Skills & Experience - What Matters in Finance
Ollie Smedley • October 30, 2019
You really don't need to know it all
The truth is I’m pretty hopeless at tax, even though I passed my accounting exams. If I’m honest, it didn’t really interest me and I never made enough effort to really understand it.
But for years that would have bothered me - I had
‘imposter syndrome’, which I meant I tended to focus on the things that I couldn’t do, rather than the things I could. I was never quite good enough and so I worked twice as hard.
Another one was having enough “commercial experience” - I put off several bigger jobs because I didn’t think mine was the “right” commercial experience.
Of course it was nonsense – whilst I’d never struck a commercial contract I was business friendly and I’d done a ton of other things.
But that mindset held me back until I’d got enough experience to KNOW
that I didn’t need to know it all. I just needed to:
1. Leverage my strengths.
2. Recognise and acknowledge the skills I needed to be successful but didn’t have.
3. Utilise or assemble the teams around me to fill the gaps.
And only then start to think about getting the skills myself.
What matters to the success of your current role?
Ollie helps finance leaders and teams create the space, thinking and leadership they need to thrive. Previously an FD and MD in a range of complex, blue chip organisations he’s now an ICF accredited coach. Try his free “What Matters in Finance” exercise if you’re curious about what really matters to you.
Sometimes it can feel IMPOSSIBLE to stop yourself losing your temper!
“I’m really busy. How are you?” “Good...yeah, busy too”. How many times have you heard that this week? However hard we try, this time of year always turns frantic. 🏆 Pushing 2019 business objectives over the line… 🎯 Planning for 2020…. 🍸 Social……. ✈ Holiday plans. 🎄 Christmas logistics – presents, diaries… ? And on and on… With a bit more than 2 weeks to go until Christmas, I call this stage: “I CAN STILL DO EVERYTHING!" - all that’s needed is for EVERYTHING to go perfectly and for NOTHING to get in the way.... I thought it might be better being self-employed but this week I’ve been juggling my diary, new client intake sessions, finishing my tax return, drinks with network….. Until, just in time, I noticed myself starting to inwardly grumble about leaving my desk for my daughter’s school concert. 🙈 Hmmmm…………the power of self-awareness… So I had a firm word with myself and was reminded: . I really can’t do it all. . Much of it can wait or doesn’t matter. . I won’t be distracted from the really important stuff ❤ What are you NOT going to do as you race to the finish?! Ps. The concert was fab!
The right questions spark the right conversations
Ideas to help you return from holiday, refreshed, rejuvenated and raring to go!
What makes the CFO's role difficult; What skills do you need as a CFO
