#SITN Strength in the Numbers Show: Recent Episodes
Andrew Codd
The #SITN Show (www.sitnshow.com) is a popular accounting & finance podcast listened to in over 150+ countries around the world.
Getting an accounting qualification or finance certification is one of the best things to do to make a difference in our society. It potentially gives us a position from which we can help businesses make better decisions for the good of their customers, suppliers, communities, colleagues and yes owners and other financiers too. We can help increase the opportunity for all. So #SITN was established to leverage the value of mentoring:
- To elevate the influence, impact, value, and difference we make for our organisations; and
- To have more fun, rewarding, and meaningful careers in accounting & finance.
In this way we make it more accessible to everyone in our profession, regardless or geography, professional affiliations, status, gender, etc…
The fundamental premise of #SITN is that despite for all the challenges our profession is facing into, the seemingly accelerating rate of change, the new digital technologies and business models, we still have the ability to share with each other practical advice & experiences on what works well and what doesn’t, so that we can all plot better paths forward.
Every Thursday we release a professionally produced podcast with a 30- to 40-minute interview that has been recorded with a guest mentor relevant to the finance & accounting profession. These guest mentors share their real success stories and hard-won lessons which are not found in any textbooks or on LinkedIn profiles. Together with the interviewer they deconstruct their experiences into the key strengths, qualities and practical ‘baby’ steps that others can also follow. On Mondays there is the popular #SITN Monday Memo which is a 5-minute debrief on a topical issue or useful piece of practical advice in accounting & finance.
The show is accessible via: iTunes; Stitcher; Spotify; YouTube; and Soundcloud, with detailed time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources & ways to connect with guest mentors at www.sitnshow.com.
“You have this burning sensation to change and it needs to build and build before you tip over and are ready to change.”
An interesting thought from Michael Mills, this week’s guest mentor, on the key focus of our roles in Finance. We also discuss:
- The importance of putting the customer at the heart of every decision
- Tips to get up to ahead when starting on transformation programs
- Why finance professionals sometimes have to play the “agony aunt” role
- What is burningness and why is it important?
Check out sitnshow.com/ for detailed time stamped show notes, transcripts, links to resources and more guest mentor episodes and Monday Memos.
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ESG has been growing in popularity in recent years, however it also introduces an entirely new set of incentives for finance professionals to have to consider as part of our organizations’ decision making processes.
In this bite-sized episode we examine what ESG might mean for fellow finance professionals.
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“It's an opportunity that you can't manufacture that online.” An interesting comment from Aidana Zhakupbekova, this week’s guest mentor, on the key focus of our roles in Finance. We also discuss: - Making the most out of roles you’re not enjoying particularly earlier in our careers - A surprising early decision she made as start-up CFO - What is a summer office and why you can’t manufacture the experience online? - The importance of asking the question of how can I help? Check out sitnshow.com/ for detailed time stamped show notes, transcripts, links to resources and more guest mentor episodes and Monday Memos.
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As we approach the end of the summer in the Northern Hemisphere what key trends and patterns are we seeing emerging that might impact our outlooks as finance professionals for the remainder of the year?
In this bite-sized episode we share what some CEOs are currently saying from a recent Fortune Magazine survey.
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“When we share those skills with others, it's what really unlocks a lot of power within those”
An interesting take from Leona Mondsee, this week’s guest mentor, on the key focus of our roles in Finance. We also discuss: - How to get better recognition for your efforts. - The importance of engaging and sharing your skills - What business partnering means to Leona. - Why CFOs need to be closer to growth.
Check out sitnshow.com/ for detailed time stamped show notes, transcripts, links to resources and more guest mentor episodes and Monday Memos.
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Most finance professionals know that leveraging big data can result in amazing benefits to their organization with regards to cost and time reductions, improving decision-making, and product and service development. However they also know there are many challenges with it too
In this bite-sized episode we share what some of these challenges are and thoughts on how to overcome them.
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Given all the progress in digital technologies, work practices, finance knowledge, appreciation of the importance of good mental wellbeing and physical health why do I hear from our audience that often times finance teams are not progressing & developing as fast as they should and so risk being made irrelevant.
In this bite-sized episode we share with you why some Finance teams are stuck at sea and what can be done about it.
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A modern mantra we hear often to today is to fail fast and fail often, to show up with some vulnerability to our mistakes, but when it comes to our finance leaders some of us are perhaps a bit slower when it comes to admitting our failures and mistakes.
In this bite-sized episode we share with you why this is and some tips on what we can do about it.
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When you started your career in Finance what were your expectations? Was it for a fast, upward, linear, successful careers in return for working hard? Or were your expectations for a different curve?
Actually it turns out there or two general curves to Finance Career Happiness.
In this bite-sized episode we share with you what these are and how you can surf them.
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What’s actually in these numbers? Or Does that forecast include the challenge assumption we made? Where is it?
Have you ever spent the first few minutes of a meeting debating what the numbers really represented, the assumptions, latest up to date version, and so … ending up with everyone more confused than when it started?
In this bite-sized episode we share with you how this can happen from time to time as well as some ways finance can sort this out?
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Since more of us started working from home in finance a lot of the advice to leaders and budget holders is about how can they sustain the productivity of their people & teams working remotely in a hybrid environment, which is sort of more sort of hard stuff, as opposed to some of the softer things actually maybe overlooking like the power & benefits of showing kindness. In this bite-sized episode we share with you one of the surprising benefits some researchers identified in a recent HBR article as well as some tips on how we can also leverage the power of kindness at work in Finance.
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Good health, purpose, connection, love, learning, are vital to living our lives to the most we can. Organisations have similar vital requirements to generate the necessary cashflow to ensure it is a going concern, and even on a wider scale so does society too. In this bite-sized episode we share with you why the work of the modern finance professional is so vital.
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Imagine feeling powerless in a situation and not knowing what to do next, we’ve probably all been there however Adam Grant, author of Give and Take and the Originals, had this interesting idea of the power of powerless communications.
In this bite-sized episode we share with you the three key premises of his idea and when and when not to use them.
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Whether it is having to make a call on a particular business case; set a budget for a business unit or even resolve whether to take that promotion in another organization finance professionals have to advise on and make a lot of decisions in a very uncertain and complex environment. (It probably only gets more pressurized the more-experienced you are)
In this bite-sized episode we share with you some of the pointers from the Back to the Future movie franchise and the book “Thinking in Bets” by Annie Duke that make help you improve your chances of better decision outcomes.
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Given finance professionals operate in a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous world a lot of organizations are currently doing fundamental reviews of their business models to understand how they can accelerate the pace of change even further in such an environment.
In this bite-sized episode we share with you some of the pointers from McKinsey’s recent CFO survey and what it means for our finance teams and careers.
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There’s a lot going on at the moment, between wars, pandemics, technological changes, climate factors, but what if we’ve already been here before, what if we could look to the past to guide us so we know how best to respond?
In this bite-sized episode we share with you a brief review of the book, principles for dealing with the changing world order by Ray Dalio and what it means for our finance teams and careers.
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Link to charts and data: https://www.economicprinciples.org/DalioChangingWorldOrderCharts.pdf
Links upcoming events: Why the Best Finance and Procurement Leaders Work Together: https://www.p2pnetwork.org/events/p2p-transformation-summit.html Is finance business partnering still the route to success in a digital world?: https://summit.generationcfo.com/talks/is-business-partnering-the-next-step-for-finance/ Crafting Value: How Data/Digital is Reshaping FP&A: https://dynamic.afponline.org/fpaseries/p/1
“Finance is a door to everything, it's a foundation to everything.”
According to today’s guest mentor Gary Cox, who also helps us deconstruct on the #sitn podcast:
• The three things that FP&A practitioners are talking about • We discuss the role of the CFO and the sea change that is happening with it so that it has grown • How incentives and risk profiles play a bit role in how finance professionals should think about supporting business decisions • Why data is the foundation of all the things we want to do; and • Why accounting & finance professionals inherent scepticism is both terrible and wonderful
Check out https://sitnshow.com/ for detailed time stamped show notes, transcripts, links to resources and more guest mentor episodes and Monday Memos.
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According to a recent Microsoft Trends Index hybrid work is here to stay, and even though talent is now everywhere and productivity is higher, there is more exhaustion so how can finance professionals ensure that teams they’re part of continue to be higher performing?
In this bite-sized episode we share with you four areas to consider to build high performing teams in this hybrid world to ensure you do more of the right things more often.
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“When the rate of change on the outside is greater than the rate of change on the inside, then the end is near, right? You're in trouble.” According to today’s guest mentor Bryan Lapidus, who also helps us deconstruct on the #sitn podcast:
• The three things that FP&A practitioners are talking about • We discuss the role of the CFO and the sea change that is happening with it so that it has grown • How incentives and risk profiles play a bit role in how finance professionals should think about supporting business decisions • Why data is the foundation of all the things we want to do • Why accounting & finance professionals’ inherent scepticism is both terrible and wonderful
Check out https://sitnshow.com/ for detailed time stamped show notes, transcripts, links to resources and more guest mentor episodes and Monday Memos.
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Across the world, hundreds of thousands of finance professionals are leaving their jobs, their organizations and in some cases the profession entirely with 60% of HR leaders significantly concerned about employee turnover, causing urgent problems for finance leaders who rely on talent to achieve critical business outcomes, a problem also called the Great Resignation
In this bite-sized episode we share with you how to categorize this attrition crisis for finance leaders & professionals as well as two key questions you can ask to ensure you do more of the right things more often.
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Link to short Gartner video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvC8UfRA13o
“They are the architects of your organization”
An interesting take from Francesca Valli on the role of the CFO and Finance & Accounting organization with regards the rapid evolution of technology who also shares with:
- How Artificial intelligence is really cognitive intelligence automation when applied to finance & accounting teams
- Three things finance can do to become the architects of our organizations
- Why Technology is more an evolution than revolution and how we can benefit from the current technology trends in accounting & finance.
Check out sitnshow.com/ for detailed time stamped show notes, transcripts, links to resources and more guest mentor episodes and Monday Memos.
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It’s so simple a kid can understand it!
This is what came up in a conversation off air during a podcast interview we had recently.
In this bite-sized episode we share with you this bit of advice and how it can help you as you set yourself up to do more of the right things more often in Finance.
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“That's what we as accountants do, we put structures to things.”
Great advice from this week's guest mentor Ifeoma Okonkwo who shares with:
- An introduction to where finance & accounting teams can drive value in their organizations.
- The importance of having good foundations and what these might look like
- Her Eureka moment and current work in the music industry with artists.
- How to consider monetizing intangible assets, creative works and valuing intellectual property.
- Why Ifeoma recommends that finance professionals collaborate more with each other.
Check out sitnshow.com/ for detailed time stamped show notes, transcripts, links to resources and more guest mentor episodes and Monday Memos.
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Why do cars have brake pedals? And the answer is not always necessarily for the functional reason of bringing the car to a complete emergency stop.
It’s more psychological, it’s to allow the driver to go faster in the knowledge that if there’s a risk on the road ahead, that it is possible for them to take evasive action or slow down to better assess it. for it to come to a stop.
In this bite-sized episode we share with you 4 reasons why cyber risk management can be seen as that brake pedal to help businesses slow down to go faster towards driving business value.
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“Cyber is a material risk that must be treated appropriately, but there's a second responsibility that I really want to point out, which is you have to make sure that the cybersecurity budget is creating as much business value as possible.”
Great advice from this week's guest mentor Kip Boyle who shares with us the importance of:
- Why Cyber should be now treated as a material risk to the going concern of an organization.
- The important role Finance leaders can play in cyber risk management as well as the potential pitfalls to be aware of.
- Emerging trends in cyber risk management.
- And we go through a 4-dimensional model to help frame and prioritize resource allocation decisions involving cyber risk management.
Check out sitnshow.com/ for detailed time stamped show notes, transcripts, links to resources and more guest mentor episodes and Monday Memos.
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“We tend to overestimate the effect of a technology in the short run and underestimate the effect in the long run.” Roy Amara futurist.
We’ve lately had some guest mentors talking about the applications of AI in #finance and #accounting during their interviews so in this bite-sized episode we share with you 3 key decisions and 3 key catalysts to maximize the return on our AI Initiatives.
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“I think leadership is all about values, the kind of values that resonate with you as an individual.”
Great advice from this week's guest mentor Sangeeta Sumesh who shares with us the importance of:
- Transitioning from an executive CFO role towards an entrepreneurial path
- Deconstructing Leadership and values in a memorable way
- What possessed her to write a thriller book as well as other finance books
- Managing yourself, the most important thing we need to be doing as a modern finance professional
Check out sitnshow.com/ for detailed time stamped show notes, transcripts, links to resources and more guest mentor episodes and Monday Memos.
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“Alone we can go fast, together we can go far,” African proverb.
This how I ended the talk I was giving to an audience of Finance & Accounting professionals earlier this week and it helped answer a question from the audience about ways in which we could add value in our own teams.
In this bite-sized episode we share with you the SAS approach to where and how Finance teams can add value.
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“So from a forecasting perspective, it's not about getting the right forecast, but it's understanding what the boundaries might be of the possible outcomes that you face.”
Great advice from this week's guest mentor Gordon Stuart who shares with us the importance of:
- the purpose of forecasting really is and how Gordon draws from his early consulting experiences with McKinsey has informed how he approaches his Finance work
- We examine artificial intelligence (AI) and why businesses are slow in adopting technologies like this but also where it can be readily deployed in Finance
- The real objective of communication and where finance professionals can improve the effectiveness of their communications with decision makers
- The importance of collecting experiences like badges
Check out sitnshow.com/ for detailed time stamped show notes, transcripts, links to resources and more guest mentor episodes and Monday Memos.
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“Self-awareness comes from asking and answering hard questions,” Stephen Covey.
In this bite-sized episode we share with you two worrying statistics finance leaders and professionals need to be mindful of and how also three potential approaches to address them.
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“Crowdfunding is not just a funding exercise. It's also a marketing exercise.”
Great advice from this week's guest mentor Nicole Denholder who shares with us the importance of:
- Women and Entrepreneurship, some baby steps to take to improve the chances of success & where Finance professionals can particularly help
- How to adjust our lenses to try and help balance the diversity in investment and business
- Challenges and Opportunities for women entrepreneurs & finance professionals
- What is FemTech and the current innovations emerging from it.
Check out sitnshow.com/ for detailed time stamped show notes, transcripts, links to resources and more guest mentor episodes and Monday Memos.
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“Catch someone doing something right,” Ken Blanchard.
Organizations benefit from team members being more kind to each other. In workplaces where acts of kindness become the norm, the spillover effects can multiply fast. When people receive an act of kindness, they pay it back and not just to the same person, but often to someone entirely new according to an article in the HBR. This leads to a culture of generosity in an organization.
In this bite-sized episode we share with you how finance professionals can encourage more opportunities to give compliments to improve the impact and influence they make at work.
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“We can work on our weaknesses, but embrace your strengths, find and get the right people around who can make up for your shortfall or your weaknesses. That's the key thing.”
Great advice from this week's guest mentor Philip Quinn who shares with us the importance of: - Finance and business in sports - Balancing your job and your passion - What was it like being acting-CEO during a key period - Managing working from home
Check out sitnshow.com/ for detailed time stamped show notes, transcripts, links to resources and more guest mentor episodes and Monday Memos.
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“Only that which is invisible is essential.”
Some of you might recognise that from what the fox says to the little prince in the book of the same name, but the most valuable things to finance professionals cannot be seen with the naked eye, nor are they ledger balances and numbers on financial statements.
In this bite-sized episode I share with you a useful tool to make some of the valuable and usually intangible things more visible so you can find more value in your career and non-career activities.
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“The point I'm making [is] where it says the purpose of business should not be to increase profits only. It should be to find profitable solution to the problems of this planet and its people.”
Great advice from this week's guest mentor Bertrand Badré who shares with us the importance of:
- How a key lunch meeting as an investment banker led into some amazing opportunities
- Why we’re at the start of a new revolution changing the world through finance
- Why finance is a good servant, but poor master
- The main new global challenges to us today & why we have all the pieces to the jigsaw now to do something about them
- Why we need trailblazers and pioneers.
- Accepting the risks of making mistakes and moving to action
Check out sitnshow.com/ for detailed time stamped show notes, transcripts, links to resources and more guest mentor episodes and Monday Memos.
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How Virtual will the Finance Team of the Future Be?
The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically changed the lives and behaviour of people across the globe. We have had to adapt to different ways of shopping, learning, socializing, working, celebrating, doing business, and much more.
In this bite-sized episode I deconstruct a research report sent to me by Zoom to assess how Virtual will the Finance Team of the Future Be.
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Link to report: https://explore.zoom.us/docs/en-us/future-of-video-conferencing.html
In Finance & Accounting what's working, what's up and coming, and where can we drive towards a better future for all of us where we're doing more of the right things more often? On today’s podcast we share a recording of our livestream from #GenCFOBootcamp with some special guests who: - Give us a quick recap on the key insights from the bootcamp - The importance of taking imperfect action in this increasingly digital world - A strategy for navigating all the demands and skills required of a “modern accountant” - Some practical tips on how to get the most out of training & workshops so you get the benefits sooner and for longer
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What has completing a jigsaw puzzle got to do with having a meaningful finance career?
I’m always on the lookout for a good analogy to share, so in this bite-sized episode I share our careers are a bit like putting together a jigsaw puzzle without the full picture on the box and how we can quickly get around this to get the most out of your career and non-career activities.
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“Asking open questions is really important. We quite often hide the answer in the question. So we're leading somebody with our questions. So really asking why and what and who, and how, all of those things … They get the individual thinking about the answer in more detail.”
Great advice from this week's guest mentor Louise Miller who shares with us the importance of:
- Both on the job experience and certifications in our finance careers
- Having an opinion when analysing data
- Taking a forward-looking perspective
- Digitalization and investments Check out sitnshow.com/ for detailed time stamped show notes, transcripts, links to resources and more guest mentor episodes and Monday Memos.
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What has a hosepipe got to do with your efforts, and helping them go further?
I’m always on the lookout for a good analogy to share, so in this bite-sized episode I share the opportunities this one presents to get the most out of your career and non-career activities.
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“Everything is about thinking ahead, looking ahead where you want to go, before you actually go to that meeting or meet that person or take that action. So always be prepared and look ahead.”
Great advice from this week's guest mentor Cecile Francais who shares with us:
- The importance of seizing opportunities
- How finance professionals can best engage with people and challenge existing practice
- Why we should trust not only our training but also our intuition about the data
Check out sitnshow.com/ for detailed time stamped show notes, transcripts, links to resources and more guest mentor episodes and Monday Memos.
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What has the financializaton of traditional industries mean for finance teams?
Over the last couple decades there has been an increasing financialization of entire industries with the emergence of Airbnb; Uber; Amazon; Netflix and so on where a lot of companies that don't necessarily own assets or generate profits in the same way as traditional companies used to but have nonetheless fetched very high market valuations.
In this bite-sized episode I share some of the risks and opportunities this presents for the modern finance team.
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“Knowing your craft, that's table stakes, there's no substitute for hard work. But rolling up your sleeves and being collaborative with other people is a real art.”
According to today’s guest mentor Sebastian Grady, who also helps us deconstruct on the #sitn podcast:
- Why is software so valuable today and some ways of maximising ROI from it.
- The relationships between CFOs and CIOs, how these have evolved during the last year.
- His personal experiences with Fortune 100 CIOs particularly how the pandemic has accelerated them making things happen during the past year that would have otherwise taken much longer.
- Key insights from their recent global finance survey of 1572 CFOs and finance leaders
- The importance of doubling down on the business case.
Check out https://sitnshow.com/ for detailed time stamped show notes, transcripts, links to resources and more guest mentor episodes and Monday Memos.
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Insights
“Why Do Chief Data Officers Fail?”
This was the headline of an article I read during the week and got me thinking since finance professionals rely so much on data too are there any signals or traps we need to be aware of so we don’t make the same mistakes.
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“It doesn't matter whether you're right or wrong, it only matters how much you lose when you're wrong and how much you make when you're right.”
A quote from George Soros excellently recounted by today’s guest mentor Chris Belchamber, who also helps us deconstruct on the #sitn podcast: • The importance of aggressively managing risk over chasing returns; • What’s System 1 and System 2 thinking and how finance professionals and leaders can use this knowledge to their advantage; and • Where the astute investors are being clever with their capital and put their money today.
Check out https://sitnshow.com/ for detailed time stamped show notes, transcripts, links to resources and more guest mentor episodes and Monday Memos.
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“What’s the difference between Digitalization and Digital Transformation?” Is a question I had recently and given recent Gartner research points to the fact that 85% of finance teams are undergoing some sort of transformation at the moment digital is a key element in delivering the expected outcomes from such activites. In this bite-sized episode I share a useful model to breakout digital in finance.
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“I truly believe that you need to have your expertise to go deep, but always keep your eyes open what's around you because you never know what next step might come up.”
According to today’s guest mentor Michael Lengenfelder, who also helps us deconstruct on the #sitn podcast:
• How to move forward in your career path and transition between many different operational & leadership hats and finance. • The importance of storytelling in finance and business and having more a journalistic mindset. • How finance professionals can more effectively engage in storytelling to help with better decision making.
Check out https://sitnshow.com/ for detailed time stamped show notes, transcripts, links to resources and more guest mentor episodes and Monday Memos.
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Storytelling
Why are CFOs not always rational? It’s a provocative statement, however it’s a play on the title of a book I’m reading called The Irrational Ape by David Robert Grimes about why we fall for disinformation conspiracy theory and propaganda, and CFOs are not immune from this. In this bitesized episode I explain a bit more behind this, share some examples on how we can become more aware of it and a couple steps we can begin to use to overcome the adverse impacts of irrationality.
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“So as long as we continue in this role using finance and numbers, I feel that the world is our oyster. You can go into any role you want in the company.”
According to today’s guest mentor Quin SQ Thong, who also helps us deconstruct on the #sitn podcast:
- What we mean by strategic learning and the importance of expanding our skillsets as accountants
- How to transition from a finance role into a company leadership role
- How to leverage your finance skills into building social enterprises
- The importance of frameworks in helping accomplish goals in your current role and beyond
Check out https://sitnshow.com/ for detailed time stamped show notes, transcripts, links to resources and more guest mentor episodes and Monday Memos.
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Leadership
Work-life balance as a goal?
That’s what someone asked me and whilst it seemed a very noble target to aim for it’s also probably a tricky question to answer. In this bite-sized episode I explain why as well as some thoughts on how finance professionals can approach this question.
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“When I think about pricing, I think about it as not only do I have to get the number right, but I have to be able to communicate the value so people are willing to pay that number.”
According to today’s guest mentor Mark Stiving, who also helps us deconstruct on the #sitn podcast:
• How finance professionals typically think about the word “value.” • The significance of thinking in will I and which one terms • Why finance people are the best (have so many tools that help capturing value) and not the best for pricing value • Two key trends in pricing to keep an eye out for, particularly subscription based models
Check out https://sitnshow.com/ for detailed time stamped show notes, transcripts, links to resources and more guest mentor episodes and Monday Memos.
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Pricing
“Are you Solving the Right Problems?” It’s a well-known legend about the millions NASA invested in developing a ballpoint pen that could write in zero gravity only to realise they were solving the wrong problem, a pencil, which is what the Russian cosmonauts were using would be sufficient to solve the problem of writing in space. In this bite-sized episode I share 3 ways we can ensure if we’re answering this question so that we avoid wasted energy and time, plus have something that is genuinely meaningful to contribute from our efforts.
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“Education, it's a continuous journey. And finance leaders should really cultivate the environment where that's expected.”
According to today’s guest mentor Himashi Soriano, who also helps us deconstruct on the #sitn podcast:
• The importance of upskilling and education • The objectives of the Association for Financial Professionals (AFP) • The advantages of an FP&A certification and training • The key capability gaps in digital finance • The role of a finance professional in the digital age
Check out https://sitnshow.com/ for detailed time stamped show notes, transcripts, links to resources and more guest mentor episodes and Monday Memos.
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Upskilling
“We must create a level playing field.”
Is a key and noble ideal in society but does it really work for the finance & accounting team?
In this bite-sized episode I share some research I did into meritocracies as part of trying to develop a better rewards system in my team and perhaps some ideas that might work as an alternative given the nature of the work we do as finance professionals.
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“Beyond oxygen and water relationship and money, are two necessities that we cannot live without start with building great strong relationships, meaningful long-term relationships, the money will come.”
According to today’s guest mentor Alice Tang, who also helps us deconstruct on the #sitn podcast:
• The importance of letting people be themselves • The significance of trust in personal and business relationships to build prosperity for all • How to practically start building trust and nurturing your network • What is the 50:50 Initiative and how we can build on the success of its 20:20 forerunner
Check out https://sitnshow.com/ for detailed time stamped show notes, transcripts, links to resources and more guest mentor episodes and Monday Memos.
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Relationships
“We need to limit population growth to save the planet.”
Was what my son said to me when doing a recent science project, however I wasn’t so sure.
In this bite-sized episode I share some thoughts on even if we chose to reduce population growth why this might be difficult to achieve given current demographic projects and also delve into some the interesting details or where growth is happening and what this means for us as finance professionals.
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Link to video mentioned in podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LyzBoHo5EI
“When it comes to KPIs don't be intimidated by the size of the task. Doing one thing that you weren't doing in terms of measurement is much better than thinking about a perfect system that you never implement. So get started. Keep it simple.”
According to today’s guest mentor Bernie Smith, who also helps us deconstruct on the #sitn podcast:
• One of the biggest problems with KPIs particularly for well-meaning accountants and finance professionals. • Why there are only a handful of true KPIs and how to stop the KPI vine weeds from growing so we can find the gold bars. • Why it is possible to pretty much measure anything particularly when it comes to uncertainty reduction. • Target setting & incentives, a critique of SMART objectives & a simple control to prevent gaming of the system.
Check out https://sitnshow.com/ for detailed time stamped show notes, transcripts, links to resources and more guest mentor episodes and Monday Memos.
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KPIs
“You can’t measure everything!”
Was what a senior finance executive said to me as I began to challenge her to help me understand how she assessed the performance of individual members of her team on the intangible property of “how” they went about their work. It’s a dangerous myth that particular impacts accountants and CPAs and I share in this bite-sized episode some useful advice on not only dispelling this myth but also to use it to our advantage as finance professionals.
FinanceMentor
SITN
“From my point of view, one of the key element is the ownership mindset, taking actual ownership for this topic together with the team and coming and providing actual ideas and solutions and figure out if these ideas would fly.”
According to today’s guest mentor Nima Motazed, who also helps us deconstruct on the #sitn podcast: • The advantages of having an ownership mindset. • The value of constant learning to the journey of an individual. • How to efficiently build your own professional network. • Different approaches in tackling the right solution for any problem. Check out https://sitnshow.com/ for detailed time stamped show notes, transcripts, links to resources and more guest mentor episodes and Monday Memos.
financementor
awardwinningfinance
“Show Me The Money”
This is one of the most well-known lines from the movie Jerry Maguire, but there are other lessons in the movie which I share in this bite-sized episode that are useful advice on having more successful and meaningful careers in Finance.
FinanceMentor
SITN
“We have to know the market, not to a granular level, but in a big, good overview, which is linked to the second part. How those numbers translate into business value, because then that's how we can make a difference.”
According to today’s guest mentor Jing Zhang, who also helps us deconstruct on the #sitn podcast: - How Jing started her finance career by moving from a US public accounting firm to a Chinese corporate and now as a leader of an Asian corporation. - How to best support business stakeholders in meeting the business objectives. - The importance of translating data to numbers, to stories and to business values. - The key habits and behaviours of finance professionals in career development. - Actions to take on ensuring a successful IPO. Check out https://sitnshow.com/ for detailed time stamped show notes, transcripts, links to resources and more guest mentor episodes and Monday Memos.
financementor
impact
Ask Your Developer!
That’s what Finance teams should be doing. In this bite-sized episode I share some three thoughts on how Finance teams and professionals can harness the power of software developers to win in the 21st century.
Link to book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0063018292
FinanceMentor
SITN
“We have to think about ultimately taking what we do in person, which is creating connections, building the know, like, and trust and translating that online.”
According to today’s guest mentor Katie Thomas, who also helps us deconstruct on the #sitn podcast: - How Katie started her career in marketing and now focuses on helping other professionals become online thought leaders. - The 4Cs process of creating connections. (Choose, Connect, Convert, Create) - How know, like and trust works in the digital era of marketing. - How to build and connect your online presence to other key influencers. Check out https://sitnshow.com/ for detailed time stamped show notes, transcripts, links to resources and more guest mentor episodes and Monday Memos.
financementor
awardwinningfinance
What’s the Year of the Ox have in Store for Finance Professionals?
Given we’ve just moved from the Chinese Year of the Rat, and all the turbulence that we’ve just experienced during it, what might the Year of the Ox have for finance and accounting professionals?
In this bite-sized episode our #SITN co-host Wei Chien & I come together to share some thoughts on what the year of the Ox might hold in store and look like for finance professionals as well as sound out some good areas for us to focus on before we go into the year of the Tiger in 11 months’ time.
FinanceMentor
SITN
“You’re only as good as the people gathered around you. And therefore if you put amazing people around you, how good do you look? So be confident in that and build the team around you that are absolutely amazing.”
According to today’s guest mentor Stephen Sutcliffe, who also helps us deconstruct on the #sitn podcast:
- his career strategies and how he finally became the head of the largest F&A Shared service in the world.
- The importance of having a solid foundation in the technicals for successful financial career development.
- The significance of teamwork, mentorship and leadership in reaching success in the organization.
- How to bring value and skills to the benefit of the organization.
- The influence and future impact of technology in finance
Check out https://sitnshow.com/ for detailed time stamped show notes, transcripts, links to resources and more guest mentor episodes and Monday Memos.
financementor
awardwinningfinance
What’s a Cameraman & Helicopter Got To Do With Your Finance Career? During the week I had a conversation helping a fellow finance professional through their career bone diagram and we got onto the tricky question of how best to create value and develop skills around that to get from where he was to where he wanted to get to so he could deliver the outcomes and key success factors expected of him in his new role. It brought up an analogy of the cameraman and helicopter pilot. So in this bite-sized episode I share some thoughts on a framework that has served me well to help answer these questions enabling you to relentlessly focus on delivering the right value in your career.
FinanceMentor
SITN
“There's a lot of youth out there that need mentoring and help. And, if it is not up to us to support these individuals, who's going to bring talents up in the future?”
According to today’s guest mentor Hiten Keshave, who also helps us deconstruct on the #sitn podcast:
• How Hiten started his career in finance and entrepreneurship • How to ensure a good return of investment through marketing • The importance of mentorship as well as knowing your reasons for seeking it out. • How to steer people through cultural change.
Check out https://sitnshow.com/ for detailed time stamped show notes, transcripts, links to resources and more guest mentor episodes and Monday Memos.
financementor
mentoring
How do you make sure that you’re implementing the right strategy you want to implement? You watch where your resources flow, what we call the resource allocation process. If this is not supporting the strategy you’ve decided upon and built goals around then you run the risk of hitting some serious problems. In this bite-sized episode I share some thoughts on 3 areas we can avoid mistakes in our own resource allocation process.
FinanceMentor
SITN
“Really ask the tough questions and see where the value can be created. And then often there are opportunities.”
According to today’s guest mentor Tom Fencl, CFO of PriceFx, who also helps us deconstruct on the #sitn podcast:
- Answering the question who is responsible for pricing and its 3 dimensions.
- The Important qualities of good finance professionals and a great tip on learning quickly.
- The important distinction value and cost, as well as how one helps you maximise/optimise and the other you tend to minimise.
- How Finance can gain leverage by better adopting technology to streamline the business process.
Check out https://sitnshow.com/ for detailed time stamped show notes, transcripts, links to resources and more guest mentor episodes and Monday Memos.
financementor
pricing
Can Finance Save the World?
This was the title of a book that came to my attention by Bertrand Badré and which I read over the Holidays. As much as it was directed at the global financial system and was a nice refresher of some of the challenges we have to conquer as a society. It also got me thinking, can the #finance team save the world too?
In this bite-sized episode I share some thoughts on 3 areas we can help.
FinanceMentor
SITN
Put in comments: Link to book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Finance-Save-World-Bertrand-Badre/dp/1523094214
“You have to have that passion … work very hard to build alliances around the organization and not just with senior people, but with the people in the middle who actually do most of the work.”
According to today’s guest mentor Amy Radin, who also helps us deconstruct on the #sitn podcast:
- How Amy convinced her colleagues to do a major jump into digital, far from the traditional ways of her organization.
- How she gained the support of her colleagues in investing in uncertainty and the importance of senior-level sponsorship in making it happen.
- How Amy’s expertise as a corporate innovator and startup advisor got her a leading role within the finance community.
- The importance of resourcefulness in any endeavour.
financementor
innovation
What is it that finance professionals can do to become remarkable?
When you’ve a product achieving at a remarkable level like the iPhone has, people tell their friends and colleagues about it, and those friends and colleagues tell their friends and colleagues and so on. You might also challenge that despite the everyday technological advances the newer iPhones aren’t radical evolutions of the last one, but they are generally still highly successful products, you could say remarkable. In fact, a lot of the successful things that have gone into the iPhone remarkable are also being done remarkable finance professionals.
In this bite-sized episode I do my best to describe a number of things finance professionals can do to become remarkable.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
AccountingAndAccountants
“Saying hello doesn't have an ROI. It's about building relationships.” Gary Vaynerchuk
I was reviewing the Finance Mentors’ Handbook this week and whilst going through the index I discovered one of the most frequently used words was relationships so I guess this must be quite important to be a successful modern finance professional. So we’ve pulled together a special on how to practically build relationships within modern finance today from all parts of our worlds, even virtual.
We’ve included six short segments from guest mentors on #sitn to share with you on how they’ve developed relationships across all parts of the globe and various business functions. Enjoy!
- The art of finance professionals building relationships.
- Moving from the backseat to the front row
- Finding the commonalities such as food to build connections across continents
- How to engage with other departments.
- Why LinkedIn is a great place to build relationships.
- The value of being the gofer
How do we decide which opportunity or initiative is the right one to take? How do we do this at work? Or outside of work? Given the Gallup organisation estimate 69% of employees are not engaged in their work, is that because we are picking the wrong opportunities? Surely our work should excite us? In this Monday memo I share threes steps to focus on how to pick the right opportunity.
FinanceMentor
SITN
Opportunity
“We need to bring input and value to the business.” according to our guest mentor Stéphanie Didier who helps us deconstruct on todays’ episode:
- Gaining experience of international roles whilst having a family and approaching her career progression.
- Why technology helping finance transformation will help finance become more critical to the business.
- 4 key components of how to practically become a better finance business partner.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/314.
FinancialMentor
SITN
Value
How can finance professionals help innovators?
Innovation is vital in business and in our workplaces because it gives us an edge in penetrating markets faster and provides us faster feedback into what best adds value to our customer and stakeholders enabling a potential path forward as a going concern and towards sustained profitable growth.
I came across an old story from the book, the Innovator’s Dilemma, and in this bite-sized episode I share this one big way that Finance can help Innovators make better decisions.
FinanceMentor
SITN
Innovation
"We shouldn't forget that the information is always there to persuade everything in life, including everything at work is to persuade someone.”
according to our guest mentor Amrish Shah who helps us deconstruct on todays’ episode:
- Three ways people can build up experience of better decision making.
- The steps we can take as finance professionals and leaders of teams so we can all become more visible.
- Establishing Credibility & having a continuous improvement mindset to create value in other functional processes.
- The characteristics, or 8Cs, a modern finance professional (but especially for business finance roles) we should be aspiring to
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/312.
FinancialMentor
SITN
modernfinance
Is there a need for more speed in Finance? I was recently sent an infographic that suggested 73% of Finance professionals faced pressure to speed up. On the one hand this is no surprise and on the other is speed really the most important thing to our stakeholders? In this bite-sized episode I share some thoughts on how we handle this question.
FinanceMentor
SITN
Speed
"The more informed I am the more business insights I have.” according to our guest mentor Ronald Huamán Hilario who helps us deconstruct on todays’ episode:
- Why it’s important to eat frogs and focus on the critical matters.
- Why improving soft skills is a bit like learning new music and why it’s important to blend hard and soft skills to be a keynote professional.
- The importance of a growth mindset to remain relevant and ahead of technology.
- Why we should be collaborating more and building connections with empathy even virtually
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/310.
FinancialMentor
SITN
Softskills
Is stress at work a good thing? Successful Finance professionals have to be able to support effective decision making in stressful scenarios however when there are conditions of stress work most people do counterproductive things and are not at their best selves. In this bite-sized episode I share some findings from an expert on dealing with stress as well as three actions you can take to effectively dealing with stress at work.
FinanceMentor
SITN
Stress
"When you think about it, who's the most trusted executive in a given company, and it's almost always the CFO,”
according to our guest mentor Jack McCullough who helps us deconstruct on todays’ episode:
- His thoughts on how he thinks CFOs are doing today with the current challenges of a pandemic, climate change, economic turmoil, etc… and how this current crop are different to conventional CFOs.
- What are the right steps for a controller to become a CFO.
- What Jack meant by his Forbes article when he described the agile CFO, as innovative, collaborative, and visionary.
- What most Rockstar CFOs are doing and the importance of ethical leadership
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/308.
FinancialMentor
SITN
CFO
Would a 4-Day Work Week Work In Finance?
This question piqued my interest after it appeared in the local news and also following a poll from a well-known accounting body.
In this bite-sized episode I share some of my research findings as well as thoughts on the pros and cons about going down this route.
FinanceMentor
SITN
WorkingSmarter
" Being sustainable is really nice, but it's too expensive” which is what one business owner said to our guest mentor Colin Banning who helps us deconstruct on todays’ episode: - What going “Beyond the spreadsheet” means for the triple bottom line - Based on his work with the UN, where we can start facilitating better adoption of corporate reporting and culture around ESG objectives and SDGs - How to get SMEs involved in the process of what is seen as “expensive” sustainable reporting - The importance of cross-functional collaboration and perspectives to improving reporting capabilities and cultures and gaining “exposure opportunities.” If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/306.
FinancialMentor
SITN
Sustainability
“One of the key assets of a great business partner is to provide insights to their stakeholders.” Simone Collins
And to arrive at these insights, we must connect these dots. On today’s Monday Memo I share 3 tips from a blog written by Simone on how we can hone our connecting the dot skills.
FinanceMentor
SITN
connectingthedots
"If you stay in your comfort zone you will probably achieve a little more with what you already have … but if you ever want to go further than where you are today it’s probably going to be you doing something that’s outside of what you’re comfortable with today”
as our guest mentor Terrell A. Turner will help us deconstruct for todays’ episode where we also examine:
- The 3 key building blocks to Terrell’s career progression:
- Great advice & examples on how to safely push yourself out of your comfort zone
- The story behind how Business Talk Library came to being
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/304.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ComfortZone
Is a hard benefit more important than a soft one?
I had this question put to me recently and it got me thinking, is one more important than the other. Do business cases with hard benefits always get approved or are the softer ones more important but difficult to get a CFO to buy-into them?
I share some thoughts about the hard/soft benefit spectrum on today’s Monday Memo.
FinanceMentor
SITN
benefits
"Financial considerations impact virtually every significant management decision we make in businesses & society.”
A rather special episode today where Andrew has the tables turned on him as he is interviewed by Talita Ferreira as part of the Global Leadership Hypothesis series. Together they deconstruct:
• The definition of a great leader • How to start unlocking your potential in accounting & finance and what is holding some back • A common misconception people have about him
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/302.
FinancialMentor
SITN
Leadership
Being seen as defensive in accounting & finance has historically been seen as a good thing, however is it always the case?
In this bite-sized episode I share some thoughts on where defensiveness is positive, it’s challenges if we’re looking to build influence, impact and meaningful carrers and also four steps on how to deal with it better.
FinanceMentor
SITN
defensiveness
"It’s all about speed to insight at the speed of thought,”
as our guest mentor Brian Kalish will help us deconstruct for todays’ episode as well as:
- How to push forward the evolution of the FP&A profession
- The holistic role of FP&A and its reporting structure in the business
- Building your support structure as we progress into the new normal that nobody knows what it looks like
- How we can leverage the right technology over time to reach out to others in the profession
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/300.
FinancialMentor
SITN
FPA
“Doing the best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment.” Oprah Winfrey.
There’s no doubt about it, we’re leaving in very strange and uncertain times which has adversely impacted a number of those in our finance community.
So In this bite-sized episode I share how some fellow finance professionals are managing through this adversity and ideas on how we can help each other.
FinanceMentor
SITN
community
" I would say the accounting gives you that good foundation being able to transition or pivot into other areas”
According to today’s guest mentor Taiwo Okwor who also deconstructs with us: - The strong foundations of accounting & finance enabling it easier to transition into investment & Development Finance - Her work with Femme-Minty helping women to become money confident and equipping them to make the best financial decisions for themselves, their community and society at large - On the main blockers to people becoming a bit more financially savvy and making more confident financial decisions
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/298.
FinancialMentor
SITN
Development
“There are no jobs on a dead planet.” Judy Bonds
This was taken from a couple documentaries I recently watched which detailed some actions Business & Finance can take to help create a more stable natural and financial system otherwise there will be no jobs on a dead planet .
In this bite-sized episode I share some key thoughts from the documentaries on what we can do.
FinanceMentor
SITN
OurPlanet
"If you are a business CFO you have to deep dive into the business nuances” as our guest mentor Anand Soni will help us deconstruct for todays’ episode how to: - Gain confidence in managing the business through: o competing with yourself everyday o self-belief - The role of the Business CFO and its responsibilities - The Business CFO vs a regular CFO If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/296.
FinancialMentor
SITN
businessCFO
“Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.” Miles Kingston
This is one of my favourite sayings because it’s so simple, just because we know something to be right or technically true, doesn’t mean it always works out that way, or is obvious to others.
In this bite-sized episode I share some thoughts on the importance of wisdom over knowledge in particularly in modern day finance and how we can use this to our advantage.
FinanceMentor
SITN
Widsom
“Curiosity will conquer fear even more than bravery will.” James Stephens
In this week’s episode we are joined on four prior guest mentors Marcus Thelwell, Khaled Chowdhury, Andi Lonnen and Indran Purushothaman who help us better understand the value of curiosity in Finance & Accounting and share with us practical ways on how we can be curious. We cover:
- What the premium of curiosity looks like
- How understanding the end to end of a business helps our curiosity.
- Where curiosity fits in the 9 skills required in this Age of the Accountant.
- The importance of having curiosity about what we’re doing on a daily basis.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/294.
FinancialMentor
SITN
Curiosity
They say a picture paints a thousand words, but a good friend of mine Chris Argent from #GenerationCFO ran a poll recently around what level of business information are you producing as part of a panel with two other thought leaders on Finance Analytics Jesper Sorenson and Brian Kalish at the #Finex summit?
In this bite-sized episode I deconstruct the poll results and share a few thoughts on why this should concern us and how we can level up our analytics in accounting & finance.
FinanceMentor
SITN
Analytics
" Leadership is what happened in your absence” as our guest mentor Shiva Vilayanur will help us deconstruct for todays’ episode where we also go through how to:
- Help the business reach its goal and creating value to it by:
- Being brilliant with the basics
- Doing the more advanced stuff
- Be comfortable with ambiguity
- Know what the Finance and accounting professional should capitalize on
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/292.
FinancialMentor
SITN
strategy
What is a business? What is an accountant? If you’ve ever asked these questions to a classroom full of 10- and 11-year olds you get a load of hands go up, they’re bursting to throw something out there, even if it’s a guess or not. I love that curiosity and eagerness to learn. However, ask the same questions in a lecture hall to a group of undergraduates or even postgraduates and that same enthusiasm, just doesn’t seem to be there. So what’s changed? Where has that curiosity and eagerness gone? Does it matter? In this bite-sized episode I share a few tips on how we can become more curious in accounting & finance.
FinanceMentor
SITN
Curiosity
" Everything moves so quickly. You don't have the ability to look back and reflect … expect the unexpected,” according to this week’s guest mentor Phil Thorne who helps deconstruct with us: - The growing paradigm shift Phil sees emerging in society and finance & accountings role - How we can break out from our old mechanistic ways and move more towards being more like an evolving organism - What successful finance teams are doing to help operations really simplify and actually be of more value with them to the business - The three laws of Agile If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/290.
FinancialMentor
SITN
agile
Want to know more about how finance & accounting can better predict the future with data analytics?
In this bite-sized episode I share a taster of some potential avenues we’ll be exploring at #finex on Wednesday.
FinanceMentor
SITN
Development
https://www.finexsummit.com/
"The most important place to start to implement any strategy is to start with people,” according to this week’s guest mentor Chris E. Ortega who helps deconstruct with us: - The 4 building blocks for FP&A professionals that have emerged during this pandemic: • Agility • Empowerment • Remote • Leveraging technology - An interesting sporting passion where strategy can trump physical prowess and how it helped his career - How to start implementing your strategy with people first, then process and technology - Best connecting with your people as you connect with other areas of the business
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/288.
FinancialMentor
SITN
empowerment
There are two types of people in Modern Finance & Accounting, those that are frustrated with their jobs and feel like they are going sideways in their careers, and then there are those who seem to have the dream job, enjoying the autonomy, control, influence, and rewards from being involved in the most meaningful decisions because they know what career capital is and how to leverage it. In this bite-sized episode I share a few thoughts on what Career Capital is and how we can all leverage it Finance to find and live that dream job and career path.
FinanceMentor
SITN
CareerCapital
" It’s about selecting the right model that applies to your data then fine tune it to give you the best output,” according to today's guest mentor Ashok Manthena who also helps us deconstruct on this episode:
- Why Start-up companies adapt to machine learning technology faster and why mature ones are reluctant to invest in it
- How machine learning makes forecasting easier in finance and why an appropriate rate of accuracy is an important consideration
- And different machine learning models to get a start on in Finance
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/286.
FinancialMentor
SITN
machinelearning
What is de-globalisation and why is it important for today’s finance professional?
Up until the current pandemic the world had never been more physically close, opening up more opportunities and risks for international trade. However there have also been growing calls to support and protect industries and domestic resources, with such measures contributing to deglobalisation. International companies face the pressure to balance these two conflicting business features while maintaining a viable operation to generate value on the investment from stakeholders In this bite-sized episode I share a few thoughts from a recent article by Simone Collins which takes a brief look at the market forces, regulatory and economic policies that drive deglobalisation and how finance teams can help .
FinanceMentor
SITN
De-Globalisation
"Figure out what you really love, that will give you energy” some fantastic advice from our guest mentor Caroline Webb who also helps us deconstruct on today’s episode, how we can:
• Figure out how to do more of what you love and you'll have more impact in your career • Taking breaks improves the quality of your insight and decision-making • Find a personal routine and set team norms that remind you to check your blindspots
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/284.
FinancialMentor
SITN
behaviouralscience
energy
How much time are you investing building your professional image online?
Given the demands on the modern finance professional, not just delivering on the day job, but also keeping up with industry trends and what’s going on, there are also others out there, such as potential employers and peers, who are checking out your online image to see how strong it is. So what efforts and time are you putting into boosting your professional image online?
In this bite-sized episode I share a few thoughts from a recent interview I gave with FM magazine (link to article below).
FinanceMentor
SITN
Image
Link to article: https://www.fm-magazine.com/news/2020/jul/boost-your-professional-image-online.html
"When you are very clear about your purpose that is when it’s very easy to inspire other people” as our guest mentor Talita Ferreira will help us deconstruct for todays’ episode where we also go into:
- The importance of post-COVID leadership transformation
- The seven shifts to follow this post pandemic period
- An effective way to investment in development post pandemic
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/282.
FinancialMentor
SITN
7shifts
Have you heard of Reframing before in Finance?
Have you ever seen it in a textbook? Well it happens a lot in good Sales & Counselling, however it is also a key skill for finance professionals and accountants who wish to become more influential, impactful and have more fun and meaning in our careers.
In this bite-sized episode I deconstruct reframing into 3 steps to use it to your advantage including a bonus one at the end.
FinanceMentor
SITN
Reframing
"Most people think accounting and finance job is boring, but I think it’s one of the most interesting jobs in the world”
according to our guest mentor David Axson who will help us deconstruct for today's episode:
- The 3Ts that are democratizing the accounting and finance profession
- The Impacts of COVID19 on many businesses
- Liberating the accountant from the tyranny of the spreadsheet
- 3Ds that are liberating the finance and accounting profession
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/280.
FinancialMentor
SITN
spreadsheet
Have you ever heard of the planning fallacy and how it could be hurting your impact?
In Finance we do a lot of planning of budgets, close cycles, payment runs, etc… , but there are so many more tasks that we need to plan to do that it sometimes feels that there are simply not enough hours in the day. Without proper awareness and management of this planning fallacy it could be seriously holding us back from not only enjoying our work but also from making a bigger impact?
In this bite-sized episode I explore some thoughts on what the planning fallacy is and how we can actually use it to our advantage.
FinanceMentor
SITN
PlanningFallcy
“Throw a hundred pieces of wet tissue paper on the wall and something is going to stick,”
According to Mark Samowitz, our guest mentor for today, who shares his experiences to help us deconstruct how to: - Juggle between singing at the same time as practising accounting career - Forge your own path and journey to be your own boss - Use 3 steps to get on the same page with others
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/278.
FinancialMentor
SITN
learning
What does it mean to be Diplomatic in Finance?
When you hear the word Diplomacy it conjures up images of government or state officials negotiating and influencing outcomes. Sometimes these diplomatic acts make the news such as the well-publicised Trade Wars between the US & China or how to coordinate nations to better deliver on climate change targets, although most go unreported. So I was a bit taken aback when someone said they thought I had been diplomatic during the week, because I didn’t really think of our work like that and also I didn’t deliberately know how to be diplomatic. So In this bite-sized episode I explore some thoughts on as what diplomacy might look like in Finance and how we can get better at it.
FinanceMentor
SITN
Diplomacy
Join Izwan Zakaria to learn about technology disruption and opportunities in the legal and accounting spaces. Izwan shares his challenges in growing a tech and startup focused law firm in South East Asia, and how accountants play a crucial role especially for early stage startups and tech companies. If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/276.
FinancialMentor
SITN
law
startup
"One of the most important traits of any professional is the ability to step back and ask the question, why?” according to this week’s guest mentor Thomas Gustafsson who helps us deconstruct on our latest episode: - The links between how we look at nature and better business partnering; - 3 tips on how to seeing the bigger picture; - The importance of asking how much it costs not having something; and - The “why” and duality of finance and accounting; If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/274.
FinancialMentor
SITN
businesspartnering
Is Cash Really King?
We’ve a saying in Finance that cash is king. There have been many profitable businesses, with great growth potential but ultimately went bankrupt because they did not have enough cash at the bank. However is this always the case? In this bite-sized episode I explore some thoughts on why it might not always be this way.
FinanceMentor
SITN
CashIsKing
“We are far from each other yet so near because of technology” according to our guest mentor Simone Collins, who will help us deconstruct for todays’ episode: - The benefits of dropping “finance” from the role title finance business partner. - Getting more virtual learning into finance to learn and share best practices across our profession. - 3 steps to transition between industries using the example of moving for a tech business to insurance. If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/272.
FinancialMentor
SITN
businesspartnering
How do CFOs and Finance leaders decide on who and where to hire into their finance organisations?
Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock you’re well aware of the rate of change impacting many of our enterprises and industries. And, of the many jobs within these organisations, one of them in particular has become much more demanding, the role of CFO and their finance team, who are responsible for ensuring that the organisation they serve is growing both sustainably and profitably.
In this bite-sized episode I share some thoughts on this conversation and how to answer this question.
FinanceMentor
SITN
CFO
“Look at data analytics holistically in a way how people work and behave rather than from a technical perspective” as our guest mentor Prashanth Southekal, who helps us deconstruct for us on todays’ episode: - His top three practices to drive business performance using data analytics - The importance of viewing analytics in terms of products that meet people’s needs as opposed to projects - Why Post-COVID data analytics will play a bigger role than it was before. - Why it’s important to define the cost of not knowing the value of the right information and KPIs. - Advice to start-up and small companies to get a jump start in using data analytics If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/270.
FinancialMentor
SITN
Analytics
What’s one of the biggest fallacies in business & finance and which is holding our performance back?
It’s that performance & results of both staff and enterprises follows a normal bell-curve distribution! It simply doesn’t! Intuitively we know this because 50% of newly registered businesses will fail in 5 years following an exponential Paretian power curve, 5 companies make up 18% of the stock market value in the US, and on sports teams most of the money goes to those who generate the most value with most of us earning below the average. In any endeavor there are those who smash performance out of the park and then the rest of us, or as some call the long tail.
In this bite-sized episode I explain why so many of us continue to use the normal distribution fallacy and a more appropriate way of looking at this.
FinancialMentor
SITN
Performance
“You have to have a good feel for the sport and by having a love and a real interest in the sport it helps you do your job better”
According to our guest mentor Dan Crumb, CFO of the Kansas City Chiefs, and to find out why tune into this week’s #sitn where we also deconstruct:
- The 4 parts of building a winning finance team and how to keep them competitive into the future
- The importance of creating a culture of continuous improvement and being more ready to adapt to deal with the rapid changes we’re facing nowadays
- What it was like to be part of Winning the Super Bowl LIV in 2020
- The emerging role of behavioural science in Finance
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/268.
SITN
behavioralscience
football
What’s your finance team’s business model?
How would you describe it to colleagues? How do you know it’s not outdated and designed to meet tomorrow’s needs & expectations?
Most of our audience are either part of a finance team or lead a finance team, but when I’ve asked them to explain their business model, that is, the rationale behind how their team creates, delivers and captures value, few can answer in a consistent and coherent fashion, even though they know finance & accounting inside-out. And because everybody in the team does not have a common understanding of their basic business model this means there are many finance teams out there who are not pulling in the same direction, not delivering the value their capable of and so at risk of gradually become irrelevant within their organisations. In this bite-sized episode I introduce a powerful yet simple tool to help better understand, improve and communicate a finance team’s business model to give you and your team a comparative advantage in today’s and tomorrow’s organisations.
FinancialMentor
SITN
BusinessModel
“What we don’t do enough is communicate what we actually do and why we are important to the business.”
Great advice from our guest mentor Lizi Hills, Commercial FD at Burger King. We also deconstruct together on todays’ episode:
- The value of customer relations in the finance and why an accounting career is rewarding.
- Good reasons why the hospitality industry is a good fit for finance business partners.
- 3 steps to start building better customer relations.
- The Stereotypical Accountant and what people think about accountants.
- How accountants can better answer the “what do you do for a living?” question.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/266.
FinancialMentor
SITN
FinanceIsFun
What message is the sentence below trying to convey? REVUP5%WITHNOPATINLINEAT10M.
How about if we add some spaces:
REV UP 5% WITH NOPAT IN LINE AT 10M.
Or even more useful in something resembling plain English:
Rev(enue) is up 5% (on something) with NOPAT (Net Operating Profit After Tax) in line (with something) at 10 m(illion).
In this Monday’s bite-sized episode I share that whilst it’s important to simplify what we do it’s just as important not to oversimplify, and I go through 4 things we can do to get the balance right.
FinancialMentor
SITN
Simplify
A couple of commentators were suggesting that FP&A and Corporate Finance were losing their way, so to find out why we invited them onto the show.
In this week’s episode we are joined on #sitn by two panelists, Lance Rubin and Rob Trippe, and together we discuss:
- Three steps we can take to get back to basics and not take particularly avoiding a family P&L
- Where FP&A need to hold the fort down to make things easier and more valuable.
- What Mediterranean sailors and EBITDA can teach us about common language in FP&A to communicate effectively.
- Why data analytics is good but not right now and why it’s important to get more stuck into Excel
- Why heatmaps and gauges will not fascinate CFOs.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/264.
FinancialMentor
FPA
What Mediterranean sailors and EBITDA can teach us about common language in FP&A to communicate effectively?
It turns out a lot, actually! There were a couple of commentators were suggesting that FP&A and Corporate Finance were losing their way, so to find out why we invited them onto the show. In this bite-sized episode I share why a common language is important.
FinancialMentor
SITN
FPA
“Maintaining connection with everyone is one of the most valuable things you can do,” according to our guest mentor Jennifer Luzzatto, Who also helps us deconstruct for todays’ episode:
- Things to do best in this new normal o maintain connections with others o take charge of your finances o get back quickly
- Support of people around during these difficult times
- Why people are averse asking for help
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/262.
FinancialMentor
SITN
peaceofmind
What should a finance & accounting professional do at present to stay future relevant?
This was a question I had this week from an #sitn show listener whose role was made redundant due to a downsizing exercise in their last organisation.
In this bite-sized episode I share some thoughts around a potential answer and steps our guest mentors have recommended on the show.
FinancialMentor
SITN
Relevant
“Take your time to understand them, but be who you are,”
A key point made by guest mentor John Barrett who also helps deconstruct for us on today’s episode:
- The importance of having a fantastic finance team that always looking around the corner
- Finding the right burning platforms to drive change
- Experiences as an ex-pat in China
- Opportunities for businesses amidst the COVID pandemic
- Consistency vs. accuracy
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/260.
FinancialMentor
SITN
consistency
Do you keep supermarket lists or batch your shopping for food only when you need it?
Most do! Most of us don’t immediately drive or run to the store each time we run out of a kitchen item. It’s inefficient use of our time. However many finance professionals will still succumb to the mental craving of answering those emails and IMs, or jumping on that last minute meeting rather than be out of sync?
In this bite-sized episode we go through the dangers of always being in sync and a number of ways finance professionals are managing this in a more virtual and remote environment.
FinancialMentor
SITN
Async
“I want to build a team that is curious, for no one knows everything,” Great advice from our guest mentor Indran Purushothaman, who helps us deconstruct for todays’ episode;
- A day as Finance Director at Urban Living Solutions in Cambodia
- Providing value in the organization in the midst of pandemic
- Functioning at the highest level of CFO even working remotely
- Navigating in this crisis together with the business by understanding it from end to end.
- The role of finance in the business recovery after the COVID pandemic and emerging of new business practices is something to look forward to.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/258.
FinancialMentor
SITN
Transparency
Have you found it difficult to concentrate or even a bit lower on energy lately?
I only ask because with all the video calls and presentations lately, I and others have felt like we’ve been suffering from Zoom fatigue. So in this bite-sized episode I share how this is being caused by high cognitive load and continuous partial attention, as well as some practical steps we can take to do regain our energy and focus on those things that matter most.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ZoomFatigue
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_load https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continuous_partial_attention
"It’s OK not to be OK.”
According to our guest mentor Javed Bobat, who helps us deconstruct on today's episode:
- Why the finance profession is getting a lot more attention, investment and challenges nowadays.
- Ideas for us to maintain mental wellness these challenging times:
- How to increase the leaders and team members acknowledge the need for mental wellness.
- Getting the best talent on-board that are ready for the future technology and the challenges employers will have in retaining them.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/256.
FinancialMentor
SITN
mentalhealth
How would you describe what you do?
When we meet new people it’s a common question. So what do you say? Does it differ depending on who’s asking? Or whether you’re at a finance conference, bbq or even a date?
FinancialMentor
SITN
Image
Winston Churchill once inferred we should never waste a good crisis. The current Novo Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic is one we’re currently living through, there have been more regional crises before this and there’s also others down the road like climate change, oil wars, Brexit that will continue to present continuity challenges around keeping our businesses open and essential services running. In this week’s episode we are joined on #sitn by three panelists, Howard Cosby, Louise Miller & Mike Attwood who have a combined experience of over 100 years in finance & business to help us debate how we can keep our businesses open & services going during this crisis. We discuss:
- Why the finance community has to be at the forefront of this.
- Some golden rules on how to manage through a crisis
- The importance of Communicate, Communicate, Communicate!
- Leveraging value capture and cost minimisation approaches to turn negatives into positives.
- The most important things we can do to emerge stronger from a crisis. If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/254.
FinancialMentor
SITN
Crisis
Have you heard of the expression “A single twig breaks, but the bundle of twigs is strong”?
Sure, but do you know what it means and how we can use it to our advantage in finance? In this bite-sized episode I share with you some thoughts prior guest mentors on the show that you can use to improve your resilience and impact in your finance career.
FinancialMentor
SITN
Resilience
How many others have you mentored in Finance? 1, 10, 50, or how about over 700 in the last year alone?
Well our guest mentor Dhawal Parvatikar has and he will help us deconstruct on today’s episode how to: - Answer the common questions that young accountants have about their careers - Develop oneself in the right way to begin to learn to understand the business - Manage scope creep by: o Leveraging (virtual) coffee breaks o Having regular monitoring of timesheets o Sending regular insights to management
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/252.
FinancialMentor
SITN
Mentoring
“When did you last make a mistake?”
If you can answer this question then good it suggests you’ve probably acknowledged a potentially dangerous closed-loop. In this week’s short bite-sized episode I share some examples of how to break out of a closed-loop.
FinancialMentor
SITN
Closed-Loop
“People could be brilliant but does not necessary means they can work together” as our guest mentor Graham Durgan, will help us deconstruct for todays’ episode where we also:
- Why as an entrepreneur an accounting qualification was a great a safety net
- Learnings from being an entrepreneur
- Things to consider in getting the right people in your team.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/250.
FinancialMentor
SITN
Entrepreneur
staysafe
With the growing acceptance that diversity is good for business and nature of the work of finance becoming increasingly more global sometimes it can be difficult to know where to start on how to best to get to know and build influence with colleagues from a new country or countries we are less familiar with.
In this bite-sized episode I share a useful tool and some thoughts on where you can start.
FinancialMentor
SITN
Culture
Diversity
Link to tool: https://www.hofstede-insights.com/country-comparison
"Go to the balcony and look what is happening to you or at the business to gain another perspective”
as our guest mentor Susanne Liepmann, who also helps us deconstruct for todays’ episode:
• Adopting to different working environment at LBO and B2B company • Some of the things you do to play that balancing act better by going to the balcony • Removing anxiety in the business by; o knowing the “why” in doing the right thing o providing valuable information & show what this looks like o building trust with business partners
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/248.
FinancialMentor
SITN
Uncertainty
With many businesses recently closing their doors and essential services struggling to keep going, what kinds of actions are CFOs & finance teams taking within their organizations to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic? I’ve been compiling a number of resources from conversations I’ve been having with CFOs and I share them with you on today’s bite-sized episode.
FinancialMentor
SITN
Covid19
https://www.ted.com/talks/bill_gates_the_next_outbreak_we_re_not_ready?language=en#t-9886
Over the last two weeks there has been a Virtual Finance World Summit 2020 run by the Outperformer taking place to over 1000 finance leaders across the globe, whilst also facing into the challenges that come with keeping businesses open and essential services running during the Covid-19 pandemic. In this week’s episode we are joined on #sitn by two speakers from the summit and former guest mentors, Lance Rubin & Chris Argent to wash-up some of our key takeaways:
- The importance of the yin-yang in Finance.
- Using financial modelling as opposed to Data Analytics to get ahead of ahead of a post Covid-19 world.
- The opportunity to reconnect with knowledge and embracing new tools like Loom, Zoom, Slack, Trello, etc.
- On how to take the right actions during and after Covid-19.
- How to build a community and the importance of sharing ideas.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/246.
FinancialMentor
SITN
Uncertainty
In times when things do not go your way what do you do?
In Finance one of our key assets is our access to decision-makers and broad visibility of what is going on across most of our organisations and industries, but sometimes we can spend so much time analysing data that we can slow down decision makings too much. So on the odd occasion when our advice does not get taken on board leading to the wrong decision what do you do?
I came across a wonderful saying from a German colleague recently that is perfect for such situations and I share this with you on today’s bite-sized episode.
The proverb by the way is: “Es wird nichts so heiß gegessen, wie es gekocht wird,” literally, “Nothing is eaten as hot as it is cooked.”
FinancialMentor
SITN
Influence
"If you want your customer experience to be top you need your employee experience to be top as well,”
as our guest mentor Jennifer Sturch who also helps us deconstruct on todays’ episode: - Aha moment at McDonald’s on people first and service focus - Best bit of advice Jennifer ever received on personal growth - Learning and improvements made in response to the recent COVID19 incidents - A finance perspective on the effect of employee first approach
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/244.
FinancialMentor
SITN
SharedServices
How did you rate yourself?
If I asked you to imagine yourself on a tropical deserted island. The sky is clear. The wind is calm. The sea is smooth. You will be on this island for only a few minutes, don’t worry. Imagine now that you arrived on this island without any roles. Roles such as husband, wife, CEO, accountant, sales manager, engineer, golfer, fisherman, and so on, do not exist on this island.
Now, using the scale that follows, rate yourself without any roles. Zero is the lowest end of the scale, and 10 is the highest end. Where do you rate yourself on that scale? What value do you place on yourself without any of the roles that you play out in life? Go ahead and mark the scale now.
How did you rate yourself?
This is not an uncommon question and in this bite-sized episode I outline the importance of the question, the right answer and how it can help you achieve a more meaningful, rewarding and successful career in accounting & finance.
FinancialMentor
SITN
Identity
"Be comfortable by being uncomfortable”
This is what our guest mentor Gaileon Thompson believes is required of the modern finance professional. We also deconstruct on today’s episode:
- How to respond to failure;
- How to be successful and prepare for roles outside of finance
- Walking in the trenches with business partners, how to build skills around;
- Leveraging the wider Finance community as a safe space to ask questions to learn and grow
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/242.
FinancialMentor
SITN
Strategic
empower
If you’re feeling a little on edge, uneasy or out of sync lately, that’s completely okay, we’re living through a pandemic and there’s a lot for us to process?
Most human beings crave certainty and I’d suggest one group accountants and finance professionals crave certainty much more than other groups, we pride ourselves on fundamental principles like accuracy and consistency. So living and working through a pandemic can be very unsettling for us.
Thing is you’re not alone there are a lot of us out there in finance feeling like this, so in this bite-sized episode I outline some suggested things we can all do and are doing to get through these interesting times.
FinancialMentor
SITN
Covid-19
Links mentioned: https://cfo.university/ https://generationcfo.com/ https://www.theoutperformer.co/ https://soundcloud.com/nlpie
“If you build optionality you will be better off in the future even if you don't know what jobs might even exist in five years."
suggests our guest mentor Riccardo Calliano, who also deconstructs with us on today’s episode: - How learnings whilst being an FD in Mexico City during the swine flu epidemic can help our organisations and communities during the Covid-19 pandemic. - How we can carve out time to learn and develop new capabilities and addresses the myth of learning and how he learned Python - The importance of building optionality, the hedgehog concept and how it can be applied to our careers. - The two areas that finance need to look at developing more in. If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/240.
FinancialMentor
Covid-19
SITN
Capabilities
What would you have advised?
I had a young finance graduate who was halfway into his finance development program at a well-known multinational ask me during the week how could he make a difference in Finance?
This is not an uncommon question. I admired his courage for asking for advice at much younger age than I did and knowing that making a difference is important to the organisation and career. On the other hand how did he get this far, after graduating, passing interviews and progressing through the development program without knowing where to look how to make this difference a reality?
In this bite-sized episode I outline the final part of a framework I shared with him.
FinancialMentor
SITN
MakeADifference
“We’re not only expected to report the past but to create the future,” suggests our guest mentor Tjendra Halima, who also deconstructs with us on today's episode:
- The 4Ps that Finance and Accounting professional must be familiar with in this digital age;
- The Competencies required of the future CFO; and
- How we’ve a moral obligation to create value for stakeholders not just increase profits for shareholders.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/238.
What would you have advised?
I had a young finance graduate who was halfway into his finance development program at a well-known multinational ask me during the week how could he make a difference in Finance?
This is not an uncommon question. I admired his courage for asking for advice at much younger age than I did and knowing that making a difference is important to the organisation and career. On the other hand how did he get this far, after graduating, passing interviews and progressing through the development program without knowing where to look how to make this difference a reality?
In this bite-sized episode I outline the second part of a framework I shared with him.
FinancialMentor
SITN
MakeADifference
"When the business grows so fast it’s not enough to catch up with it but you have to move ahead of the curve,”
according to today’s guest mentor Tanya Kuznetsova, who also helps us deconstruct:
- Things to look for to stay ahead of the business growth especially for the retail industry
- The idea of having a digital twin to assist in our finance transformation; and
- How to improve your success doing internationally assignments by: o Leveraging connections with various financial associations, o Networking with other professionals in other areas, and o Attending conferences
- The biggest challenge she faced with moving to and working in America.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/236.
SITN
Treasury
Digital
What would you have advised?
I had a young finance graduate who was halfway into his finance development program at a well-known multinational ask me during the week how could he make a difference in Finance?
This is not an uncommon question. I admired his courage for asking for advice at much younger age than I did and knowing that making a difference is important to the organisation and career. On the other hand how did he get this far, after graduating, passing interviews and progressing through the development program without knowing where to look how to make this difference a reality?
In this bite-sized episode I outline the final part of a framework I shared with him.
FinancialMentor
SITN
MakeADifference
"Be humble, don’t act like a controller or the police inside the organization”
As our guest mentor Mohamed ELRouby, will help us deconstruct for today's’ episode where we also:
- Being new to the company and spotting problems by;
- Setting the right direction for finance from a controlling department to business partnering
- Need quick win solutions? Understand the business first.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/234.
FinancialMentor
SITN
BusinessPartnering
Has being a knower and always being right meant that Finance leaders have actually been guilty of holding themselves back ? I came across a fantastic article form Brené Brown in which she discusses that it’s not fear that gets in the way of daring leadership that’s required to remain relevant and do the right things, it’s the armour that’s caused from always being the knower or always being right. In this bite-sized episode I outline three strategies that to transform always knowing into always learning.
FinancialMentor
SITN
Courage
"What I like to do is allocate work to people based on their skillset. So I like to find out what they’re good at and what they’re passionate about,” because as our guest mentor Erica Ingham, you’ll tend to get a much better quality of work. Erica also helps us deconstruct on todays’ episode: - The People skills that Finance and Accounting professionals must learn as they progress in their career - Some approaches to improve diversity in teams: - Go into what neurodiversity means and its value to orgs - The importance of allocating work to people based on their skillset If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/232.
YouTube link: [insert link from YouTube]
FinancialMentor
SITN
Neurodiversity
Digital
Employees
What were the key topics discussed at the recent CFO and Future Of Finance summit in London?
I’m just back from London where I had the opportunity to meet and speak with senior finance leaders from across the world to understand what’s top of their minds and how they’re remaining relevant.
In this bite-sized episode I outline three key takeaways from what they were saying.
FinancialMentor
SITN
Leadership
"70% of people think they are not qualified enough to do the job and that others can do it better,”
according to our guest mentor Susan Ní Chríodáin who touches on a key fear for finance professionals, “imposter syndrome,” and, together we deconstruct for today's episode:
- Areas of conflict in the business where non-finance people are afraid of numbers;
- How an image make-over for finance teams and leaders can lead to a cool, rewarding and amazing career;
- Tips for Finance and Accounting Professional to move from backseat to the front row of a business; and
- Ways to combat Imposter syndrome.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/230.
Some of us in Accounting & Finance get to become leaders, great! Well done! But what next? I mean what should be we doing to build influence and how soon do I need to be making an impact? When I became a leader for the first time I didn’t have a plan, much of a clue about what did that mean, after all it’s not something that was discussed or covered when I trained to be an accountant. In this bite-sized episode I outline some key areas to focus on in the first 90 days after assuming a leadership role.
FinancialMentor
SITN
Leadership
"Everyone is in the state of flux and confusion, so we are the ones that will guide them in forecasting and scenario planning by being calm and confident professional,”
just one of the many reasons why our guest mentor Andi Lonnen believes we’re now in the Age of the Accountant. We also deconstruct on today’s episode:
- Why now is the Age of the Accountant
- Her 9Cs framework to help figure out what is required to be a modern Finance Professional
- Why it’s important to enjoy the journey
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/228.
FinancialMentor
SITN
BusinessPartnering
I made a huge mistake when I set out to become an accountant & finance professional, it limited my impact, made me frustrated and made me question if it was the right career for me.
I had confused the difference between knowledge and wisdom. In this bite-sized episode I outline this difference and some of the actions you can take so both have a bigger impact on your career.
FinancialMentor
SITN
Mentors
"We can only be successful as our team can be successful” as suggested by our guest mentor Katharine Halpin, and together on todays’ episode we also deconstruct:
• Staying passionate to the finance and accounting profession by having personal core values. • For those aspiring for the CFO position, then start with the basics and harness those skills. • 9 habits to become more strategic and successful in your finance & accounting career • Investing time in building relationship as simple as sending greeting cards.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/226.
FinancialMentor
SITN
Habits
What are some ways finance professionals can manage their digital presence? During the week I did an interview for a well-known accounting & finance magazine where I was asked some questions about how I managed by digital presence. In this bite-sized episode I outline some of the actions I take on a regular basis.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Digital Presence
"In changing the culture of organization have a revolutionary mindset but take evolutionary approach"
A key point from our guest mentor Rikard Olsson and on today's episode we deconstruct: - The reason why he took Management Accounting over Auditing; - Development in Finance and Accounting roles the last 15 years; - 3 things you must know before you engage in rolling forecast; and - Why now is the tipping point for Beyond Budgeting practices
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/224.
FinancialMentor
SITN
Value
BeyondBudgeting
Why is it important for Finance to be a better partner to the HR Department and HR professionals? Finance and HR departments are often considered to be back office functions supporting others like Sales & Operations who are out there on the front lines delivering for customers. Just look at the value chain diagram if you don’t believe me. Intuitively then both HR and Finance are there with a common purpose, to support the business, but are we really doing our best to support each other achieve the best results? In this bite-sized episode I outline some suggested ideas on why we need to support each other better.
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ValueCreation
AccountingAndAccountants
HR
"One of the problems with traditional budgeting is that that we lock down our budgets once a year, so it’s a bit like tying the rudder of a boat to the deck, it removes your ability to steer.”
And on today’s episode our guest mentor Steve Morlidge goes on to help us deconstruct how we can do this better by examining: - The meaning of dynamic resource allocation and its importance - Using graphical presentation instead of data tables figure to deliver the message - How the finance professional must have the idea on the concept of noise and those we can safely ignore as finance professionals by using the 10:4 rule. - How agile companies have a mechanism to measure the risk attached to the business and then the process to learn from it.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/222.
FinancialMentor
SITN
Value
ResourceAllocation
How Finance can be a better partner to the IT Department and IT professionals? Finance and IT departments are often considered to be back office functions supporting others like Sales & Operations who are out there on the front lines delivering for customers. Just look at the value chain diagram if you don’t believe me. Intuitively then both IT and Finance are there with a common purpose, to support the business, but are we really doing our best to support each other achieve the best results? In this bite-sized episode I outline some suggested ideas on how we can support each other better.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
AccountingAndAccountants
IT
"The finance professional can influence the way people in the organization think without actually telling them to change the way they think” and on today’s episode our guest mentor Steve Morlidge goes on to help us deconstruct how we can do this better by examining: - The pitfalls of traditional budgeting practices and how we can develop a better toolkit - Forecasting with zero bias to make better decisions in steering the business; and - Practical steps to filter data and make sense to it by providing a clearer picture to the business.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/220.
FinancialMentor
SITN
Value
Forecasting
What’s the best qualification, certification or training for finance & accounting professionals?
I recently just paid my chartered accounting certification for another year, but how relevant is it today? Only last week I was advising a team leader to pursue an MBA in Finance as opposed to an accounting qualification. Was this the right thing to do?
In this bite-sized episode I outline some thoughts behind why I recommended this course of action.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
AccountingAndAccountants
Training
Have you ever heard of the 12 Kern rules of Christmas for Accounting & Finance?
Well listen in to find out and see which one resonates most with you as today’s guest mentor & I deconstruct in detail the meaning behind them in this Part 2 as we cover some key points such as: - Why Problems do not work 9-5 Monday to Friday. - On how using the Pre-mortem strategy by will help you deliver more value to the business. - Do not show people how smart you are but show them how helpful you are for you to be understood and help the organization progress.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/218.
FinancialMentor
SITN
Value
Potential
Priorities
What book would you recommend finance professionals read in the year ahead?
We’ve had another year of great year of book recommendations from the guest mentors we’ve had on #SITN. So where does an aspiring finance professionals begin their search for knowledge for the year ahead?
In this bite-sized episode I outline the 5 books I consider the most useful for the year ahead.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
AccountingAndAccountants
Have you ever heard of the 12 Kern rules of Christmas for Accounting & Finance?
Well listen in to find out and see which one resonates most with you as today’s guest mentor & I deconstruct in detail the meaning behind them in this Part 1 as we cover some key points such as:
Key Points From the Episode: - Changes to Finance and Accounting priorities overtime - Maximize the positive and minimize the negative - Determining what’s essential to your company and align those to move finance and accounting forward - Do not look too far because you cannot see what’s close.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/216.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Have you ever been in a meeting or at a presentation with non-native English speakers and heard something that did not make any sense to those in the room?
Most people consider English to be the universal language of business, however as modern communications technologies connect more and more native and non-native English speakers together in meetings, webinars, forums, etc…, some messages as getting lost between those taking part, even though they’re meant to be using the same language English. And usually it’s the native English speakers who are causing the most confusion.
In this bite-sized episode I summarise some steps native English speakers in Finance can take to improve their understandability with their non-native English speaking colleagues.
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communication
modernfinance
"There will always be pressure for change. We have to accept it and live with it”
and today’s guest mentor Eleanor Hampson shows us ways we can deal with this by helping us deconstruct on today’s episode:
- Working at the British Council as a hybrid type of organization
- Creating a more balanced transformation program in the organization
- Benefits of using HERO (Hope, Efficacy, Resilience and Optimism) program at the workplace through: o Increase employee awareness through trainings o Strength finder modules o Set-up mentoring groups especially the management teams being role models o Doing check-in programs
- Systems thinking vs. single point of dependency (If your irreplaceable then you are not promotable)
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/214.
FinancialMentor
SITN
Mentalwellness
Psychology
Employeecheckinprograms
Do you think the modern day finance professional needs to be concerned with Marketing?
By Marketing I mean, or themselves, some might call it a personal brand? Others might call it an ability to influence or make a valued impact.
In this bite sized episode I summarise some ideas on why an awareness of the importance of Marketing is essentially and some things you can do about it.
sitn
finance
marketing
modernfinance
“For us to grow faster, we need to do something different” a challenge presented to us by our guest mentor Jesper Hybholt Sorensen, and on today's episode we also deconstruct together:
- 3 things to move from being scorekeeper to strategic partner;
- The difference between insight and foresight and their value to the business; and
- The 4 Pillars Approach based on the book Implementing an Analytics Culture for Data Driven Decisions.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/212.
FinancialMentor
SITN
businesspartnering
analytics
modernfinance
How do you give yourself an energy boost when you need it? Finance & Accounting can sometimes be like different seasons, whether having to submit returns in practice or in the corporate world with the budgetary cycles or quarterly sales hockey sticks. So are our energy can easily get sapped so what are some natural ways of boosting it when we need to. In this bite sized episode I summarise three that I use to help boost my energy levels when they are low.
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energy
modernfinance
“Staying relevant in the future of finance and accounting by moving further up the value chain.”
This will be the future the profession according to our guest mentor Andrew Parris, who also helps us deconstruct on today's episode how to: - Deliver outcomes on time and focusing on being business partner to the business. - Doing external and internal benchmarking will help the organization be effective and efficient. - How to stay relevant in the future of Finance and Accounting; - being curious and to prepare to inquire, discuss and challenge - do 3-3’s whenever you go out- meet 3 new people, 3 new conversation and hear 3 new ideas
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/210.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
modernfinance
Do You Know the Important Difference Between Insight and Foresight?
I read a book this week called Implementing an Analytics Culture for Data Driven Decisions where it was the first time I saw the difference between insight and foresight spelled out.
I shall get one of the authors on a future podcast however in this bite sized episode I summarise what this difference is and how it might help you.
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foresight
modernfinance
“If you want the things to stay the way they are then they have to change.” True to his experience in the business world and academia our guest mentor Martin Quinn, will help us deconstruct for todays’ episode where we also;
- Having practical knowledge from business was helpful to students.
- Some of the innovations driven by the accounting team uncovered in the Guinness archives, which has always made a profit since it first listed.
- How to build respect and trust among colleagues at work;
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/208.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
modernfinance
Ever wondered what’s the best way to get that promotion without getting frustrated?
During a recent mentoring conversation, where a more junior finance person was frustrated with their lack of progress in getting promoted, I shared with them what is known as the Canvas Strategy. So in this bite sized episode I summarise what this strategy has entailed, how it has helped me, and how it might help you.
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getthatpromotion
modernfinance
“You need to understand both sides of the table, that’s the challenge I think” according to our guest mentor Paul Thambar which is a key challenge for both practitioners and academics alike when it comes to navigating and learning the best path forwards during these times of unprecedent change. Some other areas we also deconstruct on todays’ episode, are:
Key Points From the Episode: - The Unique experiences gained from crossing over to the ‘darkside’ of adademia. - Closing the gap between academia and business. - Taking a more qualitative approach to performance measurement.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/206.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
digitaltransformation
modernfinance
What stresses you out at work, and does it fit into one of the following categories?
I went back to the classroom during the week to complete some mental health in the workplace training and one of the things we learned was the six primary sources of stress at work, an area we’ve a lot of practical experience in Finance whether it be a supplier demanding payment, making sure staff get their wages on time, making month end close deadlines or handling the politics of the annual budget cycle.
So in this bite sized episode I summarise the six areas of stress and some ideas on how you might be able to help yourself and colleagues through such stressors.
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stress
modernfinance
“People like the status quo, only babies like to change”
Staying in our comfort zone is a big threat to our profession so our guest mentor Gary Cokins, deconstruct how we can help our drive better change outcomes and also discuss:
- A simple formula to overcome resistance to change
- Tackle misconceptions about costing (and the difference to expenses)
- How finance professionals can stay relevant;
- Mounting threats to accounting profession
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/204.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
digitaltransformation
modernfinance
How do you get others to successfully buy into your ideas?
There are two types of finance professional, there are those who are great at identifying what needs to happen and how to make it happen, but struggle to have anyone on adopt it. And there are those who seem to effortlessly be able to get buy-in for their ideas.
So in this bite sized episode I summarise three essential ingredients a good friend of the show, Khaled Chowdhury & I discussed together recently on his BeastBI webinar that might help you with getting better buy-in for your ideas.
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“Instead of Finance and Accounting being a cost centre what if it could be a profit centre?" Our guest mentor Claus Thorne Madsen, will help us deconstruct such a question on today's episode where we also go into:
o A story from his time at Lego where Finance & Accounting transformed from non-existent to being a key player in the business. o How finance teams can save 30%-40% by doing digital right particularly with the people element. o Key pointers from PWC’s annual benchmark study o Why companies haven’t still quite cracked the code on business partnering.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/202.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
digitaltransformation
modernfinance
Is Finance 4.0 a load of hype or is it impacting you? Nowadays we’re continually being bombarded by messages of digital this and transformation that, but what is really going on in Finance teams? So in this bite sized episode I summarise some of the key takeaways from a recent Finance 4.0 summit in Amsterdam to share a sense of what is really going on.
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Finance4.0
“Did we hit or miss or target? Our business plans sometimes become useless as competition created disruption making our target figures irrelevant. We should be measured by the new situation instead." Our guest mentor Anders Liu-Lindberg, will help us deconstruct for todays’ episode where we also;
Key Points From the Episode: - Insights from book Strategy Beyond the Hockey Stick - FP&A Professional- change agent in the current business planning process - Tips for FP&A Professional in selecting best transformation strategy.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/200.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
modernfinance
What are the two dimensions finance professionals need to be aware of when it comes to executing a successful strategy?
As we’re continually being asked to move beyond our technical training and become more strategic.
So in this bite sized episode Wei Chien shares a couple of dimensions that we can be more aware of when it comes to successfully executing strategy as well as how in Finance we’re well positioned to help.
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strategy
“Don’t feel isolated, don’t stay isolated, you don’t know what you don’t know so you need to learn with others you need to find someone who knows better than you know … and raise your hand, when there’s something wrong don’t stay in your box.”
Just one of the many great bits of advice from guest mentor Jean-Philippe Gauvrit on today’s episode where we also go on to deconstruct: • The opportunities and challenges of working in a new region & culture. • How Jean-Philippe got into mentoring & change management. • The value of partnering with people with different logic, cultural ways, and reactions when facing challenges.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/198.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
modernfinance
When you go to eat in a restaurant, what’s more important, the food you eat of the environment you eat it in?
As Finance professionals because of our classical training we tend to focus a lot on the economic or numerical shareholder value that a product contributes, however there is another value, psychological value, commonly referred to perspective which can be more important depending on the decision being faced. In this bite sized episode I share how we can deal with perspective in Finance so that we make better decisions and impact within our organisations.
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modernfinance
perspective
praxeology
“Treat others the way they want to be treated”.
Is one of the many fantastic pieces of advice from today’s guest mentor John Sanchez on today’s show where we also deconstruct;
- How to better develop and learn the skill of communication
- Being an adaptable or authentic speaker and finding balance to both that suits your listeners needs
- The value of storytelling in the business and the importance of the hero’s journey & emotion in Finance.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/196.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
modernfinance
World Champions must be doing something right, so what can we learn from them?
The World Champions I’m referring to are the New Zealand All Blacks, who have a win rate of 86%, the highest of any professional sporting team in recent memory. So what can we learn from them in Finance?
In this bite sized episode I share 3 things that are part of the All Blacks culture and mindset that we can bring into our Finance teams to become more influential and deliver a great impact in what we do.
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AllBlacks
“What you want to do is get into the mindset of the person you’re talking with, what is it that they value, what are the problems that they face, what are the issues that they need resolving in their world.”
Just one of the many great bits of advice from guest mentor David B Horne on today’s episode where we also go on to deconstruct: • How to overcome inertia as a professional and a leader & why you have to get to know your customers and the importance of asking them what they want. • How to get ready to prepare and deal with the demanding intensity of private equity, corporate finance and investment banking • We deconstruct David’s FACE methodology: Fund, Acquire, Consolidate, Exit.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/194.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
addthenmultiply
How do you learn & develop to keep ahead of all the digital disruption in Finance & Accounting?
A recent guest mentor on the podcast said I should check out a guy he started following called Jim Kwik one of the world’s leading expert in memory improvement and brain performance. I came across a useful short video in which he summarises his FAST method and I share why this is perhaps useful for Finance professionals.
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learningfast
modernfinance
JimKwik
“Giving the business tools and reports to track the performance of the business is fantastic, but to merely attach it to an email and send it when you could actually go over to the person, talk, build the relationship, discuss the results, discuss the reports and what they’re hinting at is far more value add.”
Just one of the many great bits of advice from guest mentor Ranu Sharma on today’s episode where we also go on to deconstruct: Key Points From the Episode:
• The value of human connection in building your career in business partnering • 3 skills for fresh graduates who would like to join business partnering • The importance of giving back. • How volunteering has helped Ranu in her professional career.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/192.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
modernfinance
3 Key takeaways to help you remain relevant, help IT departments and develop resilience in Finance.
I’ve had an interesting week between keynoting at an AICPA-CIMA sponsored Finance Transformation event, attending the 10 year celebrations for GenerationCFO, as well as getting to hang out and connect with so many fantastic finance professionals and leaders. In this episode I share my three key takeaways from the week.
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modernfinance
“And I really took that as a mission, I sat down and I thought now what would I need to be able to do be able to charge 5X.”
And today’s guest mentor John Stretch goes on to explain exactly what he did to achieve this. On todays’ episode and where we go on to also deconstruct:
Key Points From the Episode: • The key traits to become a trusted business partner. • Why there are so many fearsome accountants out there and how we can go about coming one. • How to 5X your value. • The usefulness of have your own 18 month rolling forecast.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/190.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
modernfinance
Are you taking the right steps towards tomorrow?
I’ve had an interesting week between hanging out at a summit at Gillette stadium, home of the world champions of American football, being interviewed for FPA Group podcast & coming across a thought-provoking article on where we need to be shifting our focus from and towards in accounting & finance.
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Link to article mentioned https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/future-accounting-breaking-chains-saleem-sufi/
“It’s not really about what I have to offer to you [but] in your work how far I can take you towards your strategic objectives”
Great advice on what right business partnering is about from Carol Hachandi Lupiya, our guest mentor for todays’ episode and where we go on to also deconstruct:
Key Points From the Episode: • Why traditional consulting is a bit like forcing olives in someone’s green salad and how to avoid this; • What true business partnering is; • The 3 tips on how make it easy for clients to achieve their objectives; • The best mix of skills for today’s modern finance professional
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/188.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
modernfinance
What Finance Influencer’s Should You be Following? Are they in this 4-Box?
In case you’d missed it there’s a lot happening nowadays in Finance & Accounting, whether it be with the digitisation of our profession through the advancement of cognitive computing technologies; working in increasingly competitive & disruptive marketplaces and the gradual emergence of the ‘socially intelligent’ finance professional.
At #SITN, since we started 2 years ago and grown to 150 countries we’ve aimed to answer many of the key questions our finance & accounting audience have had about to remain relevant, become more influential, and best solve meaningful problems in their organisations. Thing is we also know we don’t have all the answers but our global reach has enabled us to learn of the relevant influencers out there who are making an impact with their clarity around not only what tomorrow looks like, but more importantly how we can get there successfully.
So we’d appreciate you help making this #SITN Finance Influencer 4-Box a go-to resource for others in our finance & accounting community seeking clarity on the right way forward. You can make this difference by taking a few moments to share this post with your networks by liking or commenting on it. Call out what works well, where we could do better and also if there are any influencer’s who we should be researching and reviewing ahead of the next one so it starts to become more complete and more useful over time.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/introducing-sitn-finance-influencer-4-box-andrew-codd-cgma-mba/
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influencers
“Be yourself. Don’t pretend to be somebody you are not because if you will, you will get caught later,”
one of the many insights on how we as accountants and finance professionals should be successfully dealing with other stakeholders, partners and customers from Wendy Thomson, our guest mentor for todays’ episode where we also deconstruct:
• Learning from the failures of other businesses and doing it right for yourself • How to run her own business and the process of making it happen • Challenges that clients are facing as they find it hard difficult dealings with the numbers.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/186.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
modernfinance
How good are your questioning skills?
Nowadays, one of the key elements for those finance professionals who wish to get ahead and make a lasting impact is to ask the right questions that get to the heart of the matter and provide the necessary clues about to solve the most meaningful problems for our organisations.
In this bite-sized episode I share with you the Columbo Manoeuvre to ask better questions that get to the heart of the matter.
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sitn
valuecreation
finance
modernfinance
“There is a value to having values”
A key thought of today’s guest mentor, Kate Grangard, Chief Financial & Operating Officer at Gehring Group, of and on today’s episode we also deconstruct together:
• Explains why there’s value in having values. • 4 Values that Kate lives by • 3 great bits of advice on how to get over ourselves
If you enjoyed the episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/184.
FinancialMentor
SITN
Values
Finance
strategy
Is Finance Business Partnering the same as Management Accounting?
On a LinkedIn post earlier in the week a claim was made that Finance Business Partnering is Management Accounting and it drew some criticism, so was this fair or unfair?
In this bite-sized episode I share with you some ways to tell the similarities and differences between the two.
financialmentor
sitn
valuecreation
finance
modernfinance
“There is a value to having values”
A key thought of today’s guest mentor, Kate Grangard, Chief Financial & Operating Officer at Gehring Group, of and on today’s episode we also deconstruct together:
• Explains why there’s value in having values. • 4 Values that Kate lives by • 3 great bits of advice on how to get over ourselves
If you enjoyed the episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/184.
FinancialMentor
SITN
Values
Finance
strategy
What’s the most difficult thing you’ve had to measure?
With the explosion of data and increasing expectations on #finance from our organisations we’re getting asked to measure less obvious and more intangible things. Earlier this week I asked on LinkedIn what was the most difficult thing you’ve had to measure.
In this bite-sized episode I share with you some of the answers and comments back as well as a few questions that will help you measure anything.
financialmentor
sitn
valuecreation
finance
modernfinance
Are finance leaders guilty at the moment of “chasing shiny toys” and not putting enough focus on the people side of the teams?
This is just one of the many topics guest mentor and global finance thought leader, Lance Rubin, and I debate today. And on today’s episode we also deconstruct together:
• Lance goes through his concept of the “three stack, tech stack” within the finance value chain. • Lance and I debate on who’s doing best around the world when it comes to their improving their finance value chains. • Why we get modelling and analytics muddled up and what is really the difference. • On why we still need finance professionals despite the threat of automation we take about an example from Elon Musk.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/180.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
modernfinance
Are Finance Leaders Forgetting About Their People When It Comes To Automation?
Earlier in the week I had to get involved in a conversation in a well known Finance forum where I felt the research being presented was being skewed to present a magic bullet for finance leaders that lack of automation was holding back finance teams from being finance business partners.
In this bite-sized episode I describe with you some examples of where automation works and might not work and why we must be careful not to confuse efficiency and effectiveness.
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valuecreation
finance
modernfinance
“In fact when we think we know what the answer already is that limits possibilities, because we see the answer we think we know, but creating new things, new solutions, new ideas, innovating, that happens outside what we think we know.”
This is a key message from today’s guest mentor, Sarah Elliott, but this could be a bit of a challenge for accountants and finance professionals who are meant to be experts? right? Well see how Sarah & I reconcile this on today’s episode we also deconstruct together: • How to establish a coaching culture in Finance, • What a mastermind is and how it can help, • How to get out of the habit of telling stakeholders what to do, and • Some baby steps to ask better, more creative questions.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/178.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
modernfinance
What camp are you in?
I’d like to say that there are two types of finance and accounting professionals, there are some of us who are proactive getting ahead of business challenges, and then there are those of us who are reactive, where at times it feels that we’re always busy either getting the numbers right, going from one meeting to another or keeping on top of our inboxes that are full of requests with customers and partners wanting something done yesterday.
In this bite-sized episode I describe A simple action to build you influence in finance & accounting.
FinancialMentor
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ValueCreation
Finance
AccountingAndAccountants
Ever wondered how accountants and finance professionals become better business partners? Finance Business Partnering has been around since Stanley Harding coined the term in 1963, and as much as it’s a bit of a buzzword nowadays there are very few books on the topic compared to the plethora of accounting & finance books so where can we start, or what’s particularly of most interest how can we become better business partners. Well on this special episode we’ve taken the practical advice four of our guest mentors and some of the insights they share are: • How we can practically become that business partner / financial mentor they are looking for. • 5 blockers to business partnering • The two customers of Finance. • 4 components that make up a Strategic Business Partner If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/176.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
BusinessPartnering
Did you ever make a mistake that you can see the funny side of now?
Once upon a time I made a huge mistake in my career, it was embarrassing, painful, I still cringe when I think of it but can smile a little now. But ultimately, I could have avoided all of this if only I’d headed Shakespeare’s lesson from Romeo & Juliet.
In this bite-sized episode I describe this lesson and how we can apply it in Finance & Accounting.
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ValueCreation
Finance
According to a recent Forbes article “The CFO and the Office of Finance are looked to now as the architects of growth.” But how can we get there?
An exciting message from today’s guest mentor, Jason Lin, and on today’s episode we also deconstruct together:
• Two ways on how we can earn a seat at the decision-making table. • What tennis and basketball can teach us on how to have a successful career in Finance. • What business partners are asking for and the mindset we need to bring in Finance.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/174.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
modernfinance
According to the Harvard Business Review given 70% of digital initiatives failed to deliver their outcomes last year and wasted $900bn where was the finance team to have prevented this? Is there an opportunity for finance professionals to evolve and deploy better digital outcomes for our organisations? What would it take??
In this bite-sized episode I do my best to a number of practical ways finance professionals can help make the most of this opportunity.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
ModernFinance
Thanks to Brian Lapidus for sharing the HBR research insight and starting the conversation.
“Try to experiment something and see the results, such a habit is also applicable in our career to see if we enjoy doing it.”
A fair challenge from today’s guest mentor, Charly Landy, and on today’s episode we also deconstruct together:
• Whether being a specialist or a generalist is the best approach? • How to make our experiences, particularly taking on new roles & responsibilities, less scary and more exciting. • 3 lessons to do to make a more meaningful difference in your career
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/172.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
modernfinance
Have you ever come up with a completely logical and obvious insight, piece of analysis, report, or process and you felt like others didn’t get it? Don’t worry, you’re not alone in this bite-sized episode I share how the inventor of the original shopping cart concept had a similar challenge and what you can learn from this to overcome it.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
ModernFinance
Ultimately at the end of the day it’s just a good conversation unless you’ve got some action out of it because we need to hold people accountable.”
This is just one of the many points, Pete Smith, from the award-winning, The Outperformer, & I cover on today’s episode where we also deconstruct: • What’s holding finance professionals back from engaging more with their stakeholders; • A useful framework to break out from our fixed mindsets particularly when we dealing with complexity; • The importance of listening to avoid solutions mode and the lantern versus flashlight; • Insights from other teams outside of Finance and their perceptions of the Finance.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/170.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
modernfinance
Attitude, personal development, hard work, are all important but what is really the defining characteristic of finance professionals who reach and sustain the highest level of performance?
In this bite-sized episode I do my best to describe this key factor and two things that the best are doing so that you can also make it work for you.
FinancialMentor
SITN
Finance
ModernFinance
“They need to have their voices heard and include them in the company’s decision making process and the future of the organization.”
A useful tip from our today’s guest mentor, Agnes Hugot on developing younger finance talent and together on this week’s episode we also deconstruct:
• FTT as a new business model • 3 ways to best position your services in any market • The importance of resilience and sports in your career
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/168.
FinancialMentor
SITN
Finance
Digitalization
Do you take the same care over your Finance processes as Hospitals Do? Processes at hospitals are there to protect the health of patients, and similarly in Finance our processes should be there to not only safeguard the health of our organisations but also help it become even fitter and stronger.
In this bite-sized episode I share what we can learn from processes in hospitals when staying there caring for my son.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
AccountingAndAccountants
You may have heard the expression that Culture eats Strategy for lunch, but why should finance professionals care.
This week’s guest mentor Talita Ferreira and I over a fireside chat discuss why it’s important as well as some practical advice around:
• How to overcome the challenges of culture change. • What to do if for leaders and individual contributors alike you find yourself in a non-collaborative toxic culture. • The concept of psychological safety so that teams can become high performing.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/166.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ModernFinance
Finance
Culture
Bought any IKEA furniture recently? Perhaps your looking at or near one now?
The chances are good that you might also have a piece of IKEA furniture in your home.
In this bite-sized episode I share what the world’s largest furniture retailer can teach finance professionals about how to become more influential with their stakeholders?
FinancialMentor
SITN
Finance
ModernFinance
“Generally, women in our society are identified as primary care giver to their parents or to their children but they have the skill set that useful in the workplace.” A real life experience from today’s guest mentor, Lindsay Stevenson and together on this week’s episode we also deconstruct: • The challenges of being a Mom at work • Key competitive advantages of working Moms’ • Our ability to micro-prioritize • 4 ways to find success and happiness at work
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/164.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ModernFinance
Finance
WorkingMoms
There’s so much talent around the world how can we get the most out of it?
In this bite-sized episode I share 7 tips I leverage but what do you think?
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
ModernFinance
“As children we are not taught to manage our mental well-being, we don’t know how to do it”
A key thought from today’s guest mentor, Rob Stephenson, chartered accountant and founder of InsideOut is a social enterprise with a mission of ending the stigma of mental ill-health in the workplace. Together on this week’s episode we also deconstruct: • The stigma of talking mental ill health at the workplace. • The possible signs of potential mental-ill health • 3 things to do to recover from stress at work • How mental ill health might be affecting the company’s bottom line
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/162.
YouTube link: [insert link from YouTube]
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
MentalHealth
"Traditional Financial Reporting & Analysis just doesn't cut it anymore."
Are Finance teams stuck in a cave? Or have some figured out how to venture outside and unlock value in their organisations, and how have they done this?
I'll be sharing some thoughts on this topic and a DIFY (Do It For Yourself) approach for finance professionals and teams looking to to unlock more value so register at this link: https://lnkd.in/dX4smZ2 #finance #modernfinance #aicpa
In this bite-sized episode I do my best to describe why this is such a headache and how we can do something about it.
FinancialMentor
SITN
“Have that fortitude to go forward, try something different and conquer it. It is not outside the realm of finance to be creative and innovative”
Serious thoughts from our today’s guest mentor, Nevine White and together on this week’s episode we also deconstruct: • How finance people becomes part of the business instead of being revenue prevention or budget police. • How to move away from traditional budgeting to beyond budgeting.. • How transformation impact the organization and being the advocate of change. • 3 ways on how to be an asset to the business.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/160.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
BusinessTransformation
How do you scale the impact of your passion?
Hopefully your answer revolves around getting a little help from your friends, and on this episode we get to briefly meet Wei Chien Yoong who is joining our #SITN team and shall be bringing you guest mentor interviews and podcasts.
https://youtu.be/jAEXoE37YFA
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
modernfinance
How do you get a ‘real’ sense of what are the main challenges facing finance leaders, how practically we can best deal with these and share these insights for free to thousands of finance professionals?
Well how about you arrange a Virtual Worldwide Finance Summit and get 12 thought leaders from around the globe to contribute over two weeks to helping move our profession forward. Well that’s what today’s guest mentor, Brad Eisenhuth, founder & CEO of the multi-award winning The Outperformer did. Together on this week’s episode we deconstruct:
• What’s on the minds of finance leaders following the success of his profession’s first world virtual finance summit; • Navigating the challenge of being busy and under pressure, while attempting to innovate and raise the performance of your function; • The misconception of the ‘band-aid’ education solutions that leaders are used to using, but not working in the modern and ever-changing business context; • Enablement vs Value Creation (where many accounting and finance professionals can get confused).
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/158.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
modernfinance
What is it that finance professionals can do to become remarkable?
When you’ve a product achieving at a remarkable level like the iPhone has, people tell their friends and colleagues about it, and those friends and colleagues tell their friends and colleagues and so on. You might also challenge that despite the everyday technological advances the newer iPhones aren’t radical evolutions of the last one, but they are generally still highly successful products, you could say remarkable. In fact, a lot of the successful things that have gone into the iPhone remarkable are also being done remarkable finance professionals.
In this bite-sized episode I do my best to describe a number of things finance professionals can do to become remarkable.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
modernfinance
“Like what you do, do it well and good things will follow”
The best advice today’s guest mentor, Ashish Arora, got from his boss. Together on this week’s episode we also deconstruct:
• The three main qualities of modern FP&A professionals that companies are looking for nowadays. • How to build a team that is strategic in nature and from a low-cost and far away location • Managing & leading diversity in the global finance workplace while maintaining the profitability of the business. • The benefits of having flexible and finance team members willing to travel to build cohesive teams.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/156.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
modernfinance
So what techniques do you use to be more entrepreneurial in Finance & Accounting?
Recently I talked about the importance of the Entrepreneurial mindset and the 3 Finance personality types. So what if you want to move from a Technician or Controller to become more Entrepreneurial?
In this bite-sized episode I do my best to describe 3 building blocks we can all leverage to become more entrepreneurial.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
modernfinance
We all know business process audits are important, but why aren’t we doing more of them?
Particularly given business models are rapidly changing with advances in processes & technology you’d think we’d be doing more of them, so why not? So Howard Cosby helps us deconstruct together: • How Forensic accounting does the ground work that will identify areas worthy to be investigated by finance professionals. • Why Business Process Audits aren’t being prioritised or done effectively as they could be and how go about beginning to leverage them for the benefit of our businesses. • The importance and value of having a fresh perspective of an independent 3rd party professional to audit, review and work on the process improvement to sustain the business.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/154.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
modernfinance
So do you have an entrepreneurial mindset? Last week I talked about what it means to be more entrepreneurial and have that mindset as we approach our work. So what does this look like in practice and how do you know if you’re already there or you’re more of an accounting technician? Here’s seven deadly ways & questions you can look at to check:
In this bite-sized episode I do my best to describe seven deadly ways & questions that you can focus on to help you determine you’ve a more entrepreneurial mindset.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
modernfinance
Is the digitization of Finance & Accounting really going to deliver all the benefits it’s promising and what will it mean for our careers?
I don't know all the answers so I invited one of the world’s leading Accounting & Finance Futurists, Speakers & Influencers, Mark Lee, to help us see and make sense of what the future may look like. On this episode we also deconstruct:
• The importance of key business skills relative to soft skills and how these are valuable to organisations. • How to compartmentalize the changes happening in finance & accounting into 3 time-horizons. • How to be the best finance professional you can be. • Debunking the future of what our work looks like.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/152.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
modernfinance
So do you have an entrepreneurial mindset?
Last week I talked about what it means to be more entrepreneurial and have such a mindset as we approach our work as finance professionals. So what does this look like in practice and how do you know if you’re already there? Here’s five areas you can look at to check:
In this bite-sized episode I do my best to deconstruct what an entrepreneurial mindset looks like so that it makes a bit more sense.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
ModernFinance
What’s been the best bit of career advice you’ve ever received?
Most of us in our careers at some time or another have received help, guidance and support to get us nearer to where we are now. And to celebrate our 150th episode and reaching an audience in 145 countries we’re honouring the Mentors of Our Mentors by sharing with you a short compilation of some of the best bits of advice we’ve got to hear and benefit from in our first 100 episodes. Is your favourite there? If not then comment what your’s would be below.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
AccountingAndAccountants
So what finance personality type are you? A lot is made by employers and organisations about having the right personality type to be successful. I disagree, well, as for finance professionals anyway, we need team members with diverse personality types to be successful.
In this bite-sized episode I do my best to describe and I believe there are three main and obvious types in Finance, let’s see if you see similar.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
AccountingAndAccountants
How can you take a DIY approach to enhancing your Finance assets to unlock value creation with your organisations?
In this episode I share Part 2 of the conversation I had at a recent summit which goes through how top performing Finance teams are successfully taking a Do It Yourself (DIY) Approach to unlocking value creation and capture within their teams and organisations.
Link to survey: https://www.avfww.com/begin
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
AccountingAndAccountants
Monday Podcast:
What approach do the most productive finance professionals and accountants use to managing their email inboxes?
On a daily basis most finance professionals have to open, sort through, prioritise, and respond to the emails they find in their inboxes and if we’re not careful we can feel as if we’re also living inside those inboxes and never get any real work done.
So imagine if you had an easy to adopt system that takes not even 20 minutes to set up that will help you effectively prioritise and respond to email for the rest of your finance and accounting careers?
In this bite-sized episode I share some thoughts on one approach shown to me that I’ve found useful and how I’ve adapted it to manage my email in much less time than others.
Link to training video mentioned: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EE6E5WX5AJM
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
AccountingAndAccountants
Are you doing this one thing that the most influential finance professionals are doing? Recently, I got to speak about this ‘one’ thing at a World Virtual Finance Summit, when I shared my thoughts that whilst finance professionals are typically great at preserving value, we could be much better at Unlocking Value Creation and Capture in the organisations we support. In this episode I share Part 1 of the conversation which goes through why a lot of us are perhaps not fully contributing our full value creation potential, and how our leaders, although well-meaning, are perhaps focussing too much on changing our behaviour as opposed to taking a more sustainable and effect strengths-based approach.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
AccountingAndAccountants
As a finance professional are there any ways you carve out an extra few hours to make a bigger impact on those things that matter most?
We all have the same 24 hours in a day and I was asked recently how I remain productive in spite of all the extra non-core work commitments I take on. Financial professionals and accountants tend to be a very reactive bunch, after all, whether we work in an organisational setting responding to stakeholders’ emails or in practice being on hand to service our clients requests for advice, we’re essentially a support function, hence our reactive natures, and as such our days can pass without us really knowing how much of a difference we’ve really made. So imagine if you could carve out an extra few hours to make a bigger impact, to make sure you’re becoming more influential and solving those problems that really matter most?
In this bite-sized episode I share some thoughts on how I handle email, which allows me to gain additional time back to deliver value that matters most to stakeholders.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
AccountingAndAccountants
What’s the biggest compliment you’ve ever received as a finance professional?
One of the highest compliments we can receive is to be asked back to a business with might have worked with previously or to continue to partner with our clients and stakeholders. Today’s guest mentor, Wayne Ackerman, has “being asked back” as a common theme running through his career, and together on this episode we also deconstruct: • On how to go from good to very good and the power of positively responding to criticism; • Keeping your sanity when helping grow a business form $65m to $350m; and • How getting yelled at helps people feel better if handled right.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/144.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
AccountingAndAccountants
As finance professionals we know that better decisions should lead to better financials, so how confident are you that you are driving these better, more confident decisions?
In this bite-sized episode I go through a model shared with me by Paul Husbands at a recent analytics forum.
If you enjoyed this episode check out our website for further episodes and guest mentor interviews at https://sitnshow.com/
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
AccountingAndAccountants
Have you ever wondered how a recruiter perceives finance, the changes within finance, and how to plan your career?
I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Jonathan Evans, who is very different to the stereotypical finance recruiter who offers insights on the following (and more!): • The critical changes happening in finance and how finance professionals needs to approach this change • The increasing importance of technical skills despite automation • The approach to career planning all finance professionals need to take • Planning around networking with recruiters
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/142.
FinanceMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
AccountingAndAccountants
How do you prioritise your time like the most successful in finance & business?
As finance professionals we all tend to be pretty busy and sometimes it can feel that there’s simply not enough hours in the day to get all the work done however some people have found a tool that helps them get more done in their time.
In this bite-sized episode I go through the most popular and successful tool I've shared with others called, the Timebox.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
AccountingAndAccountants
With finance professionals being told to ‘be more like consultants’ where should we start? So I invited the in demand founder and CEO of Proservartner, Rakesh Sangani, to help us deconstruct what practitioner-led consulting looks like, why consultants have a bad reputation and 3 ways finance professionals can do it better. On this episode we also deconstruct: • The concept of low cost, quick and dirty, experimentation and the importance of overcoming our fear in finance of getting things wrong; • Why it’s easy to be cynical of finance digitalisation and how to successfully bring it on board; and • 6 Questions on how to operationalise a more useful vision for Finance. If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/140.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
AccountingAndAccountants
Are you concerned about the dangerous divisions appearing in Finance & Accounting?
A recent visit to Berlin, and the old East and West sides of the city resonated with the number of leaders in Finance talking about focusing our efforts on one part of Finance (advisory/partnering) at the risk of losing sight of the other (compliance/controllership).
In this bite-sized episode I share some thoughts on the implications of this dangerous division and what we can do about it.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
AccountingAndAccountants
What would you say or do if you had the opportunity to ask a true master at delivering multiple world class Finance Transformations how they did it all, particularly given how important staying ahead, or even keeping up with the pace of change today is for finance professionals?
Luckily, I had that chance recently when I got to record this podcast with Google’s EMEA Finance Director Niall O’Sullivan and together on this episode we deconstruct:
• How you get handed a €1 billion global transformation program and be the business finance guy that leads it; • 3 key focus areas where finance professionals can help drive successful change; and • Why the role of the traditional accountant is gone although the importance of the discipline of our core audit & accounting skills is higher than ever.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/138.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
AccountingAndAccountants
As a finance professional are you busy preserving value or are you creating value?
Traditionally Finance has been about preserving and safeguarding value for shareholders, in fact we’ve developed an amazing ability to develop compliance checks and control procedures, however if we wish to remain relevant and be involved in solving meaningful problems for our organisations we need to be able to practically create value for them.
In this bite-sized episode I share some thoughts on my favourite model that can help deconstruct value creation for Finance from a recent book I edited.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
AccountingAndAccountants
Is gaining international experience important?
I mean do the long term benefits outweigh the short term inconveniences involved, particularly when our finance world is meant to be getting more flat and "glocal"?
So on today’s episode guest mentor Simon Kelly and I deconstruct 2 steps on how to approach taking on an international assignment and useful questions to answer as well as a surprising truth about a career progression benefit of doing so, as well as:
• The 3 key qualities to be successful at interim roles • How to summon up the courage to build a single source of truth. • The benefits of embracing failure, the importance of supporting managers and benefits of working with sales people and the mindset of options.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/136.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
AccountingAndAccountants
Could Finance Be Better At Taking It's Own Medicine?
We’ve recently come through the season of colds, flu and coughs, and usually in these scenarios, we're advised to rest up and take medicine, although how many of us do. But when it comes to a loved one, we're much more likely to ensure and demand that they take their medicine and get better.
In this bite-sized episode I share my thoughts how in Finance, although we're very good at prescribing medicine, we could be better at taking it ourselves.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
AccountingAndAccountants
How useful is the FP&A department in Creating Value for their Business?
In a recent Finance Trends survey 70% of CFOs named the FP&A (financial planning and analysis) function a top priority to transform and gain more value from. So how to make it happen?
On this episode we share with you how 4 of our guest mentors have learned how to position FP&A to create more value for their enterprises, not just for today but also to benefit from developments into the future. The guest mentors and the episodes are:
• Richard E. Reinderhoff #104 • Ken Fick #050 • Larysa Melnychuk #070 • Rob Trippe #094
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/134.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
AccountingAndAccountants
Following a recent Future of Finance Summit one of the previous guest mentors on the show Johannes Vogel shared with me his House Of Finance model.
In this bite-sized episode I describe how we can better get our houses in order so that we can begin to become more influential and be involved in solving meaningful problems for our organisations.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
AccountingAndAccountants
Did you know that when we’re anxious we get sweaty palms however this is also the same sensation in our bodies when we are excited. So with all the disruption going on around us in finance how do we change the drivers to get a more 'excited' outcome and not get left behind?
On today’s episode guest mentor Khaled Chowdhury and I deconstruct why it’s okay to be a little alarmed and how to best invest in our most important asset as finance professionals, ourselves, as well as: • The advantages of being trained by sales and wise leaders. • The most valuable resource we can give back to the business and an example that drove 50% more sales • A practical approach that we can use in finance to help navigate and accelerate the learning process to acquire experience faster. • We deconstruct the 3 components of habits and how to change them to deliver better outcomes.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/132.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
AccountingAndAccountants
What does the future of finance look like?
Recently I had the pleasure to speak at the Future of Finance & CFO summit as well interact with other leaders in accounting & finance at the Hurlingham Club London, England.
In this bite-sized episode I share with you 5 key takeaways for finance professionals to watch out for so we can become more influential and be involved in solving meaningful problems for our organisations.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
AccountingAndAccountants
When it comes to your spreadsheets do you have a good one version of the truth?
Because given the use of spreadsheets in Finance are so pervasive we can really hurt our credibility as accountants and finance professionals if we don’t have the right numbers.
That’s why we're joined by today’s guest mentor Brian Donnelly who leads a fintech company and who shares many stories from his customer encounters (who are mainly accountants and finance leaders) as to how to overcome some of the challenges with the pervasiveness of spreadsheets both on the technology & process sides as well as more importantly with our people. We also discuss:
• The two minimum criteria to look for when hiring in great people. • Why the entire world of Finance is built upon spreadsheets and the tension between Finance & IT. • Why Finance is guilty of underselling its impact.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/130.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
AccountingAndAccountants
Monday Podcast: How do you give financial advice?
Whilst some of us accountants and finance professionals may be quite robotic and machine-like when it comes to our jobs the majority of us still have been endowed with 5 senses, you know sight, smell, taste, hearing and touch. But when was the last time you used all of these to give better financial advice?
In this bite-sized episode I share with you some thoughts on how by being aware of our senses can help us deliver a bigger impact when we share financial advice and insights.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
AccountingAndAccountants
How important are good communication skills for Finance professionals?
Often as finance professionals we demonstrate our strength in the numbers however given the importance of communication in a fast changing and more virtual world how often do we demonstrate our strength with words? Today’s guest mentor Shruti Kapoor joins Wei Chien Yoong and myself to share a number of practical insights how we can improve our strength of our word to build confidence, trust and credibility:
• The importance of humor and tailoring insights to get them across to decision-makers • How meetings are not a time to show off but to get alignment • Her experience as a disc jockey (DJ) • How food can build common ground and generate conversations
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/128.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
AccountingAndAccountants
s Your Finance Hierarchy Structured for Valued Impact Today & Tomorrow?
I'm off to the Future Of Finance #FOF Summit in London, England and looking forward to learning more about emerging finance technologies, processes and how fellow professionals and leaders are positioning themselves to become more influential as well as go onto solve the most meaningful challenges for their organisations.
In this bite-sized episode I share with you some thoughts on how our finance hierarchies are emerging from traditional to newer forms to create and capture more value for our organisations today and tomorrow.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
AccountingAndAccountants
Are you using Lean Six Sigma to Improve Your Finance & Accounting processes?
Given Finance have a long history in compliance, access to data, decision-makers, affinity for numbers, metrics, and generally great visibility across their organisations Finance are very well positioned to benefit from using Lean Six Sigma (LSS) but how many of us are indeed leveraging LSS tools & methods to become more influential and make a meaningful impact.
On this week’s episode of #SITN Mitan Patel & Ben Wann walk through what the mentality of six sigma & continuous improvement looks like, as well as covering, the importance of getting complete buy-in on your projects and some very interesting thoughts on the advantages and benefits of job-hopping.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/126.
FinancialMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
AccountingAndAccountants
“It’s not you, it’s me”
is an often clichéd break up phrase for those you had been in longer term relationships and this also presents a timely reminder to finance professionals when trying to better influence decision makers and avoid ending up up with broken hearts when our efforts fall short.
In this bite-sized episode I share with you two of the key reasons why this can happen to finance professionals as well as a model on how to better adapt your approach to the 4 different decision making styles.
FinancialMentor
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ValueCreation
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AccountingAndAccountants
What’s the one thing the top performers in finance avoid that helps them make a meaningful impact?
Given Finance are typically the keepers of the keys to the financial health of an organisation it’s no wonder then that when the business needs information to be successful they reach out to their finance teams. However this can lead to finance professionals having a very reactive mindset which is what the top performers avoid. Instead they are proactively investing to further themselves and their stakeholders and this is just one of the topics this week’s guest mentor Stan Besko and I discuss, as well as covering:
• We deconstruct Stan’s “Invest In Yourself” and the simple step we as individuals and leaders can take. • Why organisations perhaps invest less in the development of their finance staff than say other departments or executives. • Great practical advice on how to become a catalyst for change and the trap of falling back on the status quo.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/124.
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A fellow finance professional asked me a couple weeks ago what are the key skills required to become a fantastic accountant, and rather focus on skills per se I suggested they focus on mastering 3 disciplines? So what are these three disciplines and how do they help you become a fantastic accountant?
In this bite-sized episode I share with you what these three key disciplines are as well as 3 ways on how we can improve and develop them.
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How seriously do you take your financial data management? Because with some sources comparing good quality data to the new oil that is powering better decisons-making in our organisations then it’s probably important as finance professionals we know how to better manage and optimise our own data. Today’s guest mentor Irina Steenbeek and I deconstruct a number of steps on how we can improve how we do this and we also discuss:
• The idea of data lineage and Irina deconstructs for us the Information Value Chain concept and the importance of optimising it. • Two reasons why finance professionals ideally placed to improve data quality. • Why some data elements are more critical than others and how to identify them.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/122.
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Have you the attunement advantage?
There’s been a lot said and written about emotional intelligence, in particular the old saying that before we can walk in another person’s shoes we must first remove our own. However, as finance business partners we also know that whilst it’s important to understand our business partners’ needs, wants and desires we’re also entrusted by the broader business to ensure we keep some perspective so that we all don’t lose our shoes in the process, so what can we do?
In this bite-sized episode I share 3 ways So how can we improve and develop our attunement advantage.
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Are you one of the 9 out of 10 accountants that people avoid at dinner parties?
Well this is the damming survey result on how poorly finance professionals are at communication and today's guest mentor Rhondalynn Korolak and I deconstruct a number of steps on how we can improve our communication styles to build better leverage and better create value for our clients and organisations. We also discuss • Why financial illiteracy in SMEs is a big problem for us accountants and how we’re not making it simple enough for people to understand the numbers, the huge dilemma we face and opportunity for us if we do it better; and • The importance of Pricing Value as opposed to the more detrimental approach of Value or Value-based Pricing.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/120.
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What key lessons did you learn in the last year?
In December 2017 I took a journey into the unknown as I’d launched the #SITN Strength in the Numbers Podcast to create more influential finance professionals who solve meaningful problems for their organisations and to have more fun & rewarding careers. A year later, having reached 115 episodes and 15k downloads/views a month, I have learned a number of key lessons a long the way both about our finance profession and me personally.
In this bite-sized episode I share 5 of them.
https://youtu.be/qREQvYwoiGM
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Are you really proving your full value as an accountant?
There are two types of people this question applies to. The first are those who are worried that automation is going on to displace their current roles and there are those who want to practically know how we can be creating and capturing even more value for our organisations. On today’s episode guest mentor Elizabeth Hale and I deconstruct and go through a number of real examples on how we can continually prove our value as accountants and finance professionals as well as:
• Why a career in accounting & finance can be a wild ride. • The five main things business owners are really looking for from their accountants. • How we can practically become that business partner / financial mentor they are looking for. • How to adopt a solution and continually proving your value mindset.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/118.
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What book would you recommend finance professionals read?
Whilst there are still very few books out there on Finance Business Partnering and Finance Mentoring there are so many others available that detail the broader trends and business skills necessary to be a successful finance business partner. So where does an aspiring finance professionals begin their search for knowledge? Here are 5 books I consider as the best bang for your buck to start with.
In this bite-sized episode I outline the 5 books I consider as the best bang for your buck to start with.
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As we approach 2019, there have been many advances in technology & tools that have also shifted upwards the expectations upon finance professionals, so nowadays what does it take to become a fantastic accountant?
So we thought we’d ask James Perry, the Accounting Exam Coach, Anders Liu-Lindberg, cofounder of the Business Partnering Institute and Andrew Codd, Founder and Producer of the Strength in the Numbers Show to offer some practical advice to answer this question, as well as:
• On defining what an accountant is • On why there will still be a need for accountants but the future will be very different for them. • The importance of discovering what you enjoy doing and softer skills.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/116.
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There are two types of accountant and finance professional, those that ensure the appropriate controls and compliance are in place so that the numbers are accurate and consistent – let’s call this preserving value, and then there are those who are coming out from behind their desks, engaging with the business on meaningful problems, solving them, being a trusted sparring partner and financial mentor – let’s call this creating and capturing more value. So what’s stopping us all doing this?
In this bite-sized episode I outline some practical thoughts on why this is the case as well as some antidotes to overcome these value blockers.
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ValueCreation
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AccountingAndAccountants
Could we be doing better to leverage younger talent in Finance to unlock more sustainable value in our organisations?
I mean it’s easy for those of us who have been around finance and the business for a long time to get stuck in our ways, however our next generation offer younger, fresher minds, without the constraints of what’s possible and what’s not, particularly with new technologies, and may just be the key to unlocking even higher levels of value that Finance can drive in our organisations.
This is just one of the many topics our guest mentor Marcus Thelwell and I cover on this week’s episode as well as:
• Three things new entrants to finance can do immediately to start unlocking value for organisations. • Why we need to be more than our stereotypical image and the main things new entrants should be interested in. • A great example on how to keep newer finance professionals motivated to run mundane finance processes. • How having conversations to identify a common interest can boost your career success.
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AccountingAndAccountan
How to fix the leaky roof in the Finance Department?
In a survey from earlier this year 95% finance leaders said they experienced a skill-gap in the finance function, however telling finance professionals to change behaviours alone is not going to address this gap.
In this bite-sized episode I share some practical thoughts on why this is not acceptable, common mistakes, and one easy way to start fixing such skills gaps in finance.
Access the Value Potential Pulse Diagnostic at: www.avfww.com/begin
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Is it possible for the Finance department to grow a business as much as teams like say sales, marketing or operations?
There’s still a perception out there that it you’re going to grow the company you’re going to grow it through sales however our guest mentor on this week’s episode Brett Bourgon has seen and experienced two sides of this argument. Brett is a qualified accountant that has led both sales and finance teams and covers some very useful areas that may help us better answer this question such as: • The biggest challenge of stepping out of Finance into a sales leadership role, but also how we can get more ready to do so. • Great practical advice on how finance professionals can get more recognition from their business partners and better control their own image. • The importance of mentors and development in climbing our own Mount Everests’.
https://youtu.be/DHtoKtrPQhQ?t=34
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AccountingAndAccountants
Who in Finance are getting all the promotions?
In my experience of watching and helping talented accounting professionals evolve as leaders and ‘move to the top’ they really cut through with promotions and trust in their business. Why is this the case?
In this bite-sized episode I shed some light on who are getting the promotions and some thoughts on why they are being successful by using results from the value potential pulse app.
Access the Value Potential Pulse Diagnostic at: www.avfww.com/begin
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With 26% of Top European CFOs becoming CEOs is it possible for finance professionals to take on other top CXO roles in business?
Our guest mentor on this week’s episode Ed Harding who although a chartered accountant by training, has worn many hats inside and outside of finance, including CFO, CEO, COO, he’s what you could call a CXO. Ed shares with us a quite fascinating career journey and because of this there are fantastic bits of practical advice and famous names from the world of business dotted throughout this episode. Ed also takes us through:
• The biggest challenges he faced when stepping out of Finance into non-Finance related roles. • How he has constructed his career story into 4 pillars to make it an easier job to sell his value to potential recruiters. • Why volunteering is important and Ed’s story behind the learnings involved with being the chief financial geek for the incubator Hack Forward. • The idea of intelligent simplicity.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/110.
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I’ve mentioned previously the six value generating assets in Finance, so how can we enhance and nurture them so that they can be adapted to your business environment as it evolves?
I share in this bite-sized episode, some simple tools that can do this particularly in the asset areas of social intelligence and engagement.
Access the Value Potential Pulse Diagnostic at: https://www.avfww.com/begin
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How do you know as a finance professional if you’re hitting the right notes with your clients and business partners?
Our guest mentor on this week’s episode Patrick Leavy shares some practical answers that have worked for him and can work for you too. We also discuss Patrick’s unique career journey which could be seen as being a bit back the front for accountants as Patrick initially started his career performing and writing music, having worked on 15 TV documentaries, before qualifying as an accountant in the public sector and then becoming a financial consultant to schools before joining one of the most forward thinking accounting firms in the UK. Patrick also takes us through: • Some of the common threads between being a finance professional and his experience of visual direction and music. • Great practical steps on how to get clients and leaders to engage more with their finance professionals • The 3 main challenges facing Patrick’s clients and a straightforward bit of advice to reduce business failures.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/108.
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Often I see and hear finance professionals and finance leaders talking about ‘adding value’, but when they are asked to describe what that value is they find it difficult to articulate. They don’t have a simple way of looking at value and as a leader, some can’t help their teams think about genuine value as a result. So how can we define what ‘value creation’ is?
I share in this bite-sized episode, what value looks like, why value creation matters to finance professionals and how they can start capturing more value for their organisations and to have more influential and meaningful careers in finance.
FinanceMentor
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ValueCreation
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As a finance professional are you simply a passenger in your business or a co-pilot? By that I mean are you like a passenger who sits there, behind your desk or in a row of desks, producing reports & analyses, or do you get up out from behind your desks, walk up to the decision makers, engage with them to understand their business, their challenges and implications for the future and in effect be their co-pilot in creating even more value for the business? These are just some of the areas our guest mentor Arno Wakfer and I cover together on our latest podcast. We also cover • Arno shares a story why he wished he had a mentor after he qualified • His seven learnings (value drivers) accountants get when running their own business. • Why reporting isn’t adding value and why Arno is excited about automation. • Why finance professionals need to be visible and how Arno does this • Arno shares a story of the best criticism he ever received and how it helped him. If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/106.
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There’s a lot of talk out there that companies need to add value to their clients, and managers expect their staff to continually create value for their organisations, but do those people who are saying these things really know the difference between adding & creating value? Or worse they could actually be causing more disengagement in our organisations. So how can we improve our potential to go engage to add, create and capture value.
In this bite-sized episode I share some thoughts on a practical web app so that we can better add, create and capture value to our organisations. Check it out at https://www.avfww.com/begin
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AccountingAndAccountants
Is Finance doing too much and should it be split between operations (Chief Accounting Officer) and strategy (Chief Value Officer)? And could FP&A be the unsuspecting change agent in this process.
These are just some of the questions our guest mentor Richard E. Reinderhoff and I cover together on our latest podcast. Richard also shares his journey from finance operations, to covering most finance functions, the importance of planning in a hyper-inflationary economy, consulting, his international controllership and CFO experiences along with some straightforward practical advice on how to close the gap between Strategy & Finance.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/104.
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Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock you’re well aware of the rate of change impacting many of our enterprises and industries. And, of the many jobs within these organisations, one of them in particular has become much more demanding, the role of the CFO, who’s responsible for ensuring that the organisation they serve is growing both sustainably and profitably.
So then how do they actually decide who to hire into their finance organisations to meet and overcome these challenges?
In this bite-sized episode I share some thoughts on this conversations, what happened a introduce a practical tool so that we can better add value to our organisations.
FinanceMentor
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ValueCreation
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AccountingAndAccountants
How do you become an award winning finance leader and have a career in finance that works for you and not the other way around? Simple! Tune into this week’s podcast where our guest mentor Paula Downey Jones shares with us: • 11 areas where Finance professionals can improve our value proposition. • How to gain a better depth of understanding in finance. • The confidence that comes from making your career work for you and • The benefits of the winding road.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/102.
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How do you know you're combining your insights in the right way to create value for your customers and clients?
Have you ever read the story of Rumpelstiltskin? You know where under threat of death a young woman is forced to seek help to turn something fairly common like straw is into gold. In effect the story makes reference to the practice of alchemy (spinning straw into gold), and this got me wondering, sometimes as finance professionals we can create value by turning fairly disparate bits of data into leading edge insights that can add value for our stakeholders, but how?
In this bite-sized episode I share some practical thoughts on how to do this effectively.
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How effective are your business partnering skills? And how do you know they’re good enough to continue to remain relevant to your stakeholders and clients?
What better way to answer such important questions than by bringing on a #FinanceMaster and also mark episode #100 🎉. So we’ve brought back our first ever guest mentor Anders Liu-Lindberg to find out what he’s been up to this past year and to share some practical advice on how we can be more effective business. Some other areas we cover are: • Anders highlights the 5 key blockers to effective business partnering • Anders explains why the finance analyst role is still critical for future business partners • Anders emphasises the leaders’ role in transformation and the need to go beyond a digital strategy
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/100.
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I recorded a podcast this week with a senior finance professional who had also ran his own business and it got me thinking that nowadays in most large enterprises finance managers and leaders also supplement their accounting training by undertaking an MBA (Masters of Business and Administration). Interestingly whilst on this course you learn the skills required to run a business successfully, the fact remains that most MBA graduates will not go off and start a business of their own, they instead take up middle to senior finance positions in existing companies.
So what’s a better course of education for a finance professional an MBA or experience of running your own business?
In this bite-sized episode I share some practical thoughts on the value of each.
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How excited are you about what the future holds for the finance and accounting profession? More importantly do you know how to benefit from the opportunities or minimise the risks so that you can enjoy a better future and have a more fun, rewarding and successful career in accounting & finance.
On this episode we share with you how 4 of our guest mentors have prepared for the future as well as discuss ways on how you can also remain relevant today and into the future. We discuss with them what they have done, why they did what they did, the impacts it had on them, their careers, their colleagues and organisation, and they share with you some ideas on how you can also do the same or similar. The guest mentors and the episodes are: • Nilly Essaides #046 • Ken Fick #050 • Paul Sweeney #078 • Wei Chien Yoong #008
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/098.
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Who's the best mentor you ever had and how did they help you?
It was a 15 minute conversation with a Mentor that helped chance the direction and success of my career in Finance. But up until then I was slow to ask for help, and even slower to pick up on the idea that Mentors could help me in my career. So let’s say you take the brave step to seek out Finance Mentors, how do you get the most out of them?
In this bite-sized episode I share some practical thoughts on how mentors can help you have more meaningful, rewarding and successful careers in finance and accounting.
FinanceMentor
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ValueCreation
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As a finance professional what part of the P&L springs to mind when you think of Lean? Cost-Cutting? Or Revenue-Generation?
In actual fact lean is first about how do we provide the value that the customer is willing to pay for with the minimum amount of waste, it is really customer and revenue focussed. This is just one of the many topics our guest mentor Andrea Jones and I cover on today’s episode as well as covering a number of relevant other areas around:
• Andrea highlights the important distinction behind what lean really means and why it is more a revenue & customer focus than simply cost. • A massive opportunity for Finance to easily help the business around something that we take for granted. • How Finance can better support operations.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/096.
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Recently when talking with a fellow finance professional our conversation switched over to which martial arts style is best? Which is better, jujitsu, kung fu, karate, judo, krav maga, tae kwon do, or something like Mixed Martial Arts (MMA)? I’m not an expert in any of these, but having dabbled with a few of them each has its comparative advantages and downsides. And it got me thinking why it’s important to your career success to have access to Finance ‘Black Belts’ and ‘Masters’ at their craft.
In this bite-sized episode share 3 parts to achieving your Finance Black Belt.
http://sitnshow.com/podcast/095
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Are you using your finance skills to keep busy or actually create more value for your stakeholders? How do you know the difference?
I believe we’re all doing our best to add value, however in the race to do so we may actually be guilty of not focusing on doing the right things and so limiting our impact and value we can potentially add, particularly in FP&A. This is one of the many areas Rob Trippe and I discuss on today’s episode along with some other key areas such as:
• The fundamental role FP&A plays in value creation. • Some simple steps to ensure we’re solving for the right answer. • The importance of starting at the end result and working backwards to ensure we not simply keeping busy. • Rob introduces the concept of operating leverage that all good financial models operate off.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/094.
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Is your Finance team thinking about business in the right way? Most people think that business involves selling more stuff or saving money, and accountants would record this type of activity typically as profit and loss, but is this enough to ensure enterprises achieve sustained profitable growth?
In this bite-sized episode I share some thoughts on why this is not enough and two other perspectives we need to consider. www.sitnshow.com/podcast/093
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Given there’s no escaping the rapid rate of change, digitisation and globalisation on business, society and our finance profession how can we best figure out how to keep making a genuine impact for our stakeholders as well as have meaningful and prosperous careers in finance & accounting? Well, what better way to find out than ask Andrew Harding, Chief Executive Management Accounting, at the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants which represents 667,000 members and students in public and management accounting and advocates for the public interest and business sustainability on current and emerging issues. These are just some of topics Andrew and I cover together in today’s episode as well as: • How we keep ahead of the rapid pace of change and we question what’s most relevant today to have a sustainable career. • We discuss the importance of successful businesses and our role in addressing the trust deficit in our society. • The advantage of becoming known as a Value Creator for shareholder and stakeholders.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/092.
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Over the years Finance professionals, whether having gone through business school or as part of their accounting training, have been taught and introduced to various economic concepts and mental models that if applied correctly can help create more value for our organisations and help them be more successful. But are we behaving as if the world is flat by applying them incorrectly or even worse failing to fit them to reality?
In this bite-sized episode I share some thoughts on how to practically have more realistic models and how to ensure our approach to financial modelling is more well rounded.
www.sitnshow.com/podcast/091
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Have you ever heard the expression a rising tide lifts all ships or seen it in practice for finance professionals?
I recently had the pleasure of being interviewed for this podcast by Mitan Patel and I explain why this saying is one of the driving forces behind keeping the Strength in the Numbers show going. Mitan and I also discuss on today’s episode along with some other key areas such as: • The key event that led to my last ever job application. • The knowledge sources I draw on for supporting commercial decision making. • The key assets we have and can leverage in Finance to create value. • The game I often play to enhance my knowledge of an area.
I also mention on the episode I’ve had developed a free web app, currently in beta (www.avfww.com/begin) that enables you to assess your value creation potential and receive tips on how to improve the assets underpinning it.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/090.
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How does Strength in the Numbers Show happen? This show doesn't happen without the input and support from our audience, guest mentors being so giving of their time & experiences but also the immense work done behind the scenes, so I'd like to introduce you to Mitan Patel one of our team and soon to be hosting some of our podcasts with guest mentors.
In this bite-sized episode I introduce you to Mitan Patel where we touch on some of his background, what he hopes to achieve as host of the show and a couple of his upcoming special guest mentor interviews.
https://youtu.be/uAR3leAq9Qs
FinanceMentor
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ValueCreation
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Even though the term connected society was coined back in 1991, have we recently stopped to think what does it really mean for our careers and accounting & finance profession. We’re seeing ever faster rates of change in global politics, economics and cultures caused by the spread of networked, digital information and communications technologies and these are just some of topics our guest mentor Noel Tagoe and I cover together in today’s episode as well as:
• Why connectivity is key, why we need to connect more and the importance of dynamic ecosystems in doing so • Advice on the 6 As of success for accountants and finance professionals • On giving to get and the fundamental rule of NPV and accounting • The surprising resources and way to get the right resources Noel recommends our listeners check out
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/088.
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As accountants and finance professionals we’re expected to have great attention to detail and the numbers, in fact it’s a large part our training, but what if we’re paying attention to the wrong things and so limiting our ability to make a meaningful impact at work and so holding us back from having a more rewarding and successful career in finance.
In this bite-sized episode I share some thoughts on some research and how to ensure we're focusing on the right things in practice.
www.sitnshow.com/podcast/087
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The phrases ‘making a difference’ and 'finance transformation' are often used but what do they really look like for accountants and finance professionals, not in theory but in practice? This is one of the many questions Dr Noel Tagoe Executive Vice President, Academics at AICPA and I tackle on today’s episode along with some other key areas such as: • Noel’s 3 steps to become more valuable and relevant to your organisation • What to do if we encounter failure and why it’s the best risk management tool we have. • The importance of learning in communities, the 3 communities Noel belongs to (moaners, , & why learning can never be private. • 3 ways to think about approaching choosing a profession like finance & accounting to find it rewarding plus Noel shares a personal story about the transformative power of finance.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/086.
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futureoffinance
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One of the main truths we know in Finance is that income follows on from assets so long as an organisation is managing them well. I believe the same can be said for all the teams within organisations and in particular Finance, but as finance professionals in order to manage our assets so that they generate the most value we need to know what they are as well as be able to assess where we need to improve them. And how many of us actually can say that we know how to do both those things?
In this bite-sized episode I share some thoughts on how to start putting these into practice.
www.sitnshow.com/podcast/085
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There’s a saying doing the rounds at the moment that data is the new oil and analytics the new engine, so you’d think that if this is where the opportunity is at, and given how much we are involved in generating and reporting the data & insights, then why are some of our skills as finance professionals only just touching the surface of what’s possible and so threatening our ability to remain relevant and continue to be involved in solving meaningful problems for our organisations.
These are just some of topics our guest mentor Simon Harrison and I cover together in today’s episode as well as: • The surprising skillset Finance professionals don’t quite yet have and the simple practical things we can do to improve this. • The issue with educational silos impacting our ability to pick up the necessary skills to get hired and create value in our organisations. • The main areas to be open minded on what IT can teach us on. • We discuss why when it comes to data Finance needs to be more an art than a science. • Why SQL is important and why we both still love Excel. • At the end an important development challenge we lay down for our audience.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/084.
FinanceMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
AccountingAndAccountants
One of my favourite parables is that of the broken window fallacy which was first expressed by the French economist, Frederic Bastiat and it constantly reminds me in Finance whilst although we generally think about preventing things getting broken we sometimes have to step back and consider to multiple perspectives since breaking things might actually add more value for our organisations in the longer run.
In this bite-sized episode I share some thoughts on how to start putting this into practice.
www.sitnshow.com/podcast/083
FinanceMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
AccountingAndAccountants
Do you know what’s the right mindset to have towards your finance career? I mean not in theory but in practice, to not merely become more influential as a finance professional and solve meaningful problems for your organisation but to also have a fun, rewarding career in accounting & finance. To help gain a sense of what this right mindset might look like we’ve prepared a special episode where we share with you how 4 of our guest mentors have found mindsets that have worked in their finance careers, the results they learned in doing so, why they did what they did, the impacts it had on them, their careers, their colleagues and organisation, and they share with you some ideas on how you can also do the same or similar. The guest mentors and the episodes are:
• Angelo Ho • Nigel Franklyn • Glin Bayley • Andy Burrows
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/082.
FinanceMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
AccountingAndAccountants
In the previous episode I suggested that an effective vision as much for finance professionals as the organisations we support starts and ends with value creation for the relevant stakeholders, which is the only reason for any business to exist. This is the Who and the Why, but it's not very practical without the How?
In this bite-sized episode I share some thoughts on how to start putting this into practice with the most often requested tool from my book.
www.sitnshow.com/podcast/081
FinanceMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
AccountingAndAccountants
How much of your organisation’s or client’s finance activities are either outsourced or offshored? With the barriers to knowledge transfer diminishing outsourcing is moving more upmarket from lower level transaction processing/back office tasks and into Treasury, Mergers & Acquisitions, and FP&A to name but a few however far from being a threat it is also a great opportunity to add more bottom line value to businesses. These are just some of topics our guest mentor Jamie McBrien and I cover together in today’s episode as well as: • A practical tip to improve our success in finance transformation implementations. • The importance of taking the time to engage and patience. • The drivers behind Finance offshoring and outsourcing moving upmarket. • Advice on how finance professionals can remain relevant in the face of offshoring.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/080.
FinanceMentor
SITN
ValueCreation
Finance
AccountingAndAccountants
There’s an old saying: “Where there is no vision the people perish.” PROVERBS 29 VERSE 18
Which means that there’s two types of vision for finance professionals, there are those who have no vision and so are held back in their careers and struggling to make a meaningful impact within their organisations; and then there are those who do have effective vision and are seen as influential and relevant in solving meaningful problems for their organisations. So which type are you?
In this bite-sized episode I share some thoughts on what an effective vision links back to and how we can begin thinking about it to practically drive our actions as finance professionals.
FinanceMentor
SITN
futureoffinance
Finance
AccountingAndAccountants
Have you ever thought about what your extra is in Finance or do you even know what it is?
With the continuing advances in the robotization of our traditional workloads if we wish to have a solid future in finance we need to be continuously doing more around creating value. And this is just one of the many topics our guest mentor Paul Sweeney & I cover in today’s episode as well as:
• Why your knowing your extra matters and how we can practically make it count in Finance. • We deconstruct the Finance professional’s approach to technology and attitude to development around technology. • Paul shares some great advice around Excel, Salesmanship and a great question he got from his father.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/078.
Also available as on iTunes, Stitcher & YouTube
FinanceMentor
SITN
futureoffinance
Finance
AccountingAndAccountants
Currently it’s summer in the Northern hemisphere, and the sunnier conditions along with the odd rain shower means that for those of us with lawns we find ourselves more regularly mowing them but why do we mow them in the first place and what can that teach us in Finance about better influencing others?
In this bite-sized episode I share some thoughts on what this teaches us about influencing humans into action and how to do this practically in finance.
FinanceMentor
SITN
futureoffinance
Finance
AccountingAndAccountants
In this digital age there are two types of Finance professional, there are those who take themselves very seriously and then there are those who are becoming, not only Finance and organisational linchpins, but they're doing so in fun and playful ways that accelerate their career successes.
These are just some of topics our guest mentor Glin Bayley covers in today’s episode as well as: • A practical way on how to be a linchpin in Finance on a daily basis. • Deconstruct what really matters with your next career move. • Glin shares a story from when she was younger where she incorrectly thought she had to do to certain things be taken seriously.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/076.
FinanceMentor
SITN
futureoffinance
Finance
AccountingAndAccountants
There's an old Irish song that warns of the prison ships lying empty in the bay and this serves as a precursor the importance of incentives and how Finance professionals can use them to our advantage to change organisational behaviour of even unscrupulous people.
In this episode I share some ideas how to do this practically.
FinanceMentor
SITN
futureoffinance
Finance
AccountingAndAccountants
Have you ever been or known any finance colleague stuck in their comfort zone trying to break out, but perhaps they don’t know how?
Well in recognition of our upcoming 75th episode and being listened to in over 120 countries we’ve prepared a special episode where we share with you how 5 of our guest mentors have broken out of their comfort zones, the results they learned in doing so, why they did what they did, the impacts it had on them, their careers, their colleagues and organisation, and they share with you some ideas on how you can also do the same or similar. The guest mentors and the episodes are: • Sabine Prenslev Christensen • Robin Kiziak • Lance Rubin • Brad Eisenhuth • Paul Murphy
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/074.
Also available as on iTunes, Stitcher & Soundcloud.
FinanceMentor
SITN
futureoffinance
Finance
AccountingAndAccountants
We are always told we need to be continuously improving to remain relevant or we say similar to our organisations to stay in the game, so what would be one change you would recommend to the finance profession to continue to have a seat at the table?
Fundamentally the Finance profession grew out of the need to preserve business value by recording transactions and safeguarding the value of company assets, nowadays the business is looking to us to not just preserve value, that’s a given, we’re now being asked to create value just to remain relevant and keep our seat at the table.
I share my thoughts on today's bitesized episode on modifying one thing we already know to create even more value for our organisations.
If you enjoyed this episode subscribe to our longer guest mentor interviews on iTunes, Stitcher, YouTube and Soundcloud.
FinanceMentor
SITN
futureoffinance
Finance
AccountingAndAccountants
Imagine having 1,000 years’ worth of career advice, how would you use that to advise others or even improve your own career outcomes? Well, our guest mentor and finance professional Paul Murphy has answered these questions by writing an Amazon #1 bestselling book that interviewed 100 graduates 10 years out of university about their career paths, their hard won lessons, how they overcame obstacles and what advice they would give others in hindsight. And even better a lot of the insights are relevant for finance professionals as 33% of those interviewed have worked in finance and Paul shares some of their stories in this episode. Some other areas we cover together are: • One piece of critical advice that will allow you to get into the more fun finance roles and how to go about it. • Practical advice on how to select a mentor for the biggest impact on your career. • Real advice on how approach senior managers and what really happens when you step outside your comfort zone.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/072.
Also available as on iTunes, Stitcher & Soundcloud.
FinanceMentor
SITN
futureoffinance
Finance
AccountingAndAccountants
Does the Finance department have the most Integrity in organisations?
Finance professionals have always known the value of the word integrity, in fact it is one of our strengths, but nowadays it is probably one of the most abused words in the English language. It has become the new word for corporate values, it has become the word to express the fact how good a corporation, or even a department is with its good people. So Does the Finance department have the most Integrity of any team in organisations?
FinanceMentor
SITN
futureoffinance
Finance
AccountingAndAccountants
Why, according to 70% of UK CFOs, is FP&A the hardest Finance & Accounting role for them to fill? This is just one of the many questions our guest mentor and well-known FP&A thought leader Larysa Melnychuk answers as well as covering a number of relevant other areas on our podcast together:
• Why she challenges those who think the accounting profession is not creative. • The 3 areas where FP&A can become less traditional and more valuable to support a quicker more flexible decision making process. • Why it’s hard to find good FP&A professionals with up to 70% of UK CFOs saying it’s the hardest position to fill as well as the solution. • What the next 3-5 years will look like for FP&A.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/070.
Also available as on iTunes, Stitcher & Soundcloud.
FinanceMentor
SITN
futureoffinance
Finance
AccountingAndAccountants
How many ways do Finance Professionals build trust? There are many of them but there are two main ingredients to do so effectively, to benefit from a High-Trust Dividend.
There are also 13 high-trust behaviours that can accelerate the finance professional's success in building trust and I also mention these too on today's bitesized episode and how you can put them into practice.
FinanceMentor
SITN
futureoffinance
Finance
AccountingAndAccountants
How many times in the last few weeks have you met with others in your organisation to learn about their needs or even challenge one of their decisions? Today in finance there are two types of professionals, those sitting behind their desks sending out reports and those you are becoming more influential, getting out from behind their desks, meeting with others in their organisations, understanding their needs and delivering value for them. This distinction is important as our guest mentor Sabine Prenslev Christensen points out that more and more finance professionals are becoming more courageous and they’re the ones becoming more influential and ensuring they will be the ones least likely to be replaced by robots. In this episode some key points we cover are: • The actions that we’re unknowingly taking in finance and accounting that are holding us back from becoming more influential. • Deconstructs some simple actions on leading up and leading down that Sabine did with the Danish Navy that reduced time cost and improved the value of insights. • We go into the courage mindset and why this is important for accounting & finance professionals. • Shares how you gain respect by having the courage to say ‘No’, trusting in your training and the worst but surprisingly good outcome that came from doing so.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/068.
Finance teams have been around since the first organisations were established, around 3000 BC in ancient Mesopotamia, because they knew about one big thing that drove and accelerated value better than anything else, which other functions and teams sometimes forget. This is why organisations then and even those today still need a Finance team to help them get this one big thing, so what is it?
I share my thoughts on today's bitesized episode on what this is and how you can do this too.
If you enjoyed this episode subscribe to our longer guest mentor interviews on iTunes, Stitcher, YouTube and Soundcloud.
For finance professionals and accountants to be influential in our organisations we need to be having the right conversations with your stakeholders, but how do we know if we are or not? Answering this question is important and our guest mentor Marco Singh deconstructs for us some of the practical things and golden rules that have worked for him in managing stakeholders and having better conversations with them. Other areas we cover on this episode are: • Why storytelling is important and breaks out his recommendations on how to do it effectively. • One of his top rules on managing stakeholders and line managers. • Improving our Digital IQ.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/066.
According to joint research by Oxford University and Accenture 55% of Finance jobs will be disrupted and take over by digital robots. So in the last two episodes we’ve addressed why some of the reasons behind why we might be fearful of Digital disruption as well as how we can start charting a course through some of its consequences, disrupt or be disrupted, but how do we really protect ourselves from it?
In this episode I share the three steps you can take.
If you enjoyed this episode check out our other resources on sitnshow.com.
As a finance professional are you making full sense of the data you have? Or are you simply stuck in the grind of capturing the data and don’t have to the tools or know how to break out?
The distinction is important as our guest mentor Rishabh Sawansukha points out that business owners, CEOs, CFOs and other leaders are not interested in how we’re capturing the data and how we’ve connected them, they’re interested in having finance professionals who make them aware of what’s inside the data, what it all means in terms of opportunities and threats, and how to navigate a path around them. Other areas we cover on this episode are:
• The discovery Rishabh attributes to turning him from an accountant into an entrepreneur. • Why technology is really helping us do what we should be doing in the first place and why this create loads of opportunities for accountants. • Breaking down making sense of the data into 3 simple steps. • Rishabh’s shared ecosystem concept.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/064.
On the last Monday Memo I spoke about fear around Digital Disruption and how we needed to get more useful images to better chart a course through its consequences. And just like any goal or when you chart that course, I share the one thing the most influential finance professionals are doing to cut through the noise of digital disruption to go on to solve meaningful problems for their organisations and have rewarding careers in accounting & finance.
If you enjoyed this episode subscribe to our longer guest mentor interviews on iTunes, Stitcher, YouTube and Soundcloud.
Are you taking a push or pull approach to the insights you provide your organisations? As accounting & finance professionals the distinction is important, and we uncover why as one of the many topics I discuss with this week’s guest mentor Mike Huthwaite who it a recognised expert and global thought leader on integrative planning. Other areas we cover on this episode are: • Why agile influencing is important and what type of agile approach works best in Finance. • The distinction between push and pull projections in integrative planning and why this is important. • Mike makes the case for a Strategic Finance function and what this involves.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/062.
Should accountants and finance professionals fear digital disruption in Finance? I mean digital technologies have disrupted many existing business models and value chains, think of the impacts of an Amazon, Airbnb, and Uber. Their businesses largely work off of digital platforms, so what’s to say Finance & Accounting, which has been around for many thousands of years, is somehow immune or should we be concerned that digital may cause us like many other business becoming less relevant.
If you enjoyed this episode subscribe to our longer guest mentor interviews on iTunes, Stitcher, YouTube and Soundcloud.
Do you understand your organisation's value drivers and how to make use of them? Or with the increasing complexity of business and digital disruption is it harder to see the wood for the trees?
Nowadays there are two types of accounting & finance professional, those that are struggling with creating more value for their organisations and those who have not only figured out how to add more value but have become more influential in solving meaningful problems for their organsations.
This week's episode is the second part of our conversation with guest mentor Anuj Vij, who not only helps answers these questions but also shares:
• The key to how Finance can become more involved where it is not already. • Why the quote “we should be afraid of an accountant who can sell” is important. • An unprecedented opportunity for Finance on how to rethink what we’re doing.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/060.
Are Accountants & Finance Professionals Simply Good Scouts?
Earlier this week I had the pleasure of attending an investiture ceremony for some new Scouts and as I watched it I also surprisingly thought that we as accountants and finance professionals, particularly if we wished to become more influential and solve meaningful problems for our organisations and customers, had something to learn from this.
If you enjoyed this episode subscribe to our longer guest mentor interviews on iTunes, Stitcher, YouTube and Soundcloud.
What do you have to do to have the most fun and rewarding jobs in finance and accounting find you? What types of decisions do you have to make?
Well we've dedicated our entire episode this week to the career journey story of our guest mentor Anuj Vij, who shares many of the stories, lessons, and decisions behind how he gained such rich and diverse accounting & finance experiences across 3 continents over nearly 3 decades. In particular Anuj shares:
• The thought process for taking on a new challenging assignment despite being very comfortable in his current role and why it was an enriching experience. • The biggest lesson he learned about talent management. • The benefits of working cross-functionally and in unstructured environments.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/058.
Traditionally accounting & finance professionals have been very much tasked to prepare & report the numbers, and analyse the KPIs, but some of them, the most effective ones, have realised that possessing this key 'human' quality allows them to make an even bigger difference in today’s digital age.
What’s this key quality? They are authentic or to put it in terms of what they do, they create authentic connections with others and I share on today's bitesized episode on how you can do this too.
If you enjoyed this episode subscribe to our longer guest mentor interviews on iTunes, Stitcher, YouTube and Soundcloud.
Some accountants and finance professionals start their careers in practice, learning their trade in audit, accounts, or tax, however some "Surprise People by Being Exceptional."
That is the challenge laid down by Martin Gilchrist, founder and manager of Gilchrist and Co. Chartered Accountants, a 300 client boutique practice. Martin has mentored many businesses and start-ups and has even been described as one of Northern Ireland's best-networked professionals. He has a huge following on social media, 35k followers on Twitter alone, and is known for saying there are so many networking events going on in Belfast that "you could eat breakfast, lunch and dinner for free every working day". It's no surprise then Martin's advice is very practical and valuable for listeners, in this episode he shares: • The importance of resilience in business, the different types and its main benefits. • Shares 5 practical steps for building more resilient networks around us. • Why he is not worried that technology will put him out of a job; and • Why mirror neurons matter for accountants and finance professionals.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/056.
What is the first thing you need to do develop trust in business as a finance professional? Accountants and Finance professionals sometimes get a bad rap and are seen as boring because we can occasionally get so caught up in crunching the numbers, getting spreadsheets to work, or stuck in the financials that we end up detaching from the commercial reality that good business is fundamentally about people. More specifically, it’s really much less about the numbers (which some of us finance professionals generally hold as important) and instead much more about developing rapport and trusting relationships with ‘real’ people so that you earn the right to start doing business with each other.
In this episode I share one simple step that you can repeatedly use to develop trusting relationships with your customers, clients and other stakeholders in the business.
If you enjoyed this episode check out our other resources on sitnshow.com.
Picture the scenario, you're new to a role in an established company, and although you know you're starting with zero credibility with your stakeholders even worse you find out they have an already extremely low regard and distrust for the Finance and Accounting team. What do you do? and, Where do you begin?
Well our guest mentor Robin Kiziak has been there and not only successfully answered this question and made a real meaningful impact for this business but he also found himself stepping outside his comfort zone to do so. He shares with us his story, some very practical advice we can all benefit from as well as some key points around:
• How to practically develop the confidence to build relationships, particularly where we’ve not been used to doing this before; • How we can do some simple things to scale our impact; and • A story on how to improve the perception other teams might have of Finance.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/054.
Do introverts or extraverts make the best and most successful finance professionals? There's this stereotypical image of the boring 'Dilbert-like' accountant who sits behind their desk all day crunching the numbers, however the research suggests that extraverted accountants not only liked their jobs more, but they were almost always among the most successful and were most often promoted to supervisor or managerial positions. So which is the best way to be?
In this episode I deconstruct some of the research and share what is thought to be the most successful approach that luckily most of us can follow.
If you enjoyed this episode check out our other resources on sitnshow.com.
What can finance professionals learn from hairdressers? The actress Andie MacDowell said "talking to your hairdresser is almost like talking to your therapist," which in effect means if we wish to have our customers, clients and business partners share with us their challenges and issues we must similarly be good at our communications as well as building a trusting environment for open conversations. In fact our guest mentor, Michelle Gasson is a former trainee hairdresser come finance leader, and she shares an amazing career story, as well as some great tips on improving our communication skills. Specifically in this episode Michelle shares:
• Practical advice on how to prioritise time between building a career, work, studies, kids, partner, and other activities. • How we can improve our communication leveraging her prior experiences with scientists. • With the rise of robots in our profession how we can future-proof ourselves.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/052.
Are the insights you share sometimes falling on deaf ears? Generally in Finance & Accounting we want to help our organisations make better, more sustainable decisions. In fact we pride ourselves on presenting our ideas clearly and logically but sometimes our insights and expertise seem fall on deaf ears. Why?
So on this bitesized episode I explain why this happens and share a 5 step approach to use this to your advantage.
If you enjoyed this episode then check out our interviews with guest mentors who share their stories, hard won lessons and practical advice as well as other useful resources to help you become a more influential accounting & finance professional over on https://sitnshow.com/
What does the future hold for FP&A? With the uncertainty created by all the digital disruption going on in Finance, in particular how fast things are happening and the blurring of traditional business models what does all of this mean for our FP&A teams? Our guest mentor Kenneth Fick, who is an FP&A thought leader and also the founder of fpaexperts.com provides some answers to this question as well as offering further advice on what FP&A professionals can be practically doing today to continue playing an important role into the future.
Key Points From the Episode: • The advantage of FP&A nowadays and the role of continuous accounting into the future. • The skills aspiring FP&A professionals should be looking to develop. • Describes the ‘but-for’ test.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/050.
Generally in Finance & Accounting we want to help our organisations make better, more sustainable decisions. In fact we pride ourselves on presenting our ideas clearly and logically but sometimes our insights and expertise seem fall on deaf ears. Why?
So on this episode I explain why and share a 5 step approach to use this to your advantage.
If you enjoy this episode check out our interviews with guest mentors who share their stories, hard won lessons and practical advice over on https://sitnshow.com/
How many languages do you really need to know to be a good finance professional? It's generally accepted that we're pretty handy with reporting and analysing the numbers, but are we using the right language when talking about them? Our guest mentor Steve Rosvold founder of CFO.University helps us understand why we need to become multilingual and how we can practically go about it so we can experience more success in accounting & finance. Other key points we cover in this episode are:
• Steve shares the key skill involved in building relationships. • the 3 languages that help us make a difference to the businesses and communities we serve. • The role of finance professionals and accountants as teachers.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/048
Join the debate! The debaters:
Lance (83kg 6 ft) vs. Chris (110 kg 6 ft 2) South Africa vs. England Wing/Flank vs. Lock/8th man Speed vs. Power Modeler vs. Analyst
If you haven’t heard of the outcry for the death of Excel then you must be living under a rock. This highly emotive topic has gained a lot of high profile media attention, fake news and even changed the views of many finance professionals all the way up to the C-suite and Wall Street.
It’s so dramatic this shift in sentiment that it’s almost hard to tell who is actually right or wrong and what to do next in Finance Transformation.
There are very compelling arguments for and against. So rather than debate it online Chris and Lance go head to head in a gloves off session.
If you enjoyed this episode check out other guest mentor interviews at sitnshow.com and comments on the Excel Debate at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/excel-dead-lance-rubin/
What do all the changes and digital disruption really mean for those with careers in accounting and finance? I mean what should we be doing and looking out for?
Well our guest mentor Nilly Essaides provides some relevant insights and key data points that will help finance talent be more informed and take more charge over their careers during this period of digital transformation in Finance. Key Points we cover on this Episode:
• 3 key trends Nilly is seeing in the data that Finance need to be aware of. • Words of encouragement for those scared of digital finance transformation changes. • What world class companies are doing to empower employees in digital transformation. • The biggest gap she sees right now between skills maturity and skill importance in Finance
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/046.
I often get asked what is a Finance Business Partner and what it is that they do? So imagine you're at a dinner party, network event or explaining it to a family member, how would you describe it?
So on this episode I share a 5 step approach that describes who finance business partners serve, their 3 most urgent needs, what they do, and the deeper core benefit they bring.
If you enjoyed this episode check out our other longer guest mentor interviews and resources at sitnshow.com
As much as we may all think that there are many different types of financial models, there really are only two: those that despite our blood, sweat and tears don't get used to drive better decision making; and then there are those that do, that really get used to inform decisions that make a positive impact for our organisations.
Today's guest mentor Lance Rubin shares with us some practical advice we can all start doing now with our financial modelling to drive more value and better decisions in our business. Some of the key points from the episode are:
• The 3 skills Lance developed to make his models more impactful. • Describes some baby steps to raise your financial modelling skills. • The 5 building blocks to be a successful Financial Modeller.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/044.
There’s an old saying “It’s easier to climb small stairs than to jump big walls.” The aim of our Strength in the Numbers Show is to create more influential accountants and finance professionals all over the world who make an impact by solving meaningful problems for their organisations. So on this episode I share a way we can be more influential and create a bigger impact.
If you enjoyed this episode check out our guest mentor interviews at sitnshow.com/podcasts
What is the most important investment you can make in your Accounting & Finance career?
Well our guest mentor Nigel Franklyn provides the answer. Nigel is a speaker and thought leader as well as the creator of Me Inc. which is really about how we can be more productive, being our best selves and make better use of our energy in Accounting & Finance.
Key Points From the Episode: • 4 lessons he learned as an athlete and brought into his career. • Your supervisor’s amazing superpower and how he’s trying to stamp it out. • Shares his concept Me Inc that he delivered to an AICPA Controllers Conference. • Why he embraces the creativity of the younger employees in Finance.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/042.
One of the key ways Finance & Accounting teams can remain relevant is to contribute valued insights that are delivered to the right people, in the right way and at the right time. I’ve written previously about what valued insights look like and now I’ll share a bit more in this episode about how Finance teams should better organise to deliver them.
If you enjoyed this week's Monday Memo please checkout our other episodes and longer guest mentor interviews, blogs, videos, and detailed show notes at https://sitnshow.com/
There are two futures open to finance professionals and accountants, the first is where we remain functional and slowly but surely have our roles downsized, offshored, or even replaced by robots who can do the work much more cheaply and efficiently. Or the other future where we continue to be seen as relevant, are adding value to our businesses and those around us and in turn making an impact, creating more opportunities and having fun, rewarding and successful careers in accounting & finance.
Well our guest mentor on this week's podcast is Chris Argent, a “Future of Finance” Thought Leader and Founder of Generation CFO which is one of the more active, ‘must-go-to’ peer groups for accountants and finance professionals on LinkedIn and has 66,000 members all over the world, which examines new trends in finance transformation, digital transformation, CFO role revolution and the growth of the modern strategic business partner.
In this episode we cover: • How and why Generation CFO has grown to 67,000 members • The two baby steps we can take to keep Finance relevant. • Why we need to switch from a core Finance to a more Innovation pioneer one. • Some practical steps Finance can begin to become more tech savvy and start adding more value with digital finance technologies.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/040.
As a parent, I love telling my children stories and as an accounting & finance professional I enjoy helping management safeguard the company’s assets and also identify suitable opportunities that create value for shareholders. So it’s great when there’s a story I can share in both realms, like “There’s No Such Thing as a Dragon” by Jack Kent to get the underlying messages across.
On the surface, it’s a really simple tale but has 4 practical applications to finance & accounting professionals that I share in this episode.
If you enjoyed this week's Monday Memo please checkout our other episodes and longer guest mentor interviews, blogs, videos, and detailed show notes at https://sitnshow.com/
There are two types of people who progress their careers in finance and accounting, those that do it the wrong way, get frustrated and ultimately burn-out and those that do it in a much more useful, rewarding, win-win way for their businesses and themselves.
And our guest mentor, Angela Ho who is senior vice president and principal accounting officer at OceanFirst Bank is one of those people doing it the right way. On this episode Angela shares with us:
• 2 ways to display confidence in your role. • The mindset shift to contribute more to the top-line. • Shares loads of practical guidance for young female executives wishing to progress their careers. • How to remain goal-oriented but not lose sight of what’s important in life as well.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/038.
One of my favourite movies of all time is Forrest Gump, ever since I first watched it on a rented videotape when it was released nearly 25 years ago. I also imagine it was other people’s favourite movie that year, it was a commercial success grossing more than $1bn at the box office (in today’s money), a 12x return on investment in its first year, and is one of the most quoted movies of all time.
So now that I look back on it there are six the lessons the main character, Forrest Gump, taught and learned which can also provide useful guidance for finance and accounting professionals and I cover these in this short episode.
If you enjoyed what you heard check out our website sitnshow.com for more short podcasts, guest mentor interviews, blogs, videos and other resources to help you make an impact in your organisations and have a fun, rewarding and successful career in accounting & finance.
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There are two types of people in Finance & Accounting, those who struggle to keep up with all the changing work requirements, new digital technologies and how best to keep up with it all, and those you see to have a good fit between making an impact work whilst also being happy with how their careers are progressing.
The difference between these two types is ultimately knowing how to develop a better balance and fit between your work and your life. Today's guest mentor Talita Ferreira is a high-achieving former CFO who is also the founder and CEO of Authentic Change Solutions which is a Management Consultancy centred on a philosophy of Authenticity and Authentic Change.
In this episode we cover: • The two main challenges for the CFOs she mentors. • Top tip on how to deal with Fear and Vulnerability in Finance. • Why the route to HR is important to Finance (either partnering or leading). • Deconstructs her POWER model to become more Authentic Leaders.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/036
Recently a fellow finance thought leader shared with me a story of a CFO he was working with at a large multinational who's Finance team were now more accepting of making mistakes and errors in order to better figure out how to best prepare to add value for their businesses today and into the future.
How uplifting and audacious but isn’t this paradoxical given Finance and Accounting's perceived values of accuracy & completeness?
In this Monday Memo I share why both are important as well as 3 ways failure can actually help Finance add value to the business.
If you enjoyed this episode check us out at sitnshow.com
There's a lot being written about the disruption of digital technologies in finance, but what can we be practically doing about them.
Our guest mentor this week is Johannes Vogel, Director Finance Strategy & Digital CFO Services at BearingPoint, who helps show us the way.
Key Points From the Episode: • Excellent summary of the 4 digital technologies that are the biggest disrupters to accounting and finance. • Practical Steps Finance can begin to take to start adding more value from digital technologies. • List of a number of areas around what we should be expecting our CFOs to be considering when it comes to setting digital finance strategy.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/034.
Kintsugi (“golden joinery”) is the Japanese art of repairing broken objects with a precious metal such as gold. Instead of hiding such cracks and imperfections they are accepted and it’s acknowledged repairs will need to happen from time to time. And once these flaws are fixed they are then regarded as a unique piece of the object’s history which adds to its value.
Similarly, as part of our roles in finance we report out and analyse where cracks our businesses might be occurring, if there are variations to plan, last year, forecast, if there’s compliance issues or even if there are bottlenecks appearing in the value chain that we may need to bring to the attention of others, intervene on to help fix so that they contribute more value back to the business.
In this episode I share 3 methods to borrowed from kintsugi to deconstruct and unlock value in our business' value chains.
If you liked this episode check out our other interviews with guest mentors, blogs, videos and more resources at sitnshow.com
Looking for some inspiration on how to be more successful and make a bigger impact in your accounting & finance career?
Then you need to listen to this episode. We’ve had some amazing stories and ideas from the Guest Mentors on the show so far and in the process we’ve reached listeners in 94 countries. So as a way of celebrating our 30th podcast we’ve selected their best bits of advice from 4 Guest Mentors from 4 different continents, which had they had known earlier would have probably given them a jumpstart to more success, fun and impact in their accounting and finance careers. If you only listened to one episode this week you would not be disappointed with this one.
• Anders Liu Lindberg Episode #002: The importance of relationship building for the finance professional. • Kelly McCleary Episode #012: How To Become Effective Leaders in Accounting & Finance. • Brad Eisenhuth Episode #016: Becoming an Outperformer in Finance & Accounting Part II. • Chidimma Eghagha Episode #020: Demystifying the Numbers to Add Value.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/032.
Sometimes accountants like to let our hair down so last weekend I was out with my wife in the capital city and we went to a nightclub. Whilst we were queuing to get in I observed something that gave me an idea about how we can improve our impact within our businesses as well as the fun & rewards we get from our careers.
It has to do with their policy at the door, you know, what customers they let in, what some might call their red velvet rope policy.
I share in this podcast and video some practical steps on how knowing your red velvet rope policy can increase you business impact and advance your career.
If you enjoyed this episode check out our other guest mentor podcasts, videos, blogs and resources at sitnshow.com
Our guest mentor today has a number of amazing stories to share as well as of some of those he's helped. James Perry is a chartered accountant and owner of jamesperryexamcoaching.com where he offers his clients around the world a unique and fresh perspective to succeed in their exams and reach their potential in their careers.
Key Points From the Episode: • Where his passion for exam coaching came from and the story behind why’s he’s so passionate about helping others through the process. • The first question he asks his exam coaching clients that we should all know the answer to if we want to have fun, rewarding and successful careers. • A number of practical tips to improve your finance & accounting exam and career success.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/030.
Previously on our Strength in the Numbers Show I’ve discussed and covered the two megatrends in accounting & finance, digitisation and finance business partnering and why it’s important for us to understand the impact of these on traditional accounting & finance, but how do we help others see the importance of these, let alone help them change? This was one of the questions that one of our listeners messaged me with, the Finance team where they worked were “quite pedestrian” and “100% focussed on current results, not the future or business partnering”.
I share some practical thoughts on how to do this in this podcast and video.
If you enjoyed this episode, check more resources, blogs, videos, podcasts with guest mentors and more at sitnshow.com.
Our Guest mentor is Andrew Jepson, owner and founder of Vincero Consulting, which provides Outsourced CFO services targeted to SME businesses as well as coaching & mentoring programmes to high performing finance teams.
Key Points From the Episode: • Where his passion for finance business partnering came from. • The paradox that most accounting & finance professionals have in organisations. • How Andrew came upon the expression “From Compliance To Commercial”.. • A couple simple techniques for improving our credibility and becoming trusted advisors.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/028.
The opportunity for those in finance careers to be full of fun, meaning and contribution has never been greater, yet in the same breath we have all this digital disruption being caused around us by the fourth industrial revolution.
And so in this final part of our Industry 4.0 series I share my thinking about how we should respond and there's is an important lesson from earlier industrial revolutions we can build and move on from.
If you enjoyed this episode check out our website for further resources, blogs, videos and more at sitnshow.com.
Marco Venturelli has over 35 years of experience in finance and accounting and currently leads Performance and Financial Strategy at Novartis where he is CFO of the Oncology Europe Region, as well as being on the CFO Board of Directors (CFO Consigliere di Amministrazione).
In this episode we cover: • Marco shares the best two bits of advice that have helped him most in his career. • A simple tip to increase the perceived value you add to your colleagues. • Why we shouldn’t view influencing so negatively in finance & accounting.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/026
Regardless of whether we're accountants and finance professionals that have already qualified or are in the process of qualifying we put a lot of trust into our employers and accounting bodies hoping that they will make appropriate decisions on how to navigate the affects of Industry 4.0 so that our careers within accounting & finance remain relevant and sustainable, however they're also being impacted as much, if not more, by the such rapid change and disruptions.
I share my thoughts on what this is and how it impact us on this short video & podcast.
If you enjoyed this episode check out our website for further resources, blogs, videos and more at sitnshow.com.
Marco Venturelli has over 35 years of experience in finance and accounting and currently leads Performance and Financial Strategy at Novartis where he is CFO of the Oncology Europe Region, as well as being on the CFO Board of Directors (CFO Consigliere di Amministrazione).
In this episode we cover: • Why sustainability is important for happier Finance and where the pressure is going from to be so. • How Finance are well positioned to drive better sustainability. • Four components that make up a Strategic Business Partner • The results of an internal Novartis survey asking internal customers what they would like a business partners to be and where is Finance today.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/024
In the last episode we discussed digitisation and ironically digitisation is opening up opportunity for more human skills, particularly around our second megatrend, known as, Finance Business Partnering.
I share my thoughts on what this is and how it impact us on this short video & podcast.
If you enjoyed this episode check out our guest mentor interviews, other podcasts, videos, blogs and resources at sitnshow.com to help you advance your career and impact in accounting & finance.
Geetanjali Tandon has 15+ years of experience in corporate finance specifically in Financial Planning and Analysis. Geetanjali loves working with numbers, in particular how they tell a story and what the story is behind them. In this episode we cover:
• The key ingredients to make an impact with storytelling. • The 3 things we can do to be better translators of business needs. • Outlines why it’s really important to take the time to understand where your audience is and some useful questions they are thinking about. • One simple technique to do before doing before finally presenting your analysis. • Shares 3 small steps to avoid getting surprised by digital disruption.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/022.
Business is becoming a more digital experience, we deal with a relentless stream of messages and communications, and we operate in a network of teams. And one megatrend rapidly impacting the work traditionally done by accountants and finance professionals is known as digitisation.
I share my thoughts on what this is and how it impact us on this short video & podcast.
If you enjoyed the show check out our website sitnshow.com for our other guest mentors, podcasts, videos and blogs that will help you find the answers to stay relevant, make an impact and have fun, rewarding and successful careers in accounting and finance.
Chidimma Eghagha's track record of adding value in the financial services industry stretches back over the two decades and not just within Finance & Accounting but also from her time leading Customer Service teams.
Key Points From the Episode: • The most important step to take when specialising in an area of finance & accounting. • Shares a story of how she demystified the numbers and their impact on the bottom line, for business leaders helping to increase their revenue by 60% over two years. • The best way to provide support to any business partner or team you lead. • Shares an idea of accountants becoming more like software developers. • What we can learn from the customer services department.
If you enjoyed this episode check out our detailed time stamped show notes, guest mentor's full bio, key quotes, ways to connect with Chidimma at sitnshow.com/podcast/020
If you’ve been able to get out of the daily grind of accounting & finance for enough time to hear the phrases ‘digital disruption’ or ‘Industry 4.0’ you may be curious enough to want to know what does it mean for accountants and finance professionals.
Here's my thoughts on this short video & podcast.
If you enjoyed the show check out our website sitnshow.com for our other guest mentors, podcasts, videos and blogs that will help you find the answers to stay relevant, make an impact and have fun, rewarding and successful careers in accounting and finance.
Our Guest Mentor: Andy Burrows is Founder and CEO of SuperchargedFinance.com which not only helps accounting & finance professionals drive business performance, but also provides useful & practical advice for those same people working in and with finance on how to improve and grow.
Key Points From the Episode: - One simple question to get at the purpose and value of why we do things in Finance. - Two Tell-tale signs that you’re measuring the wrong things on your reports. - One key habit we can develop in accounting & finance to add more value with some practical steps on how we can gain this habit.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/018.
If like me you've probably had a number of teachers and mentors at different stages of your life and your finance career. And whilst it may be easy to pick a favourite it may be more difficult to figure out who was the best for you or even how to get the best of their knowledge.
Indeed having recently launched a podcast where guest mentors in accounting and finance share their real stories, experiences, and hard won lessons it got me thinking as to who was the best teacher I ever had as a finance business partner and what was the best way to trap their knowledge not only for my benefit but also so I could share it with others. Then I came across an interesting article in the latest Harvard Business Review where Sydney Finkelstein writes that “The Best Leaders Are Great Teachers” and he makes some useful points as to how we can find the best teachers and best learn from them the necessary knowledge to become better finance business partners.
If you enjoyed this episode check out our website at sitnshow.com
Brad Eisenhuth is the founder & CEO of The Outperformer, an online career management platform dedicated to the accounting and finance community.
Key Points From the Episode: • The one action that differentiates those that progress in their careers from those who don’t. • Brad shares the relationship between career success and business partnership. • What arm-wrestling experiments teaches us about business partnering & collaboration. • Deconstructs the four key elements that he distilled studying the top performers in accounting & finance to help you determine what your career sweet spot is.
If you enjoyed this episode check out the detailed time stamped show notes, links to resources mentioned, and further contact details at sitnshow.com/podcast/016.
A few years ago I was asked to sit on a panel assessing internal applicants to a graduate finance training program and what I found was concerning for their future success and their ability to fully reach their potential. I deconstructed the successful submissions in a Wordcloud like the one above and found the most common word used was ‘Skills,’ 47 times (followed by ‘Knowledge,’ 38) with the phrase ‘leadership skills’ being the most common one appearing on no less than 17 occasions. This concerned me because a disproportionate emphasis was being placed on acquiring Skills & Knowledge, even though the main type of skill being sought was Leadership, something that’s only really developed through ‘Experience’ (which itself hardly registers in the wordcloud analysis, if you struggle to see it, it’s just to the left of knowledge).
So in this video I ask where are we going wrong with the next generation of finance professionals and what we can do about it.
If you enjoyed this episode then to find the resources mentioned check out sitnshow.com/podcast/015
This is Part 1 of 2 episodes.
Our Guest Mentor:
Brad Eisenhuth is the founder & CEO of The Outperformer, an online career management platform dedicated to the accounting and finance community that provides members with various supports, webinars, 1x1 consulting, mentors, subject matter experts, and others in the community to help them work through career challenges and decisions.
Key Points From the Episode: - 6 key challenges and growth areas in finance that we can develop. - What non-finance leaders want from accounting & finance professionals. - Brad shares results into his research on finance business partnering and - How a reverse steering bike can help you become a better business partner.
If you enjoyed the show you can find the time stamped show notes, links to resources mentioned, and further contact details for our guest mentor at sitnshow.com/podcast/014.
Whilst there are very few books out there on Finance Business Partnering there are so many others available that detail the broader business skills necessary to be a successful finance business partner. So where does an aspiring Finance Business Partner begin their search for knowledge? Last year I recommended 5 books and given the success of podcasting here are 5 audiobooks I consider as the best bang for your buck to start with. Happy Listening
If you enjoyed the show find links to resources mentioned check out sitnshow.com/qtvideo/013.
Our Guest Mentor: Kelly McCleary is currently Vice President Finance at Simmons Foods, the largest supplier of store brand wet pet food in North America, serving customers in more than 40 countries worldwide, and has previously held a number of senior finance positions at Walmart and Cargill, two of the largest enterprises in the world.
Key Points From the Episode: • Why anyone in Finance can choose to be a leader and the four steps on how to make it happen. • Three practical ways to get accurate feedback from others. • The two dimensions of emotional intelligence (the key attribute common in all the great leaders). • How we can leverage our strengths to develop a competitive advantage. • Some steps we can take to address some of the challenges for minorities and women in finance.
If you enjoyed the show you can find the time stamped show notes, links to resources mentioned, and further contact details for our guest mentor at sitnshow.com/podcast/012.
I was once struggling in my career, frustrated with my progress and questioning whether I had a future in accounting & finance until a mentor gave me this Career Bone Diagram tool which completely changed my results and how I felt about my career.
If you want a fun, rewarding and successful career in accounting & finance definitely check out this video.
Download link to pdf copy of the Career Bone Diagram Tool: sitnshow.com/podcast/011
Our Guest Mentor: Peter Chisambara is the founder of ERPM Insights a management consultancy and training firm based out of Johannesburg, South Africa that is focussed on delivering enterprise performance improvement solutions. Peter was also nominated recently on not one but two separate lists of top finance leaders to follow in 2018 and has written some thought provoking and original articles on the potential of cognitive computing to help provide real time insights.
Key Points From the Episode: • Discussion on the digital age and the fourth industrial revolution and what it means for accounting & finance. • Defining what cognitive computing is and how finance & accounting can benefit. • Review of the 5 challenges cognitive computing pose for accounting & finance and actionable ways we can overcome them. • Some practical tips to develop a meaningful presence on LinkedIn.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our time-stamped show notes, key quotes, resources and ways to connect with our guest mentor and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/010.
Whilst walking the floor the other day I bumped into a former colleague who is now a Senior Manager of a Global Services contractor at a client of mine and as we got talking he mentioned how his boss judged him on his bottom-line performance, nothing new there, but it turned out his team didn’t have any visible finance support. He didn’t have an accountant to provide him reports? He set up his own invoicing and receiving procedures within his team? He had no financial advice, no decisions support? He even had access to SAP, pulled his own reports and dumped data into Excel. Maybe he didn’t need them? Should accountants and finance professionals be worried?
If you enjoyed this episode, checkout show notes, video and more at sitnshow.com/podcast/009.
Wei Chien Yoong recently moved to Singapore to take on the role as Audit Lead Asia Pacific at the diversified conglomerate Cargill, the largest private company in the world, and as such she’s a regular business traveller across Southeast Asia. Her current interests are helping finance leverage the value of sustainability audits for the benefit of the business and local communities as well as better understanding the impact of block chain.
Key Points From the Episode: • The one practice we can all do to have a fun, rewarding & successful career in accounting & finance • The 3 pillars of sustainability audits and some ideas on where they can improve the bottom line. • How diversity in audit perspectives can unlock value for the business • What blockchain means for the value proposition of global shared services centres and finance teams into the future.
Detailed show notes can be found at sitnshow.com/podcast/008
Imagine you’re on an operating table and you’ve the option of choosing between a medical student with the best technical knowledge money can buy from the best schools or an experienced doctor who’s maybe not as knowledgeable but instead has a good track record on this particular procedure, who would you choose?
Similarly, in accounting & finance whilst knowledge is important it's your experience that will help you make an impact. In this bitesize episode I discuss some practical steps and questions that will help you gain experience faster and accelerate the impact you can make for your business and careers.
For more information see sitnshow.com/podcast/007
Our Guest Mentor: Scott Hirsch is Finance Director Customer Service Pricing & Recurring Revenue Generation at Dell EMC the third largest privately controlled company on the planet following the acquisition of EMC in 2016. Scott’s team is tasked with protecting and growing $4bn+ of prepaid and renewal maintenance revenue and is a big user of cognitive computing technologies to combine data in legacy Oracle & SAP systems with business partnering to provide insights into optimising customer lifetime value, deerling benefits for end user customers and Dell EMC via better pricing of services.
Key Points From the Episode: • Why Services Finance is a great areas for Finance & Accounting to add value and make an impact in. • 3 steps to take to get intimate with your data and then the opportunities you can leverage it for. • Why mapping out the customer journey is so important, even in Finance. • A number of ways how Finance can remain relevant.
For detailed time stamped show notes, links to resources mentioned, and further contact details for our guest check out sitnshow.com/podcast/006.
The role of the accounting & finance team is evolving so that it can make an important contribution to improving decision-making and ensuring the sustainable success of the business. However some finance teams are moving faster than others, which means that they’ve generally passed through different phases, or as I like to call them, seasons since evolution is never linear, it’s more cyclical in nature and by definition is always about moving forward.
So what seasons have you passed through?
- Autumn/Fall (Steward)
- Winter (Operator)
- Spring (Strategist)
- Summer (Catalyst)
For more information and detailed show notes see sitnshow.com
Jenny Okonkwo MBA FCMA CGMA CPA FPA CMA, is based out of Toronto, Canada, and is the founder of Black Female Accountants Network (BFAN) who’s purpose is to create opportunities for female accountants of black, African and Caribbean origins to share knowledge and empowering their experiences of diversity & inclusion through a process of engagement and personal reflection. She’s also a women’s leadership ambassador for CPA Canada, a CPA Mentor, a member of the FP&A Certification Development Committee, a DECA Judge, as well as giving back to her local community through her numerous other volunteer roles.
Key Points Covered: To move forward in accounting & finance, align yourself with other successful people, choose your networks carefully, choose your circles carefully. Align yourself with other people who want to move forward. If you have gender diversity your firm’s productivity goes up by 15% if you have ethnic diversity, the productivity impact to the bottom-line of that firms jumps up to 35%. [Source: McKinsey] Our value tomorrow as accountants won’t come from the fact that we know how to put a budget together or that we know how to manage a P&L, because the business are already doing that for themselves. So it’s for us to understand what our role tomorrow is going to look like and to carve out those opportunities to make sure we get there. It’s no longer enough to be a good accountant, you must be a more rounded person, goes through the opportunities to build your career so you standout in this global competitive market.
Got to full show notes at sitnshow.com/podcast/004
A bit behind how Strength in the Numbers relates to my career story and how mentors have helped me get to experience a successful and rewarding career in finance & accounting.
Anders Liu-Lindberg covers on the episode:
• The 4 skills areas you should be looking to develop to have a successful career in finance & accounting. • The key thing business partners want and the 4 ways to provide them with great insights. • Why in this age of digital disruption he views the future opportunities as half full for finance and accounting teams and explores the two roads you can take to benefit most from these changes. • How he got to 180 published articles on Linkedin and why he’s developed his finance master series.
Practical advice, real success stories and hard won lessons from leaders in finance and business to help fellow professionals deconstruct the key strengths, strategies and qualities that they need to know to remain relevant in this age of digital disruption and Industry 4.0, as well as how to apply them to:
- Elevate the impact, value, and contribution they make for their organisations; and
- Experience a fun, rewarding & successful career in finance & accounting.