Years spent acquiring hard technical skills doesn’t mean the modern CA can neglect the personal touch. Fiona Nicolson hears about the importance of negotiation, time management and communication from course leader David Bittiner

According to a recent LinkedIn survey, “soft” skills are the most in-demand attributes in the jobs market, with good communication topping the annual list of qualities recruiters are seeking, ahead of customer service in second.

ICAS, in partnership with BPP, is running a range of courses which focus on personal development, encompassing communications-based topics such as negotiation; how to win new business and develop relationships; networking; and improving performance with emotional intelligence, as well as time management. The courses take place online in July, August and September.

As course trainer, David Bittiner, says, the expectations for CAs and other professionals in 2024 have evolved significantly. “There was a time when it was often enough to just be technically excellent, but not nowadays,” he says. “You have to have a much broader raft of skills, including communication, negotiation and networking abilities.”

Client expectations are one of the main reasons for this sea change, says Bittiner: “It’s not enough anymore just to do an audit for a client. They want their CA to show emotional intelligence and commercial awareness, and to feel that they’re part of their team. With the arrival of AI, machines are going to be doing some of the work for professional people. So clients want to know what additional value a CA will be bringing as their professional adviser.”

“There was a time when it was often enough just to be technically excellent, but nowadays you need a much broader raft of skills”

Bittiner emphasises the importance of treating soft skills as part of your CPD. “Sometimes because you’re busy and you’ve got so many other calls on your time, including leading and managing people, you forget about your own personal development,” he says. “But it’s critical for the modern professional to stay up to date with the level of soft skills required.”

Bittiner’s knowledge of the subject comes from hands-on experience, first as a partner in a London law firm, where he specialised in litigation, then as a business owner, running three gastropubs, employing 30 people. He subsequently worked in-house for another law firm, as Head of Marketing and Business Development. Having gained that broad commercial knowledge, he launched his training services in 2014, which include advising companies on business development and communications skills.

Finding a way

Reviewing the areas that he plans to cover on the topic of negotiation, Bittiner says: “The course reflects the range of negotiation situations that delegates are going to be involved in, whether with clients or colleagues. We go on the journey, starting with the skills you need to prepare for a negotiation, all the way through to how to close it effectively. This includes role play throughout the day.”

The courses all have a practical focus. “On the How to Win New Business course, for example, we start with the important question of who we want to have as our clients – and then identify how best to target those potential clients,” he says.

The time-management course looks at why such skills are key for productive client relationships and business success. It also focuses on the positive impact that strong time-management skills can have on career prospects. “It is critically important to be efficient in all of these categories,” Bittiner says. “Clients want efficiency. At work, we want to be able to do our job in less time, which frees up time to do more. This has a positive impact on the financial health and sustainability of the business.

“In a selection process, if you have two candidates and one is bringing in more fee income than the other because they’re more efficient, then we know what impact that is likely to have on their respective career prospects. Good time management also means that you can leave the office at a time that enables you to have a good work-life balance.”

He also reflects on why developing networking skills is key: “Business and work opportunities come from having a sustainable and relevant network of other professional people. Accountants need to have a diverse network of three or four wealth managers, three or four actuaries, five lawyers, some engineers and architects, and other professionals, such as property developers.

“And it’s not just about building up the number of LinkedIn connections. They also need to attend in-person networking events, to meet people and build rapport. Those professionals who have worked on developing a strong professional network tend to have more opportunities come their way.”

Soft skills may seem unnecessary to those who have acquired the harder technical skills of chartered accountancy, but they will pay dividends over the course of a working life. As Bittiner says: “CAs and other professionals who are open to training and attending personal-development courses will, in my opinion, be the ones who are most likely to succeed in their careers. It’s as simple as that.”

See ICAS’ full range of leadership and personal development courses