We often find ourselves rushing through November and December to finish off lingering tasks so we can rest and re-energise for the year ahead.
This time for reflection might be particularly valuable if you're feeling a drop in confidence, feeling listless and unsure of what's next. You might even be wondering if you've hit the dreaded 'P' word – a career plateau.
If you are, there's no need to stress. Career plateaus aren't uncommon, especially when you're in senior leadership. However, it might not be for the reasons you think.
Now I could have let the size of my current suitcase dictate the enthusiasm with which I indulged in Christmas related retail therapy.
However I really wanted to spoil my girls and my family and I was on the doorstep of some of the best shopping in the world. So instead, I expanded the size of my luggage to fit my Christmas-morning vision.
It strikes me that there are some parallels between my Christmas shopping experience in L.A. and the career trajectory of the CFOs in my CFO Boardroom program.
The Office of the CFO comes in a million shapes and sizes, all of which are dictated by the needs and the imagination of those with influence within each individual organisation.
It can act a bit like a suitcase. If the suitcase is too small, good CFOs will need to upgrade. If it's too large, CFOs and their teams need to grow to fit it.
In a situation like this one, expanding your role to fit your ambition can often lead to a much better outcome than leaving your organisation – particularly if you're committed to it and enjoy working with your colleagues and your Board.
Aside from your own career satisfaction, this has obvious benefits for the organisation and the Board, who get to keep a high-performing senior leader who has significant institutional knowledge and a proven track record.
Now the CFO I'm working with is clearly a gun. So of course the business wants to keep her.
Thankfully, she made things really easy for them by identifying early what she needs and demonstrating a willingness to prove to them what she's capable of.
She identified the size of the 'box' she wanted to fit within and then worked with her CEO and her Board to create it.
That is the power of a Playmaker CFO and the power of having your CFO work with me in the CFO Boardroom.
These CFOs are typically sitting at the 'Deliverer' level or below in the Playmaker model.
In my CFO of the Future Index, I describe how most CFOs operate as 'Scorekeepers', 'Firefighters', or 'Deliverers'.
The key to helping your CFO move toward becoming a 'Partner,' and – ultimately – an organisational 'Playmaker' is to help them shift their own, and the businesses perception of the possibilities inherent in their role.
As CFOs advance toward becoming a Playmaker, the size of their 'suitcase' needs to increase as their capacity grows.
So as you reflect on the year that has been, and make plans for your year ahead, consider whether it's time for your CFO to invest in a new suitcase or whether you'd like them to grow their skills to fit the one they've already got.
Where is your CFO on their journey? Are they a Scorekeeper, a Firefighter, or a Deliverer?Where could they be in 12 months?
I'd love to hear your thoughts...
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