CPABC in Focus September/ October 2015 | Page 45

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT We Have to Talk – Having the Difficult Performance Conversations There are dozens of books on the topic of important conversations, and one common theme emerges from this literature: The fear of difficult conversations is often more stressful than the actual conversations. This seminar will place difficult conversations at the core of successful work relationships, and show you that you’re more able to have successful performance conversations than you thought. Nov 13, 9am-5pm, Vancouver Essential Topics for Controllers When it comes to their professional training, financial managers are inundated by opportunities to develop their technical and financial-based skills. However, as they move along in their careers, many discover a whole other set of “soft” skills that need development. This seminar will cover such topics as employment interviews, strategic-planning basics, negotiation skills, performance evaluations, managing versus leading, communication skills, and the termination of employees. Nov 3, 9am-5pm, Vancouver Financial Management in the Construction Industry Most industry experts acknowledge the increasing importance of business systems and financial awareness to the success of the construction industry. This seminar will describe the unique challenges faced by this sector and explain how to deal with these challenges—whether you’re a financial professional in the construction industry or an adviser to clients within the industry. Nov 5, 9am-5pm, Vancouver Financial Statement Analysis Most professional accountants are involved in the review and analysis of financial statements to some extent. This seminar will help members in public practice detect strengths and areas of concern for their clients quickly, and will give members in industry knowledge they can use to manage their own reporting dashboards. Nov 4, 9am-5pm, Vancouver Managing My People Increasingly, managers are recognizing that their people provide the only true and sustainable way of differentiating their business offering and serving clients effectively. This interactive workshop will focus on showing managers effective ways to work with their teams and get the best out of each team member. Dec 16, 9am-5pm, Vancouver Becoming a High-Performance Team Member This workshop will explain what it takes to play a constructive role on a high-performing team. Special emphasis will be placed on the interpersonal skills that team members need—for example, advocacy, listening skills, and conflict resolution skills. Nov 20, 9am-5pm, Vancouver Finding Serenity by Managing Stress Learn how to manage stress through mindfulness and personal awareness, including understanding your role in accumulating stress. This seminar will help you build effective stress management strategies to help you work toward a long-lasting state of well-being. Dec 15, 1:30-5pm, Vancouver TAXATION Basic Tax Compliance in Self-Employment and HomeBased Businesses You’re your own boss. For the most part, you dictate the hours and call the shots, but you’re stuck with the paperwork too. Are you compliant with your tax obligations? This seminar will cover the fundamental tax compliance issues involved in setting up and running a self-employed small home business. Nov 6, 7:30-9:30am, Vancouver Ethical Tax Tax is seldom black or white. In this interactive session, case studies will be used to provoke discussion about tax-related ethical dilemmas. The seminar is designed for professional accountants who have responsibility for tax compliance, decisionmaking, and/or the provision of tax advice. Dec 2, 9-11am, Vancouver GST/HST and PST Update The objective of this seminar is to provide a briefing on important recent legislative changes, court cases, and government pronouncements that attendees may have missed. By attending this seminar, participants will gain a greater awareness of the GST and PST issues and developments that could impact their business or the provision of tax advice to clients. Oct 14, 9am-5pm, Kamloops Oct 15, 9am-5pm, Kelowna Oct 21, 9am-5pm, Victoria Oct 23, 9am-5pm, Abbotsford Oct 26, 9am-5pm, Parksville Nov 2, 9am-5pm, Nanaimo Nov 5, 9am-5pm, Surrey Dec 7, 9am-5pm, Vancouver Preparing for a GST/HST Audit The objective of this seminar is to help businesses and practitioners prepare for a GST and HST audit. The seminar will review the audit process and common audit issues. Participants will learn how to prepare and manage an audit, and how to deal with after-audit issues such as the objection process and the assessment of penalties. They will learn how to minimize GST/HST exposures, and will be provided with real examples applicable to businesses of all sizes. Nov 24, 9am-5pm, Vancouver MARK YOUR CALENDARS! PD WEEKS 2015: Kelowna Nov 2-6 | Ramada Hotel & C