The CFO'S Perspective

What now? One thing is certain, most businesses have been impacted and their 2021 results will differ significantly from previous budgets and forecasts.

Now is the time for serious planning and strategizing. Business owners and CEOs should be considering what reopening looks like in all markets in which they operate. Will your business return to normal operations or will there be significant changes needed? Involve your key leadership team and advisors in these planning sessions.

The current economic uncertainty has many businesses closely evaluating their current and future staffing needs. While some positions are being cut, especially in the hospitality and travel sectors, many businesses are strategically hiring financial professionals into executive leadership positions during the downturn.

Companies that previously had tasked their CEOs with handling finance functions are now hiring dedicated CFOs (or outsourcing CFO roles to reputable third parties) to ensure they will be able to weather the new economic storm. With ambiguity over how long businesses will need to keep their offices and storefronts closed paired with unpredictability in the stock market, business owners and CEOs are feeling increased pressure to make critical strategic financial decisions for the health of their organizations.

The purpose of human life is to serve, and to show compassion and the will to help others.” - Nobel Peace Prize winner Albert Schweitzer

Entrepreneurs and CEOs quickly learn how lonely it can be at the top. In many cases, you may be the sole employee when your venture is first created. When it grows, and you have a more complex organization with a sizeable staff, accountability for success still rests mainly on your shoulders. 

As your company’s leader, employees look to you for guidance and vision. Investors expect you to successfully manage the company and provide them with an excellent return on their investment. When dealing with a difficult situation or approaching uncharted territory, the CEO has no peers in the organization. 

It is for these reasons that CEOs form a board of advisors to give them guidance or expertise. An increasing number of organizations are forming advisory boards. But how can you best define the role of your board and its members?

Take a second to think about your company’s key personnel - your CEO, CFO, CIO, Controller, etc. Consider everything they bring to the table and the responsibilities they hold as well as the knowledge they’ve accumulated about your business and industry. Now, imagine that they suddenly disappear.

With Thanksgiving approaching, conversations and thoughts invariably turn to gratitude and thankfulness.  We try to show our gratitude to the people in our personal lives and our own circumstances.  However, do you do the same in your business life?

Readers may wonder why a space dedicated to CFOs and finance issues is taking the time to discuss a decidedly “soft skill.”  Why should people in business be mindful of expressing genuine gratitude?

Employee motivation comes from several sources – compensation, promotion, and benefits are the most popular.  However, do not overlook the power of showing gratitude.

Trust is like the air we breathe — when it’s present, nobody really notices. When it’s absent, everyone notices.”  — Warren Buffett

Integrity in business is an essential ingredient for sustainable, long-term, business growth and success. It can be hard to define and difficult to measure, but you know it when you see it, and it’s clear when it’s not there.

Today Eric Moore shares his thoughts about the book: “Can't Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds” by David Goggins

About David Goggins:

“For David Goggins, childhood was a nightmare - poverty, prejudice, and physical abuse colored his days and haunted his nights. But through self-discipline, mental toughness, and hard work, Goggins transformed himself from a depressed, overweight young man with no future into a U.S. Armed Forces icon and one of the world's top endurance athletes. The only man in history to complete elite training as a Navy SEAL, Army Ranger, and Air Force Tactical Air Controller, he went on to set records in numerous endurance events, inspiring Outside magazine to name him The Fittest (Real) Man in America.”

Is there anyone flying this plane?

In too many cases, a nonprofit board’s approach to leadership turnover is hectic, not well thought out or planned, reactive instead of proactive. Most often, the board  is group of passionate, well-meaning volunteers who are now faced with the single most important role they will have: selecting a new leader. How the board navigates the transition will directly impact the future and potential viability of the organization.