The Six Habits of True Strategic Thinkers

 

In the beginning, there was just you and your partners. You did every job. You coded, you met with investors, you emptied the trash and phoned in the midnight pizza. Now you have others to do all that and it’s time for you to “be strategic.”

Whatever that means.

If you find yourself resisting “being strategic,” because it sounds like a fast track to irrelevance, or vaguely like an excuse to slack off, you’re not alone. Every leader’s temptation is to deal with what’s directly in front, because it always seems more urgent and concrete. Unfortunately, if you do that, you put your company at risk. While you concentrate on steering around potholes, you’ll miss windfall opportunities, not to mention any signals that the road you’re on is leading off a cliff.

This is a tough job, make no mistake. “We need strategic leaders!” is a pretty constant refrain at every company, large and small. One reason the job is so tough: no one really understands what it entails. It’s hard to be a strategic leader if you don’t know what strategic leaders are supposed to do.

After two decades of advising organizations large and small, my colleagues and I have formed a clear idea of what’s required of you in this role. Adaptive strategic leaders — the kind who thrive in today’s uncertain environment – do six things well:

Link to Full Article

Critical Attributes of a Winning CFO

  The following critical attributes were presented in a CFO Magazine article dated April 15, 2005 entitled How to Pick Winning Finance Execs:

•  Passion and Energy count for a great deal.

•  They  seek duties beyond the technical, they show leadership potential, they can strategize, and they can put financial data into the context of the overall business.

•  People who have the hardest time getting to the executive level are the ones who were accounting majors. Raw intelligence (“intellectual horsepower”) is a better determinant of success; i.e., connecting facts with business issues.

•  The content of the CPA exam and the responsibilities of the CFO job show very little correlation.

•  They show a willingness to grow; taking on assignments that stretch their skills, and expanding those skills.

•  They have a balance of internal and external exposure; working with people inside & outside the company.

•  They have an appetite for challenge; such as willingness to join an underperforming business unit.

•  Communication and presentation skills are also key.

•  There is an elusive mixture of technical expertise, business savvy, and personality.

•  They have exposure to the different disciplines of finance; i.e., controllership, a tad of financial analysis, and treasury.

•  They are results-oriented.

•  The biggest differentiators are the ability to see the big picture, and interpersonal skills.

•  They have “presence” and confidence.

The full article can be viewed at:

http://www.cfo.com/article.cfm/3880906?f=home_featured

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