CFO Program Online Course
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Module 1: Embed finance across the company5 Lessons
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Module 2: Identify profit and cash initiatives7 Lessons
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Module 3: Oversee and drive business change13 Lessons
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The CFO’s role in driving change
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Driving change across your business: Top tips from a finance leader
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How to encourage innovation across your workforce
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The emotional reaction to a change initiative
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Obtaining people’s buy-in
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Change management: Create a sense of urgency
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Change management: Build a guiding coalition
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Change management: Form a strategic vision
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Change management: Enlist a volunteer army
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Change management: Enable action by removing barriers
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Change management: Generate short term wins
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Change management: Sustain progress
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Change management: Embed the changes
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The CFO’s role in driving change
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Module 4: Deliver data-driven strategic insights6 Lessons
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Module 5: Challenge your Board and influence strategy9 Lessons
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Challenging your CEO and Board
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Challenging the board – A CFO’s perspective
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The CFO’s role in influencing strategy
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The five levers of influential CFOs
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Providing your unique perspective
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Demonstrating you are more than a numbers person
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Ensure that you are always consulted
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How to avoid being seen as the blocker
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Adding value: A CFO’s perspective
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Challenging your CEO and Board
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Module 6: Drive key decision-making11 Lessons
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The modern-day decision-making process
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Gathering the facts
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How Data Savvy is your Board?
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Using data to help business activities
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Support decision-making with data
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Express your opinion
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Communicating financial information to non-finance people
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Reading a situation
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Knowing when to compromise
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Managing conflict at Board level and beyond
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Driving a group consensus
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The modern-day decision-making process
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Module 7: Represent your business externally6 Lessons
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Module 8: Become a critical and influential voice5 Lessons
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Module 9: Deliver the business plan7 Lessons
Demonstrating you are more than a numbers person
Dan Wells October 11, 2023
Research shows that most non-finance people do not properly understand the role of finance or how you contribute towards the success of a company. Too many people view the CFO as simply a numbers person, and fail to recognize your potential to influence strategies and reach the best decisions.
Modern-day finance leaders need to be able to see the big picture and have a strategic mindset to be effective. You must demonstrate that you are more than just a numbers person if you want to be respected as a finance leader amongst your leadership team.
During this lesson, we will discuss the importance of demonstrating that you are most than simply a numbers person and share techniques to help you portray this:

The role of the CFO has changed dramatically over the last few decades. In the past, the focus was mainly on compliance and reporting. These days, however, the CFO is expected to be a strategic business partner who can provide insights and recommendations on a wide range of topics.
To be successful in this new role, CFOs must first and foremost demonstrate that you are more than just a numbers people. You need to show that you understand the business as a whole and how your department fits into the bigger picture. Additionally, you must be able to think strategically and make recommendations that will help the company reach its goals.
If you are a CFO who wants to be respected as a true business partner, start by showing that you are more than just a numbers person. Use your knowledge of the business, commercial mindset and strategic thinking skills to add value beyond the numbers. Only then will you be able to earn the trust and respect of your colleagues.
Strategic thinking is not only about making sound financial decisions; it’s also about understanding how those decisions will impact other areas of the business. For example, if a company is considering launching a new product, the CFO must understand not only the financial implications but also how it will affect marketing, sales, operations, and other departments.
CFOs must also be able to see the big picture and understand how their department’s work fits into the overall strategy of the company. This requires a deep understanding of the business as a whole, not just finance. Too often, CFOs get so caught up in the numbers that they lose sight of the bigger picture. As a result, their recommendations are not always in line with what the company is trying to achieve.
Summary
If you want to be respected as a finance leader, it’s essential that you demonstrate that you are more than just a numbers person. Show that you understand the business as a whole and how your department fits into the bigger picture. Think strategically about the decisions you make and their impact on the company. Only then will you be able to add true value as a CFO.