CFO/FD Mentoring
The CFO/FD role is critical to the success of the company. They play a key role within the organisation, in the boardroom and with stakeholders and shareholders. The CFO often represents the public ‘face’ of the company to external stakeholders and shareholders but few get any formal preparation for this role.
Usually their early career is mostly focused on developing their technical financial and analytical skills, with little formal training or development in the ‘soft skills’ of managing behaviours and relationships.
The CFO/FD has a complex set of accountabilities where analytical skills have to be balanced with these ‘soft skills’ and it is critical to the organisation’s success that they achieve this balance. They must be part of the management team whilst retaining an element of objectivity in the boardroom and with the Non-Executives and the Audit committee, which is a difficult balance to achieve.
A frequent complaint from their Board peers is a lack of sufficient attention to these relationship skills.
Understanding how to achieve this balance and developing these ‘soft’ skills is best achieved by mentoring.
Understanding their role in managing the flow of information to the Board, roles and relationships with the NED’s and Audit committee, the role of internal and external audit functions, relationship with the CEO and Executive Directors, handling investors and other stakeholders, analysts and the media, portfolio issues, external approaches and building professional networks.
All these are issues our Mentors can help steer a way through and offer substantial experience and advice on best-practice.