The Finance Leader Podcast
Leadership development can lead to greater promotion potential. This podcast is hosted by Stephen McLain, a U.S. Army-Retired Finance Officer. After retirement, Stephen transitioned to working as a Business Consultant in Corporate Finance and Accounting. Topics will be dedicated to leadership and strategic mindset development for Finance and Accounting professionals, where we will focus on the four key Finance Leader responsibilities: 1) influence, 2) developing our team, 3) achieving results, and 4) seeing the future . Please listen to the trailer so you can check it out. Thank you!
The Finance Leader Podcast
Bonus Episode 61: Empower Your Finance and Accounting Career through Growth and Visibility
Are you ready to skyrocket your finance and accounting career? We've got the tips and insights you need to gain a competitive edge in the workplace. This bonus episode is packed with valuable advice on adopting a growth mindset, dressing to impress, and participating in high visibility projects. You'll also learn the importance of having a written plan, taking risks, developing soft skills, earning professional credentials, and being part of the community at work.
Please connect with me on:
1. Instagram: stephen.mclain
2. Twitter: smclainiii
3. Facebook: stephenmclainconsultant
4. LinkedIn: stephenjmclainiii
For more resources, please visit Finance Leader Academy: financeleaderacademy.com.
- On the website, you can download the Become a Finance Leader Guide. You can use this guide to build your Finance Leadership skills so you can help senior leaders develop and execute the strategy.
- I also offer a course, Advance Your Finance and Accounting Career: Developing a Promotion Strategy that Sets You Apart.
Hi, this is Stephen McLain of the Finance Leader Podcast. This is Bonus Episode number 61. Good day and welcome to this bonus episode. Thank you for listening to the Finance Leader Podcast. I appreciate it. We are definitely in this together so we grow as leaders in finance and accounting and so that we have opportunities in the future.
Stephen McLain:This week I want to talk about getting ahead in your career. If you are looking for recognition so you can advance in your career, let's talk over a few tips, but first a quick story. Have you watched the movie The Intern with Anne Hathaway and Robert De Niro? It is one of my favorites. It is about the growing bond between a startup founder and a senior intern. Anne Hathaway is the founder, slash CEO, and she is trying to figure out her role while she manages this fast growth e-commerce company. She has a pet peeve issue early in the movie and Robert De Niro's character solves it for her, winning her praises and her opinion of him vastly shifts in his favor. It's a great example of taking initiative to solve a problem that immediately wins you a favorable view from senior leaders. Again, it's from the movie The Intern and I highly recommend it. It's very fun to watch. Now I want to talk over a few areas to help you gain an advantage in the workplace.
Stephen McLain:Number one mindset. I talk about mindset often. Mindset is our gateway to success, to our happiness, to getting things done and to our relationships. I want you to have a growth mindset where you believe in yourself and you believe that you can grow and develop into the role you desire so you accomplish your long term goal. If you change your mindset, you will change your outcome. Number two have a written plan. Speaking of goals, you must have a written plan that describes your goals. Those with a written plan have a greater chance of success. So please write down your goals and review them often, at least once a quarter. I recommend looking at them once a month.
Stephen McLain:Number three take risk. Go beyond your daily tasks to take on something out of your comfort zone. This is where you can earn respect and recognition. So just don't sit back. Take on some risks. Number four high visibility projects. A high visibility project can help you develop key skills, build your network and show off who you are and what you have become in front of senior leaders. Again, high visibility projects are a moneymaker for your professional reputation. Number five develop your soft skills. Soft skills are critical. There is a point where you need to transition from growing your hard technical skills to growing key soft skills like leadership, time management, emotional intelligence, communication and many more. Number six become credentialed. This is still very important to many people. I am specifically talking about earning a graduate degree and a professional certification. This gives you professional credibility and should be part of your development foundation.
Stephen McLain:Number seven be part of the community. Be seen and be heard, but also don't be irritating. There is a boundary and a balance. So be at your after work events and be in the office. Participate in the meetings where you get a seat at the table, but don't be annoying. Contribute, but don't be a know-it-all. Show that you are a loyal member of the team. So be part of the community at work.
Stephen McLain:And finally, number eight dress to impress. Now, i used this term from the movie The Intern that I just spoke about a few moments ago. Again, it's dress to impress. This might be an older concept, but we still get judged by our appearance and if we fit in, i always recommend that you follow the appearance standards set by the executives and senior leaders in your organization. If they dress up every day, then I recommend the same. It might be this little thing that sets you apart from others. This doesn't mean you can't be yourself. I also encourage that you should be yourself, be comfortable at work, but also I want you to be able to fit in. It's a great recommendation to see what those executives and senior leaders are wearing and try to emulate that as much as you can. I want you to win.
Stephen McLain:The following is a list of episodes to listen to if you miss them, or to listen again to help you. The first one is episode 104, and that's earning your professional credentials. The next is episode 99. Take more risk in your career. The next is episode 88. Earning a promotion to manager Also episode 86. Project teams provide opportunities to grow your skills and enhance your career. A high visibility project is a great way to make a name for yourself. The next is episode 83, and this is about key business social skills. And finally, episode 80, a tough conversation on advocating for yourself so you advance your career. We all need to learn to advocate for ourselves in the workplace.
Stephen McLain:Now I also offer a course through Finance Leader Academy called Advance Your Finance and Accounting Career developing a promotion strategy that sets you apart. The course has six modules. Module one is the introduction to the course and it has the admin instructions. Module two takes you through establishing a professional foundation. Module three is about how to set yourself apart from your peers and the competition. Module four is about developing your leadership potential. Module five is about your executive presence. And finally, module six teaches about developing a promotion strategy. The link to the course introduction is in the show notes or go to financeleaderacademycom Now. Take a look at the introductory video on that page and I think you will really like it. If you have any questions about the course, please reach out at contact at stevenmichleincom and I will respond. I hope you have a great rest of your week. Keep working on your goals. I want you to win. Thank you for listening to the Finance Leader podcast. Until next time, look out for your team lead always and take care. See you next time. Thank you.
