The first annual conference of the Upstream Academy, a network of CPA and IT consulting firms dedicated to continuous improvement and excellence, was held in picturesque Whitefish, Montana last week. Over 140 participants attended this first Headwaters Conference hosted by Sam Allred, President of Upstream Academy, and Alliance Partners MIP Software, Sage Software, Hudson Sawyer, and Bowman's Accounting Report.

The two day session focused on leadership skills and how to improve them. Using concepts embodied by Upstream Academy, this conference helped participants change their approach from "doing it until they get it right" - which essentially is developing a business with a chance for success, to "doing it until they can't get it wrong" - which ultimately is developing a business with "no chance for failure."

Included among the twelve sessions of the conference was a presentation by Art Bowman (Bowman's Accounting Report) and Martha Sawyer (Hudson Sawyer) on the Ten Biggest Mistakes a Leader Can Make. Based on their years of covering and working with the accounting profession, and recent interviews with pillars of the profession, the following were named (in no particular order) as the biggest mistakes a leader can make:

• Lack of Action
• Believing that leadership is a position
• Acting without integrity
• Inadequate relationship building
• Confusing management for leadership
• Inadequate communication
• Failing to inspire a shared vision
• Avoiding taking risks
• Forgetting about "soul"
• Not growing the next leaders

For more information on Upstream Academy and the services it offers to members, please visit their web site www.upstreamacademy.com.