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“Anyone can hold the helm when the sea is calm,” said Publilius Syrus. And since the sea is rarely calm in today’s constantly evolving finance landscape, a great finance leader can be the difference between a team that achieves its goals, or one that gets mired in dysfunction. Here are 5 things you can do today to be a better finance leader.
Find a Mentor
Great leaders know that there is always more to learn. Whether it’s feedback from someone in the organization, or outside of it, a confident leader seeks advice in order to grow. After all, regardless of job title, everyone needs a mentor.
Model Behaviours
Want to see improvement in your team’s performance, then model the behaviours that you think will lead to better results. Your team will emulate you, so consider carefully what example you’re setting.
Delegate But Be Available
Lao Tzu said, “A leader is best when people barely know he exists.” There’s a certain amount of truth in this. A strong finance leader doesn’t micromanage, understanding that micromanaging ultimately undermines a team. Instead, great leaders know when to delegate, but still be available should their team need it.
Look at Other Leaders
Examine the success of other leaders in roles similar to yours (and their failures) to learn how to be most effective. Doing so will help you identify what has worked in the past, along with which pitfalls to avoid. The more knowledge you have, the more you can adapt your approach to maximize your chances of success.
Communication
How you communicate with your team each day fundamentally determines your success as a leader.
- First and foremost, it’s critical to understand how to give feedback.
- It’s also important to be able to receive feedback from your team.
- Let your team know that you are open to their ideas.
- Set expectations clearly, along with the timelines for completion.
- Connect the role of each employee to the overall goals of the organization, so that each person feels a sense of purpose.
- Consider scheduling regular one-on-one meetings to determine whether or not your employee is on the right path, and to address any concerns he or she may have.
Ultimately, business is about dealing with people and their individual drivers, so an effective leader must be a strong communicator.
Resource: Read this report for tips on how to have effective one-on-one meetings.
Key Takeaways
Some people do have a natural charisma, but true leaders are made not born. They work they each day to model the behaviors they want to see in their team. They communicate effectively and continue to grow in the role through the help of a mentor. If you want to be a better finance leader, you ultimately have to become the kind of person people would follow even if you didn’t have a title.
Your Next Step
No one should walk the job search or hiring road alone. At Clarity Recruitment we help others realize their success through a process that marries proprietary technology with unwavering commitment. Contact us today to take control of your career, or to partner with us to hire well.
Clarity Recruitment, connecting exceptional people with remarkable companies.