Nick Connelly’s Post

Your First 90 days as a CFO

Great post on navigating the first 90 days as a CFO. I particularly agree with the emphasis on understanding the organization and building relationships. Setting a clear vision and addressing immediate financial concerns are key to driving long-term success and value creation. Excited to see how these strategies unfold in practice!

📊 'The Expanding Role of the CFO: Aligning Poll Results with Job Creep Trends' https://lnkd.in/gCiUwYt4 The role of the CFO is 🌪️ evolving rapidly, and if you're not paying attention, you might miss out on key trends shaping the future of finance leadership. As the CFO role expands I set out to answer this question, Are the CFO reporting lines also changing? To help answer this question we took a poll that asked... ...Who or what group should the CFO work for today? The poll results are below. We then aligned the poll results with the phenomenon of job creep in the CFO role—revealing why CFOs are viewed more and more as a leader for all their company's stakeholders. These findings point to an expanding role that goes far beyond traditional finance. CFOs today are expected to drive strategy, develop talent, embrace AI, manage enterprise-wide risks, and even contribute significantly to top-line growth. This article explores how CFOs can navigate these growing responsibilities. Whether it’s fostering customer-centric strategies or mastering AI-driven insights, CFOs need to align with these shifts to stay competitive. 💡 Don’t just track financials—lead business strategy. Learn how these trends can impact your role and future-proof your leadership. 🔗 Read the full article on CFO.University and start preparing for the next phase of your journey! https://lnkd.in/gCiUwYt4 Engage. Learn. Enjoy. Grow.  📚 I am the Founder of and Chief Learning Officer at CFO.University 🏫 CFO.University is a professional development center for CFOs and aspiring CFOs. Our Mission:   Develop world changing finance leaders 🔔   To see more content ring the bell on my profile 🎬 Visit our CFO Talk video series with global experts transforming the role of the CFO, https://lnkd.in/gg6bdZx 📚 Learn about the Four Pillars of CFO Success here. https://lnkd.in/gJNV4q7 #CFO #CFOUniversity #CFOLeadership #Strategy #FinanceTransformation

Having an imperial CFO mindset can isolate the executive from the vital insights needed to succeed. Finance professionals operate at the core of businesses, where every corner of company activity is monitored. When a CFO's leadership falters, the risks of inaccurate data, poor reporting, and bad decisions increase significantly. From my experience, if a CFO does well with people and financial management, it’s easier to be considered for a board role and as a potential CEO successor. The Financial Times reports that about a third of FTSE 100 CEOs have served as CFOs—a sharp rise from 21% in 2019, according to Heidrick & Struggles. A CFO's success isn’t about how many people you manage or how hands-on you are. It's about creating a leadership ripple effect: empowering your finance managers to develop the leadership potential in other accountants. The ultimate "bottom line" as a senior executive is the productivity and leadership model replicated in others. Also, the role goes beyond managing teams; it’s about inspiring others and eliminating gaps that threaten communication. I’ve found that one-on-one interactions—covering both professional and personal concerns—build trust and loyalty. People rarely respect leaders who disregard their struggles. On many occasions, prospective finance managers interviewed for open roles in my former CFO role shared that they applied because of my inspiring LinkedIn notes and their perception of my leadership style. The hallmark of CFO leadership is the ability to scale impact. The values, skills, and processes you embed in your team must ripple throughout the organization. Breaks in this chain of influence weaken overall performance. In summary, empowering your team to take ownership strengthens the finance department’s effectiveness and improves business results. This is how a CFO wins, starting with your team members and then the CEO. #cfo #career

Understanding the Key Roles in Leadership: CEO vs. CFO vs. COO In any organization, the roles of the CEO, CFO, and COO are pivotal for its success. Each brings a unique set of skills and responsibilities that, together, drive the company forward. Here's a breakdown of their primary functions: CEO - Chief Executive Officer: - Leads the company with a vision for strategy, growth, and innovation. - Represents the company to stakeholders and acts as the public face. - Sets corporate values and determines the risk appetite. - Focuses on client acquisition and global expansion. - Develops the brand and drives product development. CFO - Chief Financial Officer: - Manages the finances, ensuring stability and establishing discipline. - Reports financials to the board and shareholders. - Sets financial benchmarks and optimizes existing markets. - Focuses on client retention and manages risks. - Tracks performance and monitors product profitability. COO - Chief Operating Officer: - Oversees daily operations and implements strategic initiatives. - Coordinates departments for smooth execution and aligns operational processes with company values. - Manages operational aspects of market penetration and enhances service delivery. - Mitigates operational risks and optimizes resources to meet strategic objectives. - Coordinates product manufacturing and delivery. Each role is crucial and interdependent, ensuring that the company not only survives but thrives in a competitive market. Understanding these distinctions helps in appreciating the comprehensive efforts that go into leading a successful organization. #Leadership #CEO #CFO #COO #BusinessStrategy #OperationsManagement #FinancialManagement

📊 'The Expanding Role of the CFO: Aligning Poll Results with Job Creep Trends' https://lnkd.in/gCiUwYt4 The role of the CFO is 🌪️ evolving rapidly! If you aren't paying attention, you might miss the trends shaping the future of finance leadership. As the CFO role expands, CFO.University set out to answer: Are the CFO’s reporting lines shifting as well? 🤔 To help answer this, we ran a poll that asked… 💬 Who or what group should the CFO work for today? Check out the poll results below! 📉 Then, we aligned these insights with the phenomenon of job creep in the CFO role, revealing why CFOs are increasingly seen as leaders for all their company's stakeholders. These findings highlight an expanding role that now goes far beyond traditional finance. CFOs are expected to: 🚀 Drive strategy 👥 Develop talent 🤖 Embrace AI 🔐 Manage enterprise risks 💼 Contribute to top-line growth This article, The Expanding Role of the CFO: Aligning Poll Results with Job Creep Trends, explores how CFOs can navigate these growing responsibilities. Whether it’s fostering customer-centric strategies or mastering AI-driven insights, CFOs need to align with these shifts to stay competitive. 🔗 Read the full article on CFO.University and start preparing for the next phase of your journey! https://lnkd.in/gCiUwYt4 Engage. Learn. Enjoy. Grow. 📚 I am the Founder of and Chief Learning Officer at CFO.University 🏫 CFO.University is a professional development center for CFOs and aspiring CFOs. Our Mission:   Develop world changing finance leaders 🔔   To see more content ring the bell on my profile 🎬 Visit our CFO Talk video series with global experts transforming the role of the CFO, https://lnkd.in/gg6bdZx 📚 Learn about the Four Pillars of CFO Success here. https://lnkd.in/gJNV4q7 #CFO #CFOUniversity #CFOLeadership #Strategy #FinanceTransformation

The modern CFO is more than a number cruncher. Today’s finance leaders are mastering cross-functional roles, influencing HR, IT, and sales while driving strategic decisions across the business. Understanding everything from digital strategy to staffing needs is essential for success. Learn how your finance team can embrace automation and cross-department collaboration to elevate your organization. ➡️ Read more on how CFOs are stepping into leadership roles beyond finance: https://lnkd.in/gqCTT66R #FinanceLeadership #CFO #StrategicLeadership #Automation

Decoding the C-Suite: CEO, CFO, and COO Explained Ever wondered who's who at the top of the corporate ladder? In today's complex business world, strong leadership is more crucial than ever. But with titles like CEO, CFO, and COO flying around, it can be confusing to understand the specific roles behind them. **Let's break down the responsibilities of these C-suite executives:** * The CEO (Chief Executive Officer): Think of the CEO as the company's captain. They chart the course, setting the overall vision and long-term goals. They're responsible for big-picture decisions, strategy development, and representing the company to external stakeholders. * The CFO (Chief Financial Officer): The CFO is the financial mastermind. They oversee everything money-related, from budgeting and forecasting to financial reporting and securing funding. Ensuring the company's financial health is their top priority. * The COO (Chief Operating Officer): The COO is the execution guru. They're all about making the CEO's vision a reality. They manage day-to-day operations, ensuring departments like production, logistics, and HR run smoothly and efficiently. Imagine a company as a car: * The CEO is the driver, setting the destination and course. * The CFO is the navigator, ensuring they have enough fuel and the right route. * The COO is the mechanic, keeping the engine running smoothly and efficiently. **Collaboration is Key** While each role has a distinct focus, they are all interconnected. Effective communication and collaboration between the CEO, CFO, and COO are essential for a company's success. Do you aspire to a C-suite role? Share your thoughts on what qualities make a great leader in the comments below! #leadership #business #careers #Csuite #LinkedIn #ceo #cfo #coo #growth #success

As a business owner, building a strong leadership team is a critical and dynamic challenge. Building a strong leadership team means determining the roles, experience levels and capabilities required for the business both at its current stage as well as into the future. Regardless of the exact requirements, financial and strategic expertise will always be a part of the mix.   Having said that, many growth-stage businesses lack this skill set. While the need for strategic, financial advice was there from the outset, this important expertise was probably not part of your founding team. In the early stages, your business probably started out with basic bookkeeping from an outsourced provider. As your business grew, you added a full-time accountant or perhaps a controller.  For your business to continue to effectively grow, though, a CFO’s expertise will become increasingly important. And a Fractional CFO offers a budget-friendly option for filling this need.     Following are five key skills that a Fractional CFO brings to your leadership team: Following the link https://lnkd.in/gukhkKSU to read more. . . . #fractionalCFO

Good article