In the late 1970s, as I was starting my career, I came across an article that identified the traits a chief executive officer was looking for in a chief financial officer. Since I had already set my sights on becoming a CFO, I jotted down the key takeaways from the article, something that I developed a habit of doing over my career and continue to this time. Unfortunately, I did not note the article, publication, or CEO to give them credit here or to recognize the soundness of the points articulated in the article. Here is a copy of my notes, that I have retained to this day:
Each of these recommendations has proven to be true in my experience. Of course, this assumes that financial controls and reporting are also well executed. CFOs and finance teams must be able to develop, evaluate, and assist in achieving planned and forecast results. The phrase “dispassionate, hard headed analysis” struck and stuck with me. Financial planning and analysis (FP&A) must be impartial and objective. Finance teams must be prepared to identify and expose both problems and opportunities, often in a hardheaded way. CFOs and their teams must strike a balance between focusing on the cost model and directly and indirectly contributing to growth. “Kinship” refers to a trusted adviser and partner relationship with the CEO. And of course, finance must be viewed as a member of ...
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