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.

Integrated FP&A is not a new term. Most experienced FP&A professionals are probably already subconsciously doing it. Integrated FP&A promotes the idea of collaborative planning where finance professionals work with different parts of the organisation to create a holistic view and plan.

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?  

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.