ICAEW.com works better with JavaScript enabled.

Leadership, personal development and HR

How to develop yourself, your team and your career. Practical advice on achieving a productive, happy and healthy team.
Contents
Back to top

Latest on leadership, personal development and HR

Read our latest features and articles on leadership, personal development and HR
World’s fastest accountant targets summer of success
  • Article
  • 16 Apr 2024
  • ICAEW Insights
Eugene Amo-Dadzie shares his career story at the New Members’ Ceremony, highlighting the diversity and dynamism of the profession.
Imposter syndrome rife among female accountants
  • Article
  • 15 Apr 2024
  • ICAEW Insights
A new study reveals the challenges female accountants face at work, leading to stress, anxiety and a heightened fear of failure. We offer confidence-boosting tips.
How to train your brain for change
  • Article
  • 15 Apr 2024
  • ICAEW Insights
Change is a part of the way we work – and most people aren’t keeping up with it. A lot of that comes down to mindset, but it’s possible to prepare your mind to embrace change.
Last call for practising certificates
  • Article
  • 12 Apr 2024
  • ICAEW Insights
Members requiring a practising certificate have just over two weeks left to apply for one – and avoid the risk of disciplinary action.
Flexible working law changes come into effect
  • Article
  • 05 Apr 2024
  • ICAEW Insights
New flexible working laws come into force tomorrow (6 April) giving employees greater rights to flexible working. Are you ready for the reforms?
What – if scenario planning: be ready for what’s next
  • Article
  • 05 Apr 2024
  • BUPA Group UK
In a world of continuous change, there’s only one thing more powerful than business agility: continuous foresight. The ability to accurately discern your best, worst, and most likely potential outcomes in a turbulent environment provides a significant competitive advantage.
two women colleagues businesswomen having a difficult conversation in an office meeting room sat on white chairs in front of windows
How to handle difficult conversations at work
  • Article
  • 04 Apr 2024
  • ICAEW Insights
Working life can sometimes mean having challenging discussions with colleagues, clients and managers. Here’s how to approach these situations with professionalism and confidence.
Kamidu Ravindra, accountancy insurance specialist, EY, young Sri Lankan man in a navy suit, London
Opportunity knocks: catching up with Kamidu Ravindra
  • Article
  • 04 Apr 2024
  • ICAEW Insights
Three years after making London his home, insurance specialist Kamidu is continuing to embrace everything the city and the accountancy profession has to offer.
Read more

Topics in depth

Young business people
Career development
Find guides and other resources on careers, job hunting, professional development and personal skills to help you at work.
Smiling business women working together on contract documents
Communication and presentation skills
A range of articles, reports, eBooks and guides to help you successfully develop your communication and presentation skills.
Teamwork groups inclusive
Human resources and employment law
Access articles, books and online resources on human resources and employment law.
Image of female manager
Leadership
Learn how to become an effective leader.
Female boss with colleagues
Managing meetings
Find out how to run better meetings, how to chair meetings, take minutes and participate more effectively.
Team meeting
Managing teams
A collection of books, articles and guides to help managers get the best from their teams – whether they're experienced leaders or first-time managers
Older man working from home in meeting
Negotiation skills
Need to negotiate with clients, colleagues or business contacts? Here's a range of books, articles and guides to help you successfully develop your negotiating skills.

Reports

Special Report 72 - The aspiring CFO
  • Report
  • Nov 2021
A practical, realistic, hands-on and immense learning opportunity of all you need to know to become the CFO
Organisational culture: leadership styles
  • Report
  • Jun 2021
It is recognised that an effective culture can reduce risk and improve performance of an organisation, and that the success or failure of the culture is greatly influenced by its leaders. This guide, written by Jenny Jones, explores different leadership styles and the impact they can have on organisational culture.
Superforecasting: How to improve your forecasting skills
  • Report
  • Feb 2021
Forecasting is an essential skill for finance professionals and managers. Business decisions of all kinds depend on effective approaches to looking ahead. This guide outlines the core principles of “Superforecasting” which will help you develop your forecasting skills.
Off-payroll working – a user guide
  • Report
  • Feb 2021
This practical guide explains the off-payrolling rules as they apply to medium and large businesses. It sets out the operational impacts on finance and payroll departments and how to overcome some of the practical issues of implementation.
Exclusive Special Report 69 - Effective collaboration
  • Report
  • Nov 2020
Collaboration has been a trendy buzz word in business lexicon for some time now, but, as the pandemic has done with many other ‘nice-to-have’ skills, it has now become absolutely necessary to master. With your colleagues, business partners, suppliers and all other stakeholders more than likely working from home, and maybe even across different locations and time zones, effective collaboration is essential.
Special report 67: Problem solving
  • Report
  • Apr 2020
This month’s special report focuses on solving problems of all shapes and sizes in the workplace. Whatever your position in the hierarchy, there are practical hints and tips included to make your day-to-day work easier and more efficient.
Preparing smarter business plans
  • Report
  • Mar 2020
The ICAEW Business and Management Faculty shares hints and tips for businesses writing a business plan at a time when many businesses are applying for finance to help them through the pandemic.
Exclusive Special Report 66 - Managing change
  • Report
  • Dec 2019
Change is inevitable, it is all around us. Brexit, political upheaval, increasing regulation and a growing protectionist agenda make it incredibly difficult to run your business. BAM are here to help, with our special report on managing change, we can help successfully guide you through inevitable change with our practical tips and hands on approach.
See more

Webinars

Employment law update
  • Webinar
  • Apr 2024
The key updates and changes in employment law that small businesses need to be aware of.
73 episode
So you want to be a leader?
  • Podcast
  • Apr 2024
In this Insights In Focus episode, we discuss how accountants can build the skills needed to take on leadership and executive roles during their careers.
5 ways to be a confident networker graphic teal orange ICAEW student accountants
Skills for Success: 5 ways to be a confident networker
  • Video
  • Mar 2024
Our new Skills for Success series shares quick tips to build your professional skills. First, we learn how to network, whether online or in-person, with confidence.
ICAEW's Director of Trust and Ethics, Laura Hough, discusses why good people do bad things with industry experts in this ICAEW Insights Podcast.
Why do good people do bad things?
  • Podcast
  • Sep 2023
In this Insights In Focus episode, we discuss professional ethics and seek to answer the age-old question: why do good people do bad things?
podcast 54
Digitalisation and gender bias in tax, plus CPD update
  • Podcast
  • Jul 2023
The latest ICAEW Insights podcast shares the month’s top stories in accountancy.
52 podcast
Cyber security, taxing green travel and public finances
  • Podcast
  • Jun 2023
On the latest ICAEW Insights podcast episode, we explore the month’s key developments in accountancy.
ep51
Managing talent in a hybrid world
  • Podcast
  • May 2023
In this Insights In Focus episode, we discuss best practice in hiring, training and safeguarding talent under hybrid working.
ep45
How accountancy can win the talent war
  • Podcast
  • Mar 2023
In this ‘Insights In Focus’ episode, we discuss ways to attract and retain talent in the accounting profession.
See more

eBooks

The ICAEW Library & Information Service provides full text access to a selection of key business and reference eBooks from leading publishers. eBooks are available to logged-in ICAEW members, ACA students and other entitled users. If you are unable to access an eBook, please see our Help and support advice or contact library@icaew.com.

Exclusive Good retirement guide 2024: everything you need to know about health, property, investment, leisure, work, pensions and tax
  • eBook
  • 2024
  • Jonquil Lowe
  • Kogan Page
Contains information, suggestions and advice on all aspects of retirement and beyond.
Exclusive Good retirement guide 2023: everything you need to know about health, property, investment, leisure, work, pensions and tax
  • eBook
  • 2023
  • Jonquil Lowe
  • Kogan Page
Contains information, suggestions and advice on all aspects of retirement and beyond.
Exclusive Taxation of small businesses, 2022/23
  • eBook
  • 2022
  • Malcolm James
  • Spiramus
A one-volume guide to direct taxation of a small business.
Exclusive Key performance indicators: developing, implementing and using winning KPIs
  • eBook
  • 2020
  • David Parmenter
  • Wiley
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) help define and measure the organizational goals which are fundamental to an organization's current and future success. This book provides a model for simplifying the complex areas of KPIs while helping organizations avoid common mistakes and hazards.
Exclusive Disruption in the audit market: the future of the Big Four
  • eBook
  • 2019
  • Krish Bhaskar, John Flower
  • Taylor & Francis
A guide to the current state of the audit market, exploring failings and how it needs to change to address challenges into the future.
Exclusive Numbers business: how to grow a successful cloud accountancy practice
  • eBook
  • 2018
  • Della Hudson
  • SRA Books
This book is a road map that will help a qualified professional to start a successful business from scratch with no personal or business contacts; recruit and train a team of technical and administrative staff; move from the kitchen table to external premises; create a highly systemised business, which can function independently of the business owner; run an ethical business, which contributes to the local community; host and speak at business events; set up a marketing system that operates even during the busiest periods in order to; grow the business organically; purchase a business; and sel...
Exclusive Employer's handbook 2017-18
  • eBook
  • 2017
  • Barry Cushway
  • Kogan Page
The Employer's Handbook gives guidance for all small- to medium-sized employers in the UK, clearly identifying the legal essentials and best-practice guidelines for effective people management.
Exclusive Doing business in China (4th edition)
  • eBook
  • 2017
  • Chao Xi, Morgen Witzel, Tim Ambler
  • Routledge
This title offers business-people a theoretical framework for the understanding of business practices, markets, negotiations, organizations, networks and the Chinese business context.
Terms of use

You are permitted to access, download, copy, or print out content from eBooks for your own research or study only, subject to the terms of use set by our suppliers and any restrictions imposed by individual publishers. Please see individual supplier pages for full terms of use.

More eBooks

Business press

The ICAEW Library & Information Service provides access to leading business, finance and management journals. These journals are available to logged-in ICAEW members, ACA students and other entitled users subject to suppliers' terms of use.
Exclusive Negotiate like a extortion negotiator
  • Article
  • 01 Mar 2024
  • Scott Walker
In his former career as a kidnapping and extortion negotiator, the author handled sensitive negotiations all over the world. Through his experiences, observations, and conversations with other experts in the field, he developed a deep understanding of what works and what doesn’t in high-stakes negotiations. Here he shares guidance on what he calls the level-five mindset, which involves deep listening to better understand and interpret a counterpart’s self-perception and perspective.
Exclusive Managing (and surviving) in a high-intensity workplace
  • Article
  • 01 Mar 2024
  • Erin Reid, Lakshmi Ramarajan
After interviewing hundreds of professionals in many fields, the authors have concluded that total selfless dedication to work is often unnecessary and harmful. It has dysfunctional consequences not only for individuals but also for their organizations. The authors discuss three typical strategies (Accepting, Passing and Revealing) for coping with demanding workplaces, and the risks associated with each style. Managers can help by enforcing reasonable work hours, requiring vacations, and taking steps to protect employees’ personal lives.
Exclusive What every woman needs to know about retiring
  • Article
  • 01 Mar 2024
  • Jennifer Waters
Article on the financial challenges women often face in retirement. It highlights that women typically earn less than men over their lifetimes, have less saved in retirement accounts and live longer. Provides advice on financial planning and what women need to do for a secure retirement.
Exclusive Perceived organizational inclusion: Evidence from neurodivergent accountants in the US
  • Article
  • 01 Mar 2024
  • Qi Duong, Loreal Jiles, Roopa Venkatesh
The authors examine the intersection of neurodiversity and accounting employment by exploring the work experiences of neurodivergent accountants in the US. They attempt to answer the question: 'How can neurodivergent accountants’ perceived organizational inclusion be improved?' Their study amplifies the voices of neurodivergent accountants, providing insights to key factors that shape neurodivergent accountants’ experiences of inclusion, while informing future organizational strategies through 37 recommended actionable practices.
Exclusive Resume rules: Is your CV in need of a revamp?
  • Article
  • 01 Mar 2024
  • Cheryl Hyatt
Accounting and finance recruitment specialists share advice on how to make a great first impression. Topics discussed include the significance of tailoring resumes for each role, keeping them concise, and showcasing skills with specific examples.
Exclusive How can managers help teams combat change exhaustion?
  • Article
  • 01 Mar 2024
  • Mollie West Duffy, Liz Fosslien
Advice on what managers should be doing to handle employee 'change fatigue' from too many organizational changes. The authors suggest acknowledging the discomfort that comes with change, devising a plan in the face of uncertainty, and adopting set rituals as a team.
Exclusive Organisations benefit from employees taking sabbaticals, research shows
  • Article
  • 01 Mar 2024
  • David Burkus
The article summarises the findings of a number of research studies into the effect of sabbatical leave on employee wellbeing and organizational performance. Benefits to individuals from sabbaticals can include a decline in stress and an increase in overall well-being, while organisations can use sabbatical programs as a means to stress test their procedures and give aspiring leaders a chance to grow.
Exclusive Recruiting older workers
  • Article
  • 01 Mar 2024
  • Ken Dychtwald, Robert Morison, Katy Terveer
It's time for a new deal between employers and older workers, say the authors. They give advice for employers on how to hire, retain and engage older and retired workers, resulting in mutually productive employment matches. They also take a look at the value of older workers and bust some of the most prevalent myths about their working styles.
More articles

Online magazines

Some online journal titles are available only to logged-in ICAEW members, ACA students and other entitled users. To view the full range of titles available to you, please log in.
Employee Benefits
  • Website
  • DVV Media HR Group Ltd.
Online magazine covering developments around various kinds of employee benefits, including pensions, health insurance, and company cars.
Personnel Today
  • Website
  • DVV Media International
News resource for HR professionals. Its website includes an archive of articles published since January 2000.
Training Journal
  • Website
  • Political Holdings Limited
Online magazine for the UK's training and learning and development industry. Until 2020 it was a print magazine; the Library provides online access to issues published between 2008 and 2020 via its premium databases.

Articles and books in the ICAEW Library collection

The collection of the ICAEW Library & Information Service includes a range of articles, books and reports on leadership, personal development and HR. Use the links below to see what we have available to request in our Library catalogue (Libcat).
Salary versus dividends: and other tax efficient profit extraction strategies, 24th ed.
  • Library book
  • 2023
  • N. Braun, C. Bayley
  • Taxcafe UK
This tax guide deals primarily with the 2023/24 tax year, providing information on how companies and company owners are taxed, how to extract more income tax efficiently, keeping income below the key thresholds, splitting income with your family, other profit extraction strategies and salary and dividend practical tax issues.
Tolley's company secretary's handbook, 2023-24
  • Library book
  • 2023
  • P. Rutherford
  • LexisNexis
An annual guide to all the basic duties of the company secretary. Serves as a working manual to the legal and procedural aspects of company administration, covering issues such as statutory accounts, company membership, corporate governance, employment law, health and safety, pensions, insurance and taxation.
Tolley's employment handbook, 2023
  • Library book
  • 2023
  • E.A. Slade and others
  • LexisNexis
This annual handbook provides practitioners with expert and up-to-date guidance on employment legislation and case decisions. The 2023 edition includes commentary on important recent developments such as the recognition of Long Covid as a disability in Burke v Turning Point Scotland ET, the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill and its interplay with UK law, and significant industrial relations cases including Mercer v Alternative Future Group.
Pension magic: how to make the taxman pay for your retirement, 2023/24
  • Library book
  • 2023
  • N.Braun
  • Taxcafe UK
This book 'shows you how to build a big retirement pot by claiming thousands of pounds of extra tax relief on your pension contributions'. Includes sections on pension contribution rules, pension freedom rules, pensions v ISAs, higher-rate taxpayers, auto-enrolment, salary sacrifice pensions, company directors, family pension planning and pension planning for the self-employed and property investors.
Retirement planning expert 2023
  • Library book
  • 2023
  • A.E.Smith
  • Quartertoten
Straightforward, practical and easy to understand information - hundreds of hints and tips to help adapt, thrive and achieve a better lifestyle in retirement.
Finance aspects for medical doctors: a practical approach
  • Library book
  • 2022
  • M.B.Khatri
  • PKA Books
Intended for use by GPs, practice managers and accountants, this book covers topics including employment and self-employment, tax saving measures, consultants earnings from private practice, pension contributions, IR35 and types of contracts.
Expatriate employees: social security contributions and benefits
  • Library book
  • 2021
  • A. Sullivan
  • LexisNexis
A brief digest examining the post-Brexit standing of expatriate employees with regard to social security contributions and benefits.
Payroll withholding in the UK and globally mobile employees
  • Library book
  • 2021
  • M.Syeda
  • LexisNexis
Tolley's Tax Digest providing a guide to payroll obligations for employers with a globally mobile workforce.

To find out how you can borrow books from the Library please see our guide to borrowing books.

You can obtain copies of articles or extracts of books and reports through our document supply service.

External resources - HR organisations and networks

Employee Benefits
  • Website
  • DVV Media HR Group Limited
News, analysis, case studies and events listings on pay and benefits topics.
HR Magazine
  • Website
  • Mark Allen Group
Online magazine with news and features on HR, plus the HR Most Influential annual list of influential HR practitioners and the HR Excellence Awards.
New Zealand Journal of Human Resources Management (NZJHRM)
  • Website
  • HRNZ
An academic journal which publishes 'original material on the development and practice of human resource management in New Zealand and the South Pacific region'.
People Management
  • Website
  • CIPD
Free online magazine of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), with latest news, employment law updates and viewpoints.
Personnel Today
  • Website
  • DVV Media International
News resource for HR professionals, offering employment law news and guidance, Employer's Guides and an archive of articles published in Personnel Today, Training, Employer's Law and Occupational Health since January 2000.
Terms of use

ICAEW accepts no responsibility for the content on any site to which a hypertext link from this site exists. The links are provided 'as is' with no warranty, express or implied, for the information provided within them. Please see the full copyright and disclaimer notice.

External resources - Leadership

Acas guide on leadership
  • Website
  • Acas
Guide from Acas designed to support people with leadership responsibilities at all levels of an organisation. Outlines the essential qualities, actions, considerations and implications associated with leadership using the Acas framework for effective leadership.
Investors in People leadership articles
  • Website
  • Investors in People
Knowledge base of articles on leadership from Investors in People, covering topics such as motivating and empowering your team, democratic leadership and improving team wellbeing.
Leadership guide
  • Website
  • Atom Content Marketing
Whether you are the managing director or a shift leader, the way you lead is the single biggest success factor for everyone you work with. This business guide covers leadership at all levels, leadership from the top, communicating the vision, what do leaders do, making decisions, managing the team and knowing yourself.
Leadership in the workplace
  • Website
  • Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD)
This factsheet investigates the concept of leadership and how it differs from management, the factors that can influence leadership development, and briefly examines how a principles-based approach to practice can support the development of leadership skills in people professionals.
The Gender, Leadership and Inclusion Centre (GLIC)
  • Website
  • Cranfield School of Management
The GLIC is a research community which collaborates with industry and produces high quality research in the areas of gender, leadership and inclusion at work. The centre, which is part of Cranfield University's School of Management, is responsible for an annual benchmarking report, The Female FTSE Board Report which has been published since 1999 and includes details of the number of female directors on FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 boards. The website provides information on the work of the centre, its research projects and published research papers.
The role and expectations of a CFO: A global debate on preparing accountants for finance leadership
  • Website
  • International Federation of Accountants (IFAC)
Discussion paper and selection of resources from IFAC. The paper looks at the changing scope of CFO and finance leadership roles and how accountants can prepare for career progression.
Terms of use

ICAEW accepts no responsibility for the content on any site to which a hypertext link from this site exists. The links are provided 'as is' with no warranty, express or implied, for the information provided within them. Please see the full copyright and disclaimer notice.

Can't find what you're looking for?

The ICAEW Library can give you the right information from trustworthy, professional sources that aren't freely available online. Contact us for expert help with your enquiries and research.

Everything business

Find out about the key benefits available for members in business and the support from ICAEW. We are proud of our some 60,000 members working in and running business all over the world.
Read More
Winding road
Information

Some of the content on this web page was provided by the Chartered Accountants’ Trust for Education and Research, a registered charity, which owns the library and operates it for ICAEW.