I have interviewed nearly 1,000 accountants in my career.
Less than 2% have stood out as being exceptional
Here are the 10 traits I’m looking for in future finance leaders👇
Less than 2% have stood out as being exceptional
Here are the 10 traits I’m looking for in future finance leaders👇
Note: These are things that aren’t necessarily dependent on experience. Anyone can have them, but very few do.
My assumption is that if you have these 10 things, you can be taught everything else you need
Let’s start with an obvious one…
My assumption is that if you have these 10 things, you can be taught everything else you need
Let’s start with an obvious one…
1. Attention to Detail
Accounting and Finance roles are about detail.
It’s true that as you get more senior, you need to be able to zoom out, but that comes later and not at the expense of drilling down when needed.
I am yet to find a finance role that doesn’t require detail
Accounting and Finance roles are about detail.
It’s true that as you get more senior, you need to be able to zoom out, but that comes later and not at the expense of drilling down when needed.
I am yet to find a finance role that doesn’t require detail
Spoiler alert: The answer to your problem is rarely waiting on the surface. 90%+ of the time it’s lurking in the detail underneath.
You need to enjoy being like a dog with a bone when you find something unresolved.
If that’s not you, maybe finance isn’t for you.
You need to enjoy being like a dog with a bone when you find something unresolved.
If that’s not you, maybe finance isn’t for you.
2. Integrity
Everyone says they have integrity.
And most people do INTEND to have integirty.
But you only really know if you have integrity once it’s been properly tested under unfair pressure.
And that integrity will be under threat, all of the time
Everyone says they have integrity.
And most people do INTEND to have integirty.
But you only really know if you have integrity once it’s been properly tested under unfair pressure.
And that integrity will be under threat, all of the time
The golden thread of information integrity from the top to bottom is only as strong as its weakest point.
And without it, how do I put my name to the outputs from finance?
I need to know you’ll stand your ground for what’s right, even in the face of an angry VP of Ops
And without it, how do I put my name to the outputs from finance?
I need to know you’ll stand your ground for what’s right, even in the face of an angry VP of Ops
3. Intelligence
You definitely don’t need to be a genius to have a great finance career.
And despite popular belief, most of the maths in finance is not complicated at all.
But … finance is about problem solving. And that means being disciplined in your thinking
You definitely don’t need to be a genius to have a great finance career.
And despite popular belief, most of the maths in finance is not complicated at all.
But … finance is about problem solving. And that means being disciplined in your thinking
Being able to separate hard facts from opinion.
Being able to fill in data gaps with sensible balanced assumptions.
Understanding how to process the inputs into a set of outputs and deliver insight.
You’ve got to be a disciplined critical thinker to do that well
Being able to fill in data gaps with sensible balanced assumptions.
Understanding how to process the inputs into a set of outputs and deliver insight.
You’ve got to be a disciplined critical thinker to do that well
4. Bias to Action
You are smart, got backbone, and love detail. What now?
You need to be able to get shit done.
Hard to find alongside a strong intellect. Accountancy is full of over-thinkers.
The businesses that win, are normally those that execute best.
You are smart, got backbone, and love detail. What now?
You need to be able to get shit done.
Hard to find alongside a strong intellect. Accountancy is full of over-thinkers.
The businesses that win, are normally those that execute best.
I hate hearing that a critical business project is stuck because of a blockage in finance. It embarrasses me.
Embracing complexity and planning is needed sometimes…
But most of the time, I’ll take clear thinking and energy, over a GANT chart and project team any day.
Embracing complexity and planning is needed sometimes…
But most of the time, I’ll take clear thinking and energy, over a GANT chart and project team any day.
5. Likability
I operate a strict ‘no dickheads’ rule. Life is too short to work with dickheads.
Plus it only needs one turd in the pool to stop everyone swimming.
Likeable people get more done, and those around them get more done too.
I operate a strict ‘no dickheads’ rule. Life is too short to work with dickheads.
Plus it only needs one turd in the pool to stop everyone swimming.
Likeable people get more done, and those around them get more done too.
6. Empathy
Empathy is the secret weapon of great leaders.
It’s also important for accountants. It’s vital in building teams and relationships.
And we said finance is about problem solving, right? Well empathy helps you see a problem from every angle.
It’s powerful stuff.
Empathy is the secret weapon of great leaders.
It’s also important for accountants. It’s vital in building teams and relationships.
And we said finance is about problem solving, right? Well empathy helps you see a problem from every angle.
It’s powerful stuff.
7. Commitment to finance
Commitment to the finance path is really important. The compound effect of learning in the first 5-7 years of your career is really valuable.
Interrupting that compound effect at the wrong time is a really common rookie error.
Commitment to the finance path is really important. The compound effect of learning in the first 5-7 years of your career is really valuable.
Interrupting that compound effect at the wrong time is a really common rookie error.
Simply doing something once, and then deciding you are ready to move on, is a waste of the investment you’ve made in that role to date.
I find a lot of people early in their career making this mistake.
Pick a proven path, head down and work really hard for 2-3 years at a time.
I find a lot of people early in their career making this mistake.
Pick a proven path, head down and work really hard for 2-3 years at a time.
8. Commercial Acumen
All accountants know what a P&L looks like.
But surprisingly few know how they work.
Entrepreneurs get it intuitively. A fundamental sense for how to sell something for more than it costs to make or buy.
All accountants know what a P&L looks like.
But surprisingly few know how they work.
Entrepreneurs get it intuitively. A fundamental sense for how to sell something for more than it costs to make or buy.
This can definitely be taught or developed to some degree, but there needs to be a starting point.
I love aspiring accountants who can demonstrate this somehow, even if it was running a summer lemonade stand during high school.
I love aspiring accountants who can demonstrate this somehow, even if it was running a summer lemonade stand during high school.
9. Hold a Conversation
The caricatures of accountants with glasses and briefcases in dark rooms are outdated and tedious.
But …
There are still many out there who don’t really know how to have a conversation.
Relationships are everything in finance.
The caricatures of accountants with glasses and briefcases in dark rooms are outdated and tedious.
But …
There are still many out there who don’t really know how to have a conversation.
Relationships are everything in finance.
You could be the best accountant in the world, but if you can’t articulate yourself, no-one will ever know.
Building trust in your work is important, and that is about the work itself. But its also about how you explain it, and bring it to life.
Building trust in your work is important, and that is about the work itself. But its also about how you explain it, and bring it to life.
10. Self Awareness
If you’ve got all of the above, then the final piece of the jigsaw is coachability.
You can only be coached and developed if you have self awareness.
An ability to recognise what you are good at bad at.
AND… a rampant appetite for self improvement.
If you’ve got all of the above, then the final piece of the jigsaw is coachability.
You can only be coached and developed if you have self awareness.
An ability to recognise what you are good at bad at.
AND… a rampant appetite for self improvement.
TLDR
The 10 traits of great accountants
1. Attention to Detail
2. Integrity
3. Intelligence
4. Bias to Action
5. Likability
6. Empathy
7. Commitment
8. Commercial Acumen
9. Articulate
10. Self Aware
The 10 traits of great accountants
1. Attention to Detail
2. Integrity
3. Intelligence
4. Bias to Action
5. Likability
6. Empathy
7. Commitment
8. Commercial Acumen
9. Articulate
10. Self Aware
Thanks for reading.
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If you enjoyed this thread:
1. Follow me @SecretCFO for more of these
2. RT the tweet below to share this thread with your audience
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