Using a two-part goal-setting structure will get you closer to achieving your goals in 2024 and beyond.   It’s that time of year again, when organizations and individuals alike review their performance in comparison to goals set at the beginning of the

By Jon Lokhorst, CPA, CSP, PCC   The 2023 year-end has arrived, and now is the time to create a framework through which you can assess your progress over the past year. To achieve this, consider using an after-action review (AAR). This

By Jon Lokhorst, CSP, CPA, PCC Your Best Leadership LLC     Earlier this fall, Accounting Today released its 2023 Best Firms to Work For results, with two Minnesota-based firms scoring high in the midsized employer category. Ranking third among 53 midsized was St.

Here’s how to enhance your leadership skills and elevate your team by using more effective delegation skills.   “I’m terrible at delegation,” said an emerging leader in one of my recent leadership development programs. At least she was honest. Many leaders are

By Jon Lokhorst, CPA, PCC   If you are a CPA, no matter your role, you are going to encounter crunch time for one reason or another. If you’re in public accounting, mid-April marks the end of tax season (at least the

When was the last time you pulled your team away from the daily grind to work on the team, not just as a team?   The best leaders recognize the need to get off the hamster wheel of never-ending operational tasks

By Jon Lokhorst, CPA, PCC   Is it possible for you to be a good boss and, at the same time, underperform or even fail as a leader in your organization?   That was the opening question during Mission-Critical Leadership: How Smart Managers Lead

Performance, productivity, and … proximity bias? Leaders navigating hybrid work environments have new risks to watch for when trying to level up their leadership skills.   We’re two-plus years into the ever-changing COVID era, and employers and employees alike are wondering what

Even when you’re at the top, there’s always room to improve. Here are three steps every leader should take to make the new year their best year yet.   How am I doing as a leader today? What’ll it take for me

By Jon Lokhorst, CPA   Most leadership development focuses on being a good boss to the people who report to you. While leading down is important if you want to be successful, it’s mission-critical that you lead well in all directions.   Mission-critical leadership,

By Jon Lokhorst, CPA, PCC     Chances are, you don’t recognize the name Dorothy Vaughan. More likely, you recall the portrayal of Vaughan by the award-winning actress, Octavia Spencer, in the much-lauded 2016 film, Hidden Figures. Although she died in 2008, Vaughan stands

Prioritizing your organization’s success over your own is a necessary step for climbing up the leadership ladder. Are you looking to move up in your organization? Perhaps you aspire to become your firm’s managing partner or your company’s next CEO? While it’s

Consistent and meaningful one-on-one check-ins are one key to keeping your—and your organization’s—head above water.   The great resignation that swept many organizations up in a turnover tsunami doesn’t show any signs of slowing down. According to Fidelity’s Financial Resolutions Study, 39

The post-pandemic rise of employee burnout should have savvy leaders taking these preventative steps to protect themselves and their teams.   An increasing rate of employee burnout is among the far-reaching consequences of the global pandemic we’ve been weathering. According to the

By Jon Lokhorst, CPA, PCC     Leading change has always been a high-risk, high-reward proposition. That’s become even more true throughout the significant, unplanned change of the COVID pandemic. This rapid, constant change also makes it difficult for leaders to gauge their

Using empathy, clear communication, and careful planning is key to retaining star employees when reopening the office.   The World Health Organization’s declaration of the global COVID-19 pandemic in March of 2020 triggered a sudden and involuntary shift to remote work. As

By Jon Lokhorst, CPA, PCC, Lokhorst Consulting LLC   The word sabbatical has roots in Hebrew, Greek and Latin terms that all mean a rest from work. The concept of a sabbatical leave traces back to ancient Israel when Jews took a

Jayden,* a newly appointed supervisor, approached me with a question at the end of a leadership program. “What can I do to advance quickly as a leader in my company?” he asked. Jayden was surprised when I responded, “Start by