Partners, Managers, and Staff within CPA firms are encouraged to contact Gatto Associates to inquire about our E Learning Solutions designed for CPA/CAs. We offer individual courses, or customized training packages as a cost effective solution for a firms training needs.

Our E Learning Courses are offered at a flat rate, and there is no limit to the number of people attending within the firm. One CPE credit will be given to each participant, within that firm’s location, for every 50 minutes of instruction. Contact Gatto Associates, LLC at 412-344-2277 for in-depth information regarding a course below or to schedule a consultation with Dr. Gatto.

E Learning Courses for CPA/CAs:

• PROVIDING EFFECTIVE FEEDBACK

• MOTIVATING YOUR FIRM

• MENTORING THE NEXT GENERATION OF CPA/CAS

• MANAGING STRESS DURING TAX SEASON

• DEVELOPING YOUR CAREER PLAN WITHIN THE FIRM

• COMMUNICATING EFFECTIVELY WITH CLIENTS AND CO-WORKERS

• EFFECTIVELY BALANCING YOUR LEADERSHIP STYLE

• REDUCING STRESS WITH TIME MANAGEMENT

• DELIVERING EFFECTIVE PRESENTATIONS – IS ANYBODY LISTENING?

• HOLDING EFFECTIVE BUSINESS MEETINGS

• PROFILING YOUR CLIENTS AND BUILDING SALES PROCESSES

• COMMUNICATING ACROSS GENERATIONS

• ACHIEVING SUCCESS THROUGH WORK/LIFE BALANCE

• BUILDING A WINNING TEAM

• SUCCESSION PLANNING – BUILDING YOUR BENCH THROUGH LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

• PERSONALITY IN THE WORKPLACE

• THE POWER OF INFLUENCE

• RESOLVING CONFLICT AND MAINTAINING WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

• WORKING WITH CLIENTS IN A DIFFICULT ECONOMY

• DEALING WITH DIFFICULT CLIENTS AND COWORKERS

The Team Building Workshop is used to transform a group of individuals into a team focused on synergism, which is the idea that the total effect of a team is greater than the sum of effects taken independently.

The team learns to accomplish its expected results by recognizing and identifying the following:

1. the contribution that each member makes to the team;
2. the decision maker within the team; and,
3. the team’s responsibility to the larger organization.

These objectives are achieved throughout the use of assessment inventories and group discussions that develop constructive, open lines of communication. The workshop helps the participants understand and utilize the team’s personality and strengths. Teams today are essential to the workplace. This workshop enhances team effectiveness through individual development.

Each participant will learn how to:

Supervisor – Manager Leadership Training Objective

The objective of Supervisor/Manager Leadership Training is to develop professional skills in all levels of employees that will help to assure the future success of both the participants and their organizations.

The workplace is witnessing more changes than ever before. These changes are influencing more people to question the future direction and economic stability of organizations. People need to adjust to these changes and find comfort in their future by becoming proactive. We can identify the most significant change as competitive intensity.

John P. Kotter, in his book The Leadership Factor 1988, says:

“…More and more, the need for leadership doesn’t stop at the executive level either. Corporations are finding that even lower-level managerial, professional, and technical employees sometimes need to play a leadership role in their arena”.

We offer a customized approach to promote professional development and provide participants with a unique and transformational learning experience. We will offer: modular format of half and one-day programs, lecture series, webinars, and work with clients to customize high-impact learning experiences to meet specific organizational objectives. During the modular training all participants are asked to complete an accompanying assessment and action plan. Following is an outline of ten different workshops from which to choose your customized learning approach for your organization.

Whether the participants are experienced people who want to expand professional skills or inexperienced just learning the skills, we will offer programs to suit their diverse needs.

Description of Gatto Associates’ Approach

We will support participant development and career plans in a customized approach of personal success. We are based on the real life work experience of learning at each individual’s pace and development and will include an action plan to help ensure application. By identifying participants’ strengths and areas for enhancement, we create a situational place for them to become energized to want to strive to achieve. Gatto will provide the participants the tools to move toward personal and professional growth. It will be a place for experiential development, exploring professional growth and an environment of support for developmental and career plans.

Supervisor – Manager Leadership Training Introduction

The Emerging Leader Program is a customized training process developed for all supervisors and managers. The process consists of workshops that are designed to further the growth and development of supervisors/managers in the performance of their jobs. In some cases organizations have asked us to utilize Focus Group (FG) research, management discussions and feedback from the “Tools for Supervisors Training Needs Assessment” from which we have identified general needs for training. Basing training on all the supervisors/managers creates an environment where experiences are shared, critical messages are presented to all and skills at all levels are sharpened. That information is then used to choose the customized modular training that the employees need and request.

Our research from the focus group format has revealed that the modular training should address the following skills: leadership skills, communication skills, feedback and motivation, conflict resolution, team building, time management, problem solving skills, mentoring skills (manager/supervisor relationship) and listening skills.

The following modular training outlines are based on that research.

Following is an example of our suggested training programs:

The Supervisor/Manager Program could include a series of four or more half- day workshops targeted to supervisors, assistant managers, and manager levels. Those workshops are:

• The Communication Connection
• Teamwork: Building Relationships
• Responsibility and Accountability
• Motivation and Giving Feedback
• Strategic Planning and Decision Making

Optimal class size is 12 to 15 participants. The participants will be in the workshop for 3.5 hours.

Each participant will
1. Complete skill based assessments;
2. Be asked to complete an individual action plan that can be used in
conjunction with his/her individual developmental performance plan.
3. After the workshops are completed, participants should meet with their boss to
review and implement their action plan.

Learning Objectives and Program Benefits

The training days do not need to be held on consecutive days, they could be held one a week.

The learning objectives for the programs provides hands-on experience and tools that participants can use immediately to be successful, long-term, in the performance of their job.

Participates in the program will:

Increase productivity by getting optimal performance from their employees.

Know individual style of communication and building relationships with others and how it affects their interaction with followers, superiors, and other supervisors in different functional areas and across shifts.

More effectively address conflict, negativity and difficult behaviors to create a more positive work and healthy work environment.

Achieve performance objectives by effectively planning to overcome behaviors that can derail performance and detract from continuous improvement.

Each participant will have written an individualized developmental action plan based on assessments, workshop information and discussion and each learning module. These action plans should be used as a developmental tool to measure the participant’s growth as a supervisor.

Click on the links for a video preview of a particular workshop.

Workshop 1
The Communication Connection

Participants will identify their own strengths and weaknesses in communicating with others — including their direct reports, supervisors in other functions and on other shifts. Not only will this workshop explore ways to strengthen communication within the supervisor/manager’s team, but strengthen the communication between supervisors to improve productivity and support a collaborative environment. Included in this module is the critical importance of enhancing good listening skills.

1. Effective Communication
   a. Identifying the characteristics of effective communication b. Identifying what organizational communication isc. Complete the communication assessment prior to the workshop
2. Identifying your style of communication, areas of strength and opportunities for improvement
3. Defining communication
   a. Identifying effective communication
   b. Identifying what the organizational culture supports by way of communication
4. Individual Action Plan

Workshop 2
Teamwork: Building Relationship

This workshop addresses team behaviors and explores ways for managers to effectively lead and participate in teams. Participants will learn how to building a team hold team meetings, resolve obstacle in a positive, results team-oriented way.

1. Types of team
2. Assessing your team process – personality of your team
3. Making the Connection
   a. Team dynamics and increasing communication effectiveness b. Increasing the effectiveness of information exchange
   c. Simulations on communication and team work
4. Establishing a rapport and support
   Including thinking “different” vs. “difficult”, passive and aggressive behavior, learning to overcome team obstacles
5. Individual Action Plans

Workshop 3
Responsibility

Responsibility and Accountability Training Program will begin the process of moving employees to a higher level of accountability. This higher level will increase teamwork, create a consistent vocabulary, reinforce the thinking of what is best for the organization, develop working rapport and enhance productivity, and open lines of communication within and among individuals and departments. It is the responsibility of each person to hold her/himself accountable for implementing individual action plans.

1. Creating the Environment for Responsibility (assume there is a better way to get things done)Tapping into the insights of employees
   Asking the right questions and find the right people to accomplish the goals
2. Defining the parameters in which people need to work
3. Being a role model
4. Defining the Laws of Responsibility: 1. when the unexpected happens, take the right action to control the damage; 2. people assume responsibility for achieving results; 3. See it, Own it, Solve it, and Do it (Oz Principle)
5. Accepting ownership (no victim thinking or blaming)
6. Avoiding: Let’s wait and see; Stop: It’s not my job mentality
7. Teaming (we are in this together) Meeting the challenge of change, making it part of your daily performance
8. Action Plan

Workshop 4
Motivation and Feedback

This workshop provides insight and skills to enhance the supervisor’s role to provide leadership to motivate, inspire and develop their employees. It will help the supervisors create an environment that inspires and supports employee performance and success. Assessing, providing feedback and coaching are specific skills that help to develop and motivate employees.

1. BARS (Behavioral Anchored Rating Scale) Supportive and corrective Feedback
2. Giving performance feedback — using feedback effectively to create consistency with your organization highlighting what is right
3. Motivating through praise and coaching creating a format that can support development of leaders and managers
4. Feed-Forward process for people establishing the right pattern of behavior; tying feedback into your performance management process
5. Phases of performance appraisal: setting ground rules, giving feedback and coaching for development and a career path forward
6. Individual Action Plans

Workshop 5
Planning and Making Decisions

This workshop provides insight and skills to enhance the supervisor’s role to provide a process to plan and make effective decisions. It will help the supervisors create an environment of success.

1. Planning process analyzing the present situations what is occurring now and establishing new goals (background reason to plan, comparison and implementation)
2. Planning (where are we now, are we where we want to be, decision making and problem solving).
3. Decision Making Tree process: process of asking a series of questions that lead to making informed choices – decisions
4. Common Mistakes in planning the key actions to avoid in making effective decisions for a department and organization
5. Outlining the Strategic Planning Process
6. Developing operations tactics and strategic actions

Workshop 6
Coaching Employees

In today’s organizations, mentoring is an integral part of the overall performance management system. Mentoring is a philosophical and developmental process that enhances the potential ability within the employee in a wide range of situations. Besides improving performance, mentoring can also have a positive effect on employee morale. In the workshop, supervisors, assistant managers and managers will learn how to develop a mentoring process that meets the needs of organization, including developing and using appropriate assessment instruments, creating the right climate, developing support, giving feedback and building motivation.

1. Discuss and understand the mentoring process Including determining when coaching is appropriate
2. Development a process of positive thinking
3. Develop a mentoring process utilizing the tools to support each employee
4. Conducting a mentoring process working employees through the fours phases of development
5. Individual Action Plan

Workshop 7
Leading

Participants will identify their own strengths and weaknesses in Leading. Not only will this workshop explore ways to strengthen leadership ability within the supervisor/manager’s team, but strengthen the leaders relationship between supervisors/managers to improve productivity and support a collaborative environment.

I. Effective Leadership
a. Identifying the characteristics of effective leadership b. Identifying what type of leaders lead
c. Complete the leadership assessment

II. Identifying your style of leadership, areas of strength and opportunities for improvement

III. Defining leadership based on your organizational culture
a. Identifying effective leaders characteristics
b. Identifying what the organizational culture supports by way of leading

IV. Individual Action Plan

Workshop 8
DiSC

Random behavior is not random; there is a reason why people do what they do. This workshop will permit each participant to review the talents of each personality. The report provides each person with a unique outline of characteristic strengths and developmental opportunities to work on. The outcome of this module is to help each person understand his her presences within the workplace.

1. Individual Personality Reports for the Workplace
2. What the characteristic mean for you
3. Building relationships at work
4. Review examples of how differencing personalities work and communicate

Workshop 9
Managing Conflict

A key talent in the workplace is the ability to successful resolve conflict with other (boss and peers). The conflict process can be very beneficial in the workplace as it demonstrates a willingness to work together and how to respectfully be assertiveness. Most people do not realize that they have a style of resolving conflict and that can be a support or detriment depending on the situation.

1. Assess the conflict style
2. Design a process to resolve conflicts
3. Process for keeping emotions out of the resolutions process
4. Developing a plan to successfully resolve conflicts
5. Building relationships at work
6. Review examples of case studies
7. Action plan

Workshop 10
Dealing with Difficult People

There seven identified types of Difficult People in the workplace. Through an assessment process the participants can identify if they or people they work with have any of the difficult people traits. Most people do not realize that there are different types of difficult people and that some types are very well liked, just difficult to work with.

1. Assess the seven types of Difficult People
2. Identify each type based on their traits
3. Identify ways to moderate the difficult trait to work better with that person
4. Developing a plan to successfully work with difficult people
5. Review examples of case studies
6. Action plan

Summary

All workshops are intended for supervisors, assistant managers, managers and directors. Based on the feedback from the new supervisor workshop and focus groups, it should be discussed as to whether assistant managers and managers should be in the “same” workshop as the supervisors.

In the Strategic Planning Workshop, the participant will be given the background and thinking skills to not only plan, but to also develop a practical plan that can be implemented in the workplace. Planning is a vital component of the workplace, but planning alone is not sufficient. The successful planner must have a common sense approach to get people involved and get them to buy into the plan. Many great thoughts and ideas have been discarded, not because of lack of good strategic planning, but simply because of politics. This workshop will give participants the strategies and actual steps to think and then to plan. In addition, it will give them the people skills to get the buy-in for implementation.

Each participant will learn how to:

Motivational Interviewing is a collaborative conversation to strengthen a person’s own motivation for a commitment to change. Focuses on exploring ways to resolve ambivalence (conflict of ideas or uncertainty) Motivational Interviewing process is used to facilitate change. Motivational Interviewing does not impose change that is not consistent with the person’s own values and concerns.

Each participant will learn how to:

• Identify what motivational interviewing is
• Identify the principles of motivational interviewing
• Develop your own approach
• Create an action plan

Mentoring, as formulated by Gatto Associates, is a developmental process of an experienced person guiding the development of a less experienced person in the workplace. This time-tested program provides measurable results of development and growth for individuals in an organization. Successful mentoring programs helps to create a better and more productive workplace.

It is never too soon to think about developing the next generation of workers. The experienced person working with the less experienced person creates a strong future. Gatto Associates’ mentoring workshop introduces and explains the entire mentoring process, helps the mentor and the mentee develop goals, provides a roadmap for the program, and presents tools to establish a successful mentoring relationship.
Mentoring Outcomes

• Retaining the right people
• Developing future leaders
• Achieving a competitive edge
• Guiding less experienced people toward achieving success
• Supporting employees with integrity

Mentoring is a philosophical and developmental process that enhances the potential ability within the employee in a wide range of situations. In the Mentoring Workshop, participants will learn how to develop a mentoring process to meet the needs of a given organization, including choosing appropriate mentors, developing and/or using appropriate assessment instruments, creating the right climate, developing support, giving feedback, and building motivation. In addition, participants will learn how to implement the developed process in an organization.

Each participant will learn how to:

The Business Simulations Workshop is a management development process that guides participants to enhance their working relationship with direct reports, superiors and associates at all levels. The focus is on interactive simulations leadership competencies and behaviors. Participants examine and experience various applications of leadership styles and followership within teamwork. Business simulations are used so that each participant will experience and analyze leadership and followership relationships in a team setting. Each participant has the opportunity to reflect on his or her working leadership and communication styles, and the impact the style has on employee performance. The simulations can be used in a leadership assessment center to identify leadership potential and ability.

The Influencing Workshop guides participants to better performance and interaction with others to enhance job performance. Through the 360˚ feedback (IWAI), participants receive candid information as to how working associates perceive their job performance. The influencing process will be reviewed, identifying individual’s strengths and areas for development. Interactive skills are enhanced by having each of the participants assess what causes others to be influenced by them, assess effective communication in their work environment, and learn how they may need to adapt their abilities. Participants develop an action plan to systematically enhance their interactive job performance skills.

The Effective Presentation Workshop directs participants to demonstrate competence and behaviors for effective presentation. Specific techniques are given to help the participant understand the “how-to” of presentation. Having each participant give a series of presentations that are video taped develops presentation skills. Participants are educated in the use of visual aids (flip charts, overhead projector, graphics, etc.) and verbal aids (voice inflection, rate of speech, use of pauses, etc.). Individual strengths are developed to help each participant create his or her own style of effective presentation. Participants also learn successful techniques to design a presentation, utilize audience synergism (brainstorming, gathering information, effective participation, etc.), and learn how to effectively address questions and control nervousness. At the end of the workshop, each participant is given the videotape of his or her presentation for self-assessment.