The below article summarises an approach developed throughout the years of my work and explores ways to fully integrate FP&A with other divisions and remove barriers in cooperation.
By Paul Brand, Head of FP&A at ADP UK
Paul is a Fellow with the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (FCCA) with over 10 years’ experience working in global, multinational, publicly listed companies. While working for household names across industries including Energy and Human Capital Management, Paul has honed and developed his skill set across the full FP&A range; focusing on best in class delivery of budgeting, forecasting, reporting, controlling, strategy, business partnering and decision support.It can be one of the greatest intangibles in the FP&A world – how do you succeed as a business partner?
Finance staff should find Logos the easiest dimension to work with. As opposed to sales who may use only a small part of the whole facts to support their story.
There is hardly any book on human relationships and influence that is as revered as Dale Carnegie’s ‘How to Win Friends and Influence People’. A great many leaders across the world have sworn by and largely benefited from this masterpiece.
One of the biggest transformations in the finance departments recently, has been the shift for an Accountant to move from a compliance and governance based individual, to an insight driven value added business partner. In the past, accountants could get by doing monthly reporting, statutory accounts and tax returns and justify their role within an organisation.
Back in 2004 I spent a large portion of time overseas travelling around France. I would often find when talking to a “local” the first question I would ask was: “Do you speak English?” Most times, the response I got was a short, sharp “No!”