INDUSTRY INSIGHT have failed at one thing. Dweck highlights that, when recruiting astronauts, NASA specifically sought out people with growth mindsets. They rejected applications from people who had not experienced significant failures in life, instead selecting applicants who had moved on positively from challenging experiences.
Overall, gaining confidence as a CFO isn’ t about waiting for a title or permission— it’ s about proactively cultivating the mindset that allows you to lead effectively. The perspective of a CFO matters far more than just‘ the numbers’, CFOs possess strategic insight and a unique overview of the business that should be shared and utilised in meetings. The finance team( and finance leader) have the added bonus of seeing how all departments fit together and how they are all working towards the strategic goals. This knowledge shouldn’ t be taken for granted and is quite useful to the rest of the business. With this high-level oversight, the finance leader is also able to challenge the business with their chosen path or ideas around new projects or implementations. Just by asking a few questions around clarification and asking how this fits to the overall objectives is really powerful. It challenges the business to look at the bigger picture and make sure that it’ s coercive and is using the businesses rare resources effectively.
Take the methods I have outlined in this article and integrate them into your work life, and your personal life; we could all do with a little more confidence both inside and outside of work. Finally, don’ t forget that confidence leads to leadership, not the other way around. x www. intelligentcxo. com
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