The Finance Leader Podcast

What do you really want to finish next year? Prioritize so you can focus your effort. Episode outline: 1) What is important to you, 2) What are your key personal events for 2022, 3) What are your current challenges, 4) What is the vision (or purpose) for your life, 5) Prioritize your effort, 6) Ensure you synchronize your plan for next year with your significant other. Please connect with me on: 1...

It’s important for everyone to check their mental fitness during the holiday season. Sometimes we take on more than we can handle and also sometimes our reality doesn’t match up to our expectations. We ask too much of others who may not be ready to act or to participate. Please connect with me on: 1. Instagram: stephen.mclain 2. Twitter: smclainiii 3. Facebook: stephenmclainconsultant 4. LinkedIn:...

A professional certification provides a credential that marks you as an authority in Finance and Accounting, so ensure you can continue to hold that certification by earning the required annual credits. 2021 is coming to an end quickly and due to the holidays, everything is a rush and you never feel like you have enough time. Please connect with me on: 1. Instagram: stephen.mclain 2. Twitter: smcl...

Your long-term goal of achieving the role of Chief Financial Officer is ambitious and will require planning, commitment, and hard work. You must be seen as a knowledgeable and professionally credentialed leader in Finance and Accounting. Commit to owning your career today so you plan out moves that contribute to you advancing. Be comfortable taking risk and have a written plan.  Episode outline: Y...

Episode 69: All organizations in the 21st century must view themselves as a technology company first, no matter their industry, to set the correct mindset and perspective. Your technology system determines how relevant and how quickly information and communication can be processed, which is critical to making the right decisions at the right time. Episode outline: Every company must see themselves...

The Chief Financial Officer contributes significantly to the strategic planning and execution processes of the organization. Strategy becomes a decision about choices around available resources. Where do you commit the company to go based on the resources that are available? The CFO and their teams help to evaluate key metrics in the development and then execution of the strategy. The CFO must tak...

Episode # 67: What value does the Chief Financial Officer add to the company? A CFO typically has a wealth of experience, knowledge, and a particular strategic skillset to help them navigate the challenges of leading an organization. But what do CFOs do to add value? The CFO Leads the Finance and Accounting teams who don’t only conduct reporting and transaction recording, but also can add tremendo...

Episode 66: The modern CFO requires a different set of skills and perspective to navigate the complexities of the new global marketplace. Traditional business concepts are changing into more a dynamic and socially conscious environment where you must be able to solve much different problems than as a team manager. When you combine a strategic skillset with your finance and accounting knowledge plu...

Episode 65: The C Suite is a partnership of senior leaders who must be committed to working with each other to properly guide their organization to success, while also ensuring that group think never takes hold.  Senior executives must challenge each other professionally, execute the strategy, and solve complex problems together. It begins and ends with leaders willing to hold themselves accountab...

Episode 64: The Role of Chief Financial Officer requires a different mindset, a different world view, and a perspective that helps you see the organization differently. The CFO must be forward thinking and must never quit. E pisode outline: The qualities of the successful C-suite executive, You must pivot your skillset, mindset, and perspective, Embrace change and embrace adversity, You must set t...

This is the time to prepare for your future senior leader role. Don’t wait until you are a senior manager looking to break into a more junior executive position. Work on the key skills today and change your mindset. You can now purchase a course to help you advance your career from financeleaderacademy.com . It's called Advance Your Finance and Accounting Career: Developing a Promotion Strate...

This week I am sharing an encore episode from Season 6 – Episode 48, Coaching Leads to Better Results. I believe that everyone needs coaching, because great coaching can help us see things in our life and our career that we can’t see and the best coaching happens when the coach guides, but we actually discover the answers ourselves. When we self-discover what’s lacking or where we are falling shor...

There are so many ways in which we limit ourselves from achieving our goals. A self-imposed limit is defeating ourselves before we even begin. Once we convince ourselves that there are no limits to what we can do and achieve, we become unstoppable in the pursuit of our dreams. You have lots of potential…potential for greatness if you believe in yourself. Rid yourselves of these self-imposed limits...

Bonus episode #25: The Finance and Accounting professionals who stay in their comfort zones and only do their daily tasks, will not get the same opportunities as those who get on high visibility projects and who are constantly improving themselves. You may be seen as reliable and trustworthy within the tasks you are given, but you will not be given additional responsibility or a promotion unless y...

I believe in having the right mentor, and that is someone outside your current work situation who can really help you fine tune your career strategy and even help you make some key connections for your future.  The best mentor is someone you were worked with in the past, but are not working with now. They know you, they know your abilities, at least in the past, and they know your goals. I have so...

Episode # 63: Leaders must be self-aware of their thoughts, actions, words and behaviors so they are constantly working to build trust and develop their teams. Self-aware leaders know what is appropriate and what isn’t appropriate. Emotionally intelligent leaders can read the room properly that leads to a positive outcome. Episode outline: The great leaders are emotionally intelligent, Think befor...

Episode # 62: The most important responsibility leaders have is to grow other leaders. The first task a great leader will do is to build trust and that begins with our own actions, our attitude, and our behavior. We often get overwhelmed with the tasks, but I want you to shift from a task-focus to a  people-focus leadership style. Lead and set a great example, build trust, and empower your team to...

Episode # 61: This week, I am talking about developing your plan for earning continuing professional education credits. Continual learning in the Finance and Accounting fields is essential to developing your expertise and establishing your credibility. Ensure you approach earning your annual CPEs by planning them out and adding them to your Individual Development Plan. I want to encourage you to b...

Episode #60: Finance and Accounting professionals should be partnering with senior leaders and their teams to better execute the organization’s strategy. We know the numbers and can better deliver insights when we open communication instead of staying in our usual stoved-piped function. I want to encourage you to get out of your comfort zone to open a constructive dialogue with senior leaders. Epi...

Episode #59: Working on a group project that presents to senior leaders is a great opportunity to show off your skills and get recognized for your potential. Performing your daily duties will not move your career but taking risk by working on a group project can definitely move it along. Ensure you are improving and perfecting your group presentation skills to leave an outstanding impression of yo...

Build your professional foundation which includes your education, earning a professional certification, and growing your business knowledge. Your Foundation establishes your professional credibility and expertise, which is key to being a sought-after Finance and Accounting Leader. Embrace a life-long learning mindset to firmly establish your Professional Foundation.  The following outline is used...

What happens during your career journey mostly rests upon decisions you make along with your risk comfort level. Are you planning out your career moves or are you waiting on someone else to give you an opportunity? No one is going to seek you out to hand you what you need to achieve your goals and advance your career. Episode outline: You are the only person who will care about your career, Seek o...

Next week, July 20th, Season 7 will debut, and I will be talking about career advancement strategy and how you can set yourself apart. Topics and areas of focus will be owning your career, what do leaders do, how to partner with senior leaders, perfecting our presentation skills, self-awareness and reading the room, and a few others. I have something for you. Consider joining The Finance Leader Po...

Episode # 56 : I am sharing my interview with Army-Retired Colonel David Fivecoat, Managing Partner of The Fivecoat Consulting Group ( thefivecoatconsultinggroup.com ). David has a book coming out in July which discusses the leadership attribute “grit.” During the interview, we talked about leadership, dealing with adversity, and leading change. Please connect with me on: 1. Instagram: stephen.mcl...

I have noticed over the last few months on all my social media timelines that people are talking more about their mental health. It’s become a very hot topic. Our mental health is key to our long-term success, our relationships, our view of ourselves, and many other aspects of our lives. Please visit a mental health professional to discuss your individual mental health concerns. For more resources...