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Welcome to the 20:20 Innovation webinar series. The themes of the webinars are a mix of general and technical topics to suit the needs of all Russell Bedford members. You can access the webinars either live or through the recorded version, with no limit.

Personal Development and Wellbeing

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Adaptability in a Changing Environment - 4th March

1pm to 2pm GMT - Sharon Critchlow

Objectives

This ever-changing world of new technology and complex issues can leave us feeling burned out and overwhelmed, but it doesn’t have to be like this.

In this session we will look at a framework for approaching change and spotting opportunities, consider how to enhance your growth mindset, and positioning yourself, your team and your clients to gain maximum benefit from change.

Key topics

  • Positioning yourself in the world for greatest impact
  • Enhancing your growth mindset
  • Approaches to problem solving

Who should attend

This is for everyone who works in the accounting profession

Advising Businesses - How to Be a Better Listener - 8th April

1pm to 2pm BST - John Borland

Objectives

Listening is one of the most underrated, yet powerful skills at our disposal and one we all use every single day.

This webinar will empower attendees to greatly improve their listening skills through being aware of their current abilities and understanding how to move to deeper levels of listening.

Key topics

  • Know the 4 levels of listening and the difference they make.
  • Understand how to deepen your listening.
  • Recognise the crucial part that listening plays in developing others.

Who should attend

For anyone who is leading teams or engaging with clients at any level of the business.

Management - Flexi and Hybrid Teams - 14th April

12pm to 1pm BST - Heather Elkington

Objectives

Managers from all teams will leave this session with a toolkit of strategies to set clear expectations, track progress effectively, and build a collaborative team culture that works well remotely and in-office. Attendees will learn specific frameworks to improve communication streams, establish accountability, and support their team’s productivity.

Key topics

  • Overcoming common challenges: time management, motivation & trust
  • Streamlining communication and workflow in hybrid environments
  • Setting clear, measurable KPIs and tracking team performance remotely
  • Ensuring accountability and productivity across flexible schedules

Who should attend

Partners, managers, and team leaders (both technical and non-technical) in an accountancy practice who oversee flexible or hybrid teams and seek practical tools for maintaining team productivity, alignment, and accountability.

Management - Developing Your Leadership Style - 10th July

1pm to 2pm BST - John Borland

Objectives

This webinar will enable attendees to be aware of their own natural disposition and the strengths and weaknesses of their leadership styles, whilst also understanding other alternative styles and how to use them more effectively.

Key topics

  • The difference between leader and manager.
  • Understanding the different styles of leadership.
  • How to use ‘situational leadership’.

Who should attend

Anyone who is in a leadership or management role at any level, but particularly those that are new to leadership or haven’t had any formal training.

Accountancy knowledge is not required for this webinar and the contents are relevant whether managing accountants or other role types.

Emotional Intelligence in the Modern Workplace - 15th July

1pm to 2pm BST - Sharon Critchlow

Objectives

In these times of fast-paced technological change and increasingly poor mental health in the workforce, an Emotional Intelligence focus provides a way forward for your business. In this session we will highlight how to improve your own emotional intelligence and use these skills to increase your own happiness as well as influence others. Having a greater awareness and empathy for your teams and your clients is the key to success in the modern workplace.

Key topics

  • Background to emotional intelligence and why it matters.
  • Reducing stress and creating a happy workplace through communication.
  • Social awareness and relationship influence.

Who should attend

Everyone who wants to grow their communication skills, learn ways to approach issues without confrontation and increase their influence.

Practice Development

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Recruitment and Retention - Strategies for 2025 - 24th April 2025

12pm to 1pm BST - Rachel Harris

Objectives

We know that recruitment and retention continues to be a challenge faced by many accountancy practices. The time has come to do things differently. In this webinar, Rachel Harris, owner of accountancy firm striveX, explains what she does to not only maintain a healthy talent pipeline but also have a waiting list of candidates wanting to work for her firm.

This webinar will give you a solid understanding of the new & emerging recruitment trends for 2025. You will learn how to develop high-level recruitment strategies to implement in your practice.

You will understand the importance of and leave with actionable steps to enhance your employer branding and candidate experience.

Key topics

  • New & emerging trends for talent attraction and retention
  • Forming your recruitment strategy
  • Employer branding & candidate experience

Who should attend

Partners, managers & HR professionals in accounting firms who are looking to refresh their approach to talent and recruitment in 2025.

Marketing Your Firm in 2025 - Why and How - 19th May

1pm to 2pm BST - Dave Goodyear

Objectives

This webinar will provide marketing insight, information and practical examples on how firms can use the latest technology, along with the core principles of marketing, to help a practice take its marketing function to the next level.

Key topics

  • Why marketing is important
  • Developing a marketing plan and strategy
  • Assessing the needs of your firm and your audience
  • Knowing where to start
  • The tools available to you
  • How to execute the plan

Who should attend

This is for marketeers and anyone responsible for the marketing function in an accountancy firm.

Auditing and Accounting Refreshers and Updates

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ISQM - How to Effectively Manage Audit Quality - 27th February

10am to 12pm GMT - John Selwood

Objectives

The session will help improve your understanding of how to establish and monitor audit quality management systems, through lessons learned from the implementation of the standards in 2022 and the subsequent monitoring and remediation work.

The course will use feedback from QAD and cold file reviews to help firms of all sizes to better refine their systems of quality management.

Key topics

  • Brief refresher on the contents of ISQM 1, ISQM 2 and ISA 220 Revised
  • Getting monitoring and remediation processes right, including root cause analysis
  • Establishing quality objectives
  • Revisiting the risk assessment – identify and assess quality risks
  • Design and implementation of Systems of Quality Management
  • Documentation
  • Practical case studies

Who should attend

This update is for all senior auditors, in all sizes of firms, particularly those responsible for the firm’s quality management systems.

IFRS Refresher - 3rd April

12pm to 1pm BST - Clare Jones

Objectives

This webinar will be beneficial for attendees wanting to refresh their technical knowledge on IFRS. It will cover relevant accounting treatments, challenges in application and presentation and disclosure requirements for topical IFRSs.

Key topics

  • Applying the accounting principles for leases
  • Refresh on the accounting treatment for impairments within cash generating units
  • Accounting for provisions
  • Applying the fair value measurement hierarchy to valuations.

Who should attend

Partners, managers and seniors in practice who need to remain technically knowledgeable in IFRS to support their clients.

Auditor Judgement - How to Make the Right Decisions - 23rd June

12pm to 1pm BST - John Selwood

Objectives

The session will help auditors make better decisions, understand what processes enable this and produce documentation that better withstands regulatory scrutiny.

Key topics

  • FRC guidance on better judgements
  • Professional scepticism
  • Accumulating audit evidence
  • The role of review
  • Decisions relating to accounting estimates
  • Other key decisions such as going concern and the adequacy of disclosures
  • Documentation

Who should attend

This session is for experienced auditors - including audit seniors, managers and partners - of all sizes of audited entities.

Audit (ISA) Update and Refresher - 2nd July

12pm to 1pm BST - Clare Jones

Objectives

This webinar will keep attendees up to date on the latest changes in audit. It will provide knowledge of the latest revisions to ISAs and the current projects by the IAASB. This will support auditors in preparation for their upcoming audits.

Key topics

  • Understanding the key changes for group audits applying ISA 600R
  • The key changes to ISA 505 External Confirmations
  • An update on the implementation of the ISA for Less Complex Entities
  • A high-level overview of the latest exposure drafts and current IAASB projects
  • Awareness for auditors on sustainability and climate related matters
  • The latest audit news and publications.

Who should attend

This webinar is recommended for all auditors, including audit seniors, managers, directors and partners who need to stay up to date on the latest audit requirements.

Tax Refreshers and Updates

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International Tax Refresher - Spring - 12th March

12pm to 1:30pm GMT - Jeremy Mindell

Objectives

This webinar will update attendees’ knowledge on international tax developments. In particular, the likely further coordination of international tax policies across Western economies and beyond.

Key topics

  • Coordinated moves on corporate tax
  • Personal tax developments
  • Review of tax incentives on investment
  • Treatment of temporary residence

Who should attend

Partners, directors, managers and other staff that deal with international corporate or employment tax issues.

Technology and AI

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Starting Your AI Journey (Spring) - 4th February

1pm to 2pm GMT - Billie Mcloughlin

Objectives

This webinar has been designed to introduce accountants to Artificial Intelligence (AI) fundamentals. We will consider the distinction between AI and automation and how you can prepare for effective AI adoption in your accountancy practice.

Participants will gain a clear understanding of AI, machine learning, and Robotic Process Automation (RPA), and how these technologies can transform accounting processes and industry standards.

Key topics

  • Defining AI and Automation: Clarify the differences between AI and automation, outlining how each operates and the unique benefits they offer to accounting practices.
  • Core Concepts of AI and Machine Learning: Introduction to the basics of AI and machine learning, including how these technologies learn from data to perform tasks traditionally done by humans.
  • Introduction to RPA: Discuss Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and its specific applications in automating routine accounting tasks.
  • AI Applications in Accounting: Explore practical examples of how AI and machine learning are currently being used in the industry and how you can implement them in your practice.
  • Impact of AI on the Accounting Industry: Discussion on the broader impacts of AI adoption in accounting, including changes in job roles, skill requirements, and the future landscape of the industry.

Who should attend

Any practitioners who are in the infancy of using AI in their firm or are yet to adopt advanced technologies such as RPA.

Microsoft 365 - The Hidden Apps that Boost Productivity - 6th May

1pm to 2pm BST - Rebecca Williams

Objectives

By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to identify and utilise key hidden apps within Microsoft 365 that will help accountants to explode productivity.

Key topics

  • How to automate documentation of meeting notes and organise client data while on the go
  • How to build an in-house onboarding and feedback process in 10 minutes or less
  • Apps that assist with collaboration and time management

Who should attend?

Partners, managers and teams in practice who want to boost their productivity with the use of hidden and lesser-known apps with Microsoft 365.

Risk and Regulation

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Cybersecurity for Accountancy Practices in 2025 - 11th February

10am to 12pm GMT - Andy Larkum

Objectives

This webinar will explain some of the emerging cyber security threats and actions you should be taking to address them. We will also discuss how AI is changing the threat landscape, and some of the “silent dangers” of using AI in the workplace.

Key topics

  • Emerging cybersecurity threats
  • Practical actions to address and reduce cybersecurity risks
  • New dangers introduced by the introduction of AI

Who should attend

Practice owners, partners and managers in practice who need to stay current in Governance, Risk and Compliance and be aware of risks arising from cybersecurity.

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