Commercial Skills for Finance Professionals

How to become a true business partner

Course overview

This one-day workshop focuses on the evolving role of the finance department, from custodians of the company’s finances to business partners who are totally integrated within the strategic direction of the business.

Programme

Personality and behaviour

• Practical tools that describe how we are ‘wired’. Understanding yourself and others will enable a better business interaction

Interpersonal skills

• The attributes of a successful finance team and how you measure up against this template. The interpersonal skills required to develop internal and external relationships

Risk management

• Proactively defining business risk in terms of business plans and financial performance. Understanding your ‘risk score’ and critical success factors

Information delivery

• Being able to present and communicate financial information in a way that is effective, precise and memorable is a vital skill. Breaking down the barriers created by financial terminology will be addressed

Good to great

• The ingredients of a ‘great’ business and the vital role the finance team can play in delivering this vision

What will you gain?

• Presentation skills: how to get your message across
• Strategic vision: using financial structures to identify opportunities, understand risk and add value
• Networking: using connections both within and outside the company
• Influence: engaging with and influencing senior management
• Management: motivating and managing the finance team

Who will benefit?

Financial managers wanting to gain a seat at the business table by expanding their role from analysts to business experts.

Trainer

• George Fildes FCMA, MBA, FCM.