A plan, for an incompetent manager, is just an administrative task that needs to be completed to satisfy the boss and headquarters. Nothing else. There is no attempt to think about objectives, goals, roadmaps or any of the classic planning principles. For a boss this behaviour should be easy to detect, but if they are unaware of their inherent incompetence, then the incompetent managers will remain undetected.

Join the Digital Central European FP&A Board on the 7th of December to discuss Key Skills and Capabilities in FP&A for the Next Decade.

This is an exciting time to be in Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A). Because of Brexit, COVID-19 and ongoing digital transformation, organisations are demanding more than ever from the FP&A function. This culture of expectation encourages FP&A professionals to go above and beyond what has been achieved before.

In anticipation of turning the pandemic corner, companies are contemplating the return to the office or some form of the “Next Normal” working model. So how will your FP&A team find optimal ways of working in this new and evolving landscape?  

Organisations are operating in the world of ‘unknown unknowns’. As they strive to adapt, Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A) has become increasingly important. FP&A teams must be agile and analytical. They have had to develop whole new ‘playbooks’ in order to overcome challenging changes, taking on roles that are not typical for traditional management accounting.

There are probably a lot of tips and learnings you have picked up as you went on your journey as a finance business partner, but you may still be up for some surprises from the list here.