Back in early 2020, I was living my best Inner West life in Balmain, far from the beach. I had started my own business, but I was still picking up consulting work on the side, too afraid to go all in and coach CFOs full time. Whispers of Covid had begun to reach Australian shores but none of us had any idea just how much the world was about to change.
The idea that I'd be living by the beach, surfing every day and coaching CFOs to live up to their full potential full-time, seemed impossible. Yet here I am. The last 5 years have stretched me in ways I could only have imagined. I'm still me but the person I am today is very different to the person I was 5 years ago.
For CFOs, it's tempting to think that the best part of our personal growth is behind us. Most of us are at an age where we are established in both our careers and in life. It's easy to feel like you've reached a plateau.
But what if our biggest years of personal growth are yet to come? What if your potential has less to do with your past achievements and more to do with your mindset and the intentional practice of growth?
For senior leaders, admitting there's still room for growth can feel like admitting vulnerability. Which makes it easier to default to the belief that we've already arrived. It's easy to assume that if you're not planning any big life changes (like moving countries or switching industries) that your personal growth potential is also limited. But that assumption underestimates the impact of small, deliberate adjustments in our approach to work and life.
In reality, personal growth is more like navigating a sailboat. Even the smallest shift in direction can, over time, lead you to a completely different destination. Particularly if you are deliberate about the course you set.
The T-shaped model was first coined by David Guest in 1991 to describe the ideal mix of skills for technical professionals; deep expertise in one area (the vertical bar of the T) combined with a broad ability to collaborate across disciplines (the horizontal bar).
I recently renovated The CFO Boardroom to offer further niche study into those broader, more strategic skills necessary to take the next step beyond the role of CFO. They four options reflect the career pathways that CFOs have most often discussed with me over the past two decades:
If there's one thing that becomes clear when you look ahead, it's that growth is a choice. You get to decide for yourself who you want to be in 2030. The only thing stopping you from making huge leaps forward in your personal and professional growth is the belief that you can't. The path you take depends on the vision you're willing to commit to today.
So here's a challenge: draft a one-page vision for your next five years. Capture where you want to be, the impact you want to have, and the skills you'll need to get there. Then, jump on a call with me to discuss how to make it happen.
The next five years could be your most exciting yet - if you're willing to choose your path with intention.
As Peter Drucker famously said;
So, what does your next five years look like?
And what's the first step you'll take to get there?
I'd love to hear your thoughts.
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We acknowledge the Darkinjung people, the traditional custodians of the land on which we live and work and pay our respects to the Elders both past, present & emerging.
