Say No like IT!!
This was the mantra the group landed on at a recent CFO Roundtable I hosted!!
The group was sharing the challenges they face as CFOs and inevitably the issue of overloaded work schedules was raised. Being asked to do more and more with either the same or less resources, with everything considered to be a priority.
As we discussed how to handle this one member of the group shared that IT teams say “No, we can’t deliver that, we don’t have the resources”. And the question was asked: why don’t finance teams say this?
(The CFO who shared this shall remain nameless in case his IT team read this!!)
There was a common understanding in the room that CFOs and their teams keep saying yes and keep taking on more and more work, which is leading to frustration and burnout.
So how can you take a tip from IT and say no?
I know that lists like this make it look easier than it is but one thing I know for sure is that getting support will make a difference and no-one can do it all on their own.
Who is in your professional support crew with whom you can discuss these challenges?
With love,
Sue
WHAT I AM WATCHING
If you are looking for a laugh about how to say no then watch this clip from Little Britain on the computer says No!
HERE ARE SOME WAYS YOU CAN WORK WITH ME
If you’d like to know more about any of these, please email me or set up a call.
This was the mantra the group landed on at a recent CFO Roundtable I hosted!!
The group was sharing the challenges they face as CFOs and inevitably the issue of overloaded work schedules was raised. Being asked to do more and more with either the same or less resources, with everything considered to be a priority.
As we discussed how to handle this one member of the group shared that IT teams say “No, we can’t deliver that, we don’t have the resources”. And the question was asked: why don’t finance teams say this?
(The CFO who shared this shall remain nameless in case his IT team read this!!)
There was a common understanding in the room that CFOs and their teams keep saying yes and keep taking on more and more work, which is leading to frustration and burnout.
So how can you take a tip from IT and say no?
- Find clarity on your strategy Do you know what you are working towards and why? And has this been clearly articulated and communicated across the business?
- Ruthless prioritisation
- Get curious about requests
- Set your own personal boundaries
- Have the hard conversations
I know that lists like this make it look easier than it is but one thing I know for sure is that getting support will make a difference and no-one can do it all on their own.
Who is in your professional support crew with whom you can discuss these challenges?
With love,
Sue
WHAT I AM WATCHING
If you are looking for a laugh about how to say no then watch this clip from Little Britain on the computer says No!
HERE ARE SOME WAYS YOU CAN WORK WITH ME
- Individual Executive Coaching: This is a partnership between coach and client focusing on building leadership capacity.
- Workshop Facilitation: Strengthen team resilience and communication, especially for technically oriented teams.
- Keynote Speaking: Inspire excellence and authentic leadership through executive presence. Learn more here.
- Small Group Coaching: Join CFO Women's Circles for senior female finance leaders to develop and network
If you’d like to know more about any of these, please email me or set up a call.
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