an obligation rather than an opportunity, this mindset is likely to filter down through the organisation. Senior leaders should lead by example by attending events, engaging in client conversations and mentoring their teams. A firm prioritising communication and relationship-building will stand out in a crowded market. The competitive advantage Firms that invest in interpersonal and leadership skills can potentially gain a real edge. They can build deeper client relationships, uncover more opportunities and create a culture in which growth is viewed as everyone’s responsibility, not just that of a few ‘rainmakers’. For managing partners, the message is clear: technical ability alone won’t drive your firm forward. The real differentiator is how well your team connects, communicates and builds trust. Make these professional skills a strategic priority, and the results will speak for themselves. If this sounds like hard work, so is tax legislation—and you mastered that just fine. Mary Cloonan is the founder of Marketing Clever

To celebrate International Women's Day, we want to showcase some of our female authors. With expertise in a huge range of topics – from audit, to tax through to corporate governance and leadership – we're incredibly proud to have worked with these women to publish high-quality books and textbooks. Patricia Barker Patricia Barker is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Ireland, having qualified in 1973, the 20th woman to qualify since the inception of the Institute in 1888. She served her articles with Stokes Bros & Pimin Dublin and worked in Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co. in Manchester. She then became a partner in an accounting practice in Manchester and worked in Manchester University as a principal lecturer. She was appointed lecturer in DCU in 1980 and progressed through senior lecturer, Associate Dean (Business School) and Vice-President (Academic) of DCU. She has completed an MPhil in Gender Studies at Trinity College. Her PhD developed a paradigm of disclosure of financial information to employees in organisations. Patricia has written The Minority Interest: Women Who Succeed in the Accountancy Profession. Veronica Canning Veronica Canning is an internationally acclaimed motivational speaker, executive mentor and consultant, with 30 years’ experience working at senior level across a wide range of organisations in all sectors and of all sizes, from SMEs to multinationals and the public sector. With her considerable experience, Veronica works with high potential individuals addressing their challenges, including developing an executive presence and building or repairing their personal brands. She also designs and runs group programmes, customised to the challenges facing organisations. Veronica has written Your Brand: Advance your Career by Building a Personal Brand. Dr Mary Collins Dr Mary E. Collins is a Chartered Psychologist who has worked in the leadership development/talent management field since 2003. Her current role with the RCSI Institute of Leadership involves working with senior leaders in the healthcare sector to develop their capabilities through a range of executive development and academic programmes. Prior to joining RCSI, she was Head of Talent and Learning for Deloitte Ireland. Mary is an Accredited Professional Executive Coach and Coach Assessor with the Association of Coaching, a committee member of the Coaching Psychology Division of the Psychological Society of Ireland and a council member of the Irish Institute of Training & Development (IITD). She also leads a successful business psychology practice.  Mary has written Recruiting Talented People. Margaret D'Arcy Margaret D’Arcy holds a BA in Accounting and Finance from DCU and is an Associate of Chartered Accountants Ireland. She has extensive experience in delivering courses for professional accounting examinations. Margaret has been lecturing for almost years and has taught both management and financial accounting for both third level and professional education courses. Previous to her lecturing and teaching career, Margaret held a number of roles in financial institutions in such areas as retail banking, treasury and international operations. Margaret has written An Introduction to Financial Accounting (2nd Edition). Gabrielle Dillon Gabrielle Dillon is an AITI Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA) and a Director of Dermot O’Brien & Associates. With over 18 years’ experience in VAT, she previously worked as a VAT Manager for BDO. Gabrielle has lectured in VAT for the Irish Tax Institute as well as other professional bodies. She is the regular author of VAT Cases & VAT News in the Irish Tax Review and is a member of its Editorial Board. Gabrielle has co-authored VAT on Property: Law and Practice (2nd Edition). Ethna Kennon Ethna Kennon, FCA, AITI is a Director in KPMG Ireland’s indirect tax group. Ethna has over 15 years’ experience specialising in VAT and providing indirect tax advisory and compliance services to a wide range of domestic and international businesses. She also lectures on VAT matters for Chartered Accountants Ireland and the Irish Tax Institute. Ethna has co-authored A Practical Guide to Value-added Tax. Penelope Kenny Penelope Kenny is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Ireland, a former member of the Institute’s Council and also former Chairman of the Leinster Society of Chartered Accountants. With over 20 years’ accounting experience, she is principal at ArtsGovernance, which offers consulting on corporate governance specialising in the arts and cultural sectors. Penelope is a non-executive director, treasurer and head of the finance and audit committee of a large non-profit organisation with assets of over €500 million. She holds an MA degree from University College Dublin, for which her thesis was corporate governance. Penelope has written Corporate Governance for the Irish Arts Sector. Rachel Killeen Rachel Killeen is a marketing and communications consultant working with entrepreneurs and professional services firms to help them build business using integrated, strategic digital and traditional marketing plans. Rachel has worked with the RBS Group and also Danske Bank, focusing on marketing to corporate, treasury and SME clients. In 2007, she founded Killeen Communications Limited and now works with a range of clients from financial services and professional firms to FMCGs. Rachel has written Digital Marketing and Client Science: The Five Cs Marketing Plan for Professionals. Sheila Killian Sheila Killian is an associate professor of accountability at the Kemmy Business School, University of Limerick, where she teaches corporate sustainability and corporate finance, mainly at postgraduate level. She has also taught at universities in Finland and South Africa. Prior to joining academia, Sheila graduated in mathematics and professionally qualified in taxation and as a Chartered Accountant. She has worked in tax practice, aviation finance and educational software development. Sheila has published numerous peer-reviewed research papers on sustainability, accountability and the common good, with a focus on professional expertise, social justice, tax policy and responsible business school education.  Sheila has written Corporate Social Responsibility: A Guide, with Irish Experiences and Doing Good Business: How to Build Sustainable Value. Collette Kirwan Collette Kirwan FCA, BBS, PhD is a lecturer in accounting at Waterford Institute of Technology. She trained as a Chartered Accountant with PricewaterhouseCoopers where she subsequently worked as a manager in Audit Services. Collette first joined the School of Business at Waterford Institute of Technology in 2005. Between 2012 and 2016, Collette was a lecturer in accounting at University College Dublin where she lectured on the Master of Accounting and the Professional Diploma in Corporate Governance. Over her career, Collette has lectured at undergraduate, postgraduate and executive education levels on a range of subjects including auditing, financial reporting, financial management, corporate governance and business research methods. In 2013, Collette was awarded her PhD from University College Dublin. The study examines the role of non-executive directors on boards of private family firms. Collette’s research interests include corporate governance, boards of directors, governance of family firms, governance of not-for-profit organisations, financial reporting and auditing. During her academic career, Collette has presented at a number of international and national conferences and has published articles in Accounting, Auditing and Accountability Journal (AAAJ) and Accounting in Europe. She has also published articles on corporate governance in Accountancy Ireland. Collette has co-authored Cases in Corporate Governance and Business Ethics. Mariannunziata Liguori Mariannunziata Liguori is Senior Lecturer in Management Accounting and Director of the MSc Accounting and Finance at Queen’s Management School, Belfast, where she moved after a visiting period at the University of Alberta in Canada. She was awarded a PhD, investigating processes and organisational dynamics of accounting change in the public sector, by Bocconi University, Milan, where she has also previously worked. Mariannunziata is a member of the editorial board of the public-sector and not-for-profit journal Financial Accountability & Management. She has been the secretary of the Public Services and Charities Special Interest Group of the British Accounting and Finance Association since 2015. Mariannunziata has co-authored Charity Accounting and Reporting at a Time of Change. June Menton June Menton FCA holds a degree in Business and Legal Studies from UCD. She is a technician member of the Irish Taxation Institute. She completed her training in a medium-sized accountancy firm, O'Kelly and Co., before joining Deloitte where she worked as an auditor and management consultant. She has been Financial Controller of the Irish Sports Council since 2002. June has written Crack the Books: Accounting for Non-Accountants. Christine Nangle Christine Nangle B. Comm., ACA, Finance Manager of the Institute of Technology Tallaght where she is also an associate lecturer in the Department of Accountancy & Professional Studies. She is also director of a software development company. Christine has extensive practical and lecturing experience in auditing and assurance, and financial reporting. She qualified as a Chartered Accountant following her professional training with Deloitte and subsequently worked in industry, including eight years with Coca-Cola Hellenic Ireland, where she was Head of Internal Audit and latterly Commercial Finance Manager. Christine has written External Auditing and Assurance (4th Edition). Ros O'Shea Ros O’Shea, BComm, MAcc, FCA, AITI, Dip Corp Gov, is a highly experienced business leader with a career spanning almost 20 years working with the board and executive of two of Ireland’s largest and most-respected companies: CRH plc, where she was Head of Group Compliance & Ethics, and Smurfit Kappa Group plc. An Irish Chartered Accountant by profession, Ros is a partner in Acorn Governance Solutions, sits on the boards of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland and the Royal Victoria Eye & Ear Hospital, is Programme Director for the Diploma in Governance & Compliance at the Irish Management Institute and also runs programmes for the Institute of Directors on these topics. Ros has written Leading with Integrity: A Practical Guide to Business Ethics. Anne Marie Ward Anne Marie Ward is Professor of Accounting at Ulster University (Jordanstown). Her teaching specialities are managerial finance and financial accounting. She has taught both topics at undergraduate and at postgraduate levels, and she also lectured for Chartered Accountants Ireland for 18 years. Anne Marie has also published articles and research reports in professional and academic journals. Anne Marie has written Finance: Theory and Practice (4th Edition).

Strong leadership isn’t just about strategy—it’s about trust. Michael O’Leary explains how leaders can build lasting trust to the benefit of their organisations If we expected that the post-pandemic era would stabilise employee/employer relationships, we were mistaken. Remote work, hybrid working, the “great resignation”, quiet quitting, falling employee engagement, staff shortages, wellbeing challenges and the rise of artificial intelligence all present challenges to organisation cultures and leadership. These pressures may also impact the engagement, purpose and satisfaction experienced by management. According to a LinkedIn survey, the actions of disaffected or poor leaders account for 70 percent of the reasons employees decide to engage or disengage at work. People don’t leave organisations, they leave managers. In Neurosicence of Trust, Paul J Zak shares how employees in high-trust companies enjoy their jobs 60 percent more, are 70 percent more aligned with their organisation's purpose and feel 66 percent closer to their colleagues. Empathy and a sense of accomplishment are higher in such firms, while burnout is 40 percent below that in low-trust cultures. Not only does trust improve organisation performance, but, according to Zak’s report, employees in high-trust companies are paid, on average, 17 percent more than those in other firms. In his research, Zak identified eight management processes that build trust for leaders: 1. Recognise excellence Research indicates that recognition has the most impact when it occurs immediately after the task or goal has been achieved. Recognition from management is most powerful when personalised to the employee and occurs in a public setting. 2. Assign difficult but achievable challenges to teams Pressure to achieve releases neurochemicals which intensify employee focus and strengthen social connections. Zak explains that when team members need to work together to reach a desired outcome, this brain activity coordinates their behaviours efficiently. 3. Employee autonomy Autonomy promotes innovation that management control can inhibit. Being trusted to find solutions to problems is a big factor in an employee’s engagement. Encourage staff to question established practices, especially those that have persisted for years. 4. Enable job crafting Encourage employees to focus their energies towards projects about which they are passionate while ensuring clear expectations, accountability and 360-degree evaluations are in place. 5. Share information broadly Poor management communication remains one of the big employee bugbears. Uncertainty about company direction can lead to stress, which in turn inhibits the release of oxytocin, a natural hormone which drives the social connections necessary for collaboration. Organisations that communicate plans broadly reduce uncertainty and increase teamwork effectiveness. 6. Intentionally build relationships Too often, managers communicate the message to “focus on your tasks” rather than encourage social connections. Zak cites neuroscientific experiments that show that when people intentionally build social bonds at work, their engagement and performance improve. Social events, which may appear to some to be “forced fun”, significantly enhance employee connectivity, particularly when such events include competitive team elements. 7. Facilitate whole-person growth High-trust workplaces help people develop personally as well as professionally. Though setting goals, learning plans and reviewing progress are key to professional growth, understanding how an employee is managing work-life balance or well-being is equally important. Leaders aware of personal challenges their employees face can often help through flexibility, rather than lose a valued contributor. 8. Show vulnerability Asking for help from colleagues is a sign of a confident leader and fosters trust and collaboration from those colleagues. It indicates that the leader is someone who involves everyone in achieving goals while valuing the opinions and expertise of others. High-trust culture boosts inclusion Building trust is a continuous process, and many colleagues and reports will start from different points in their willingness to believe the trust is authentic. Taking the time to understand that starting point and being patient while the trust emerges is essential. Being self-serving, not meeting commitments, being assumptive and jumping to conclusions are sure ways to breach any trust built. A culture characterised by high trust is more inclusive, performs better and is central to organisational success. Michael O'Leary is Chair of HRM Search Partners