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LEARNING RESOURCES

Uncertainty and Managing Growth
owners in just a couple years.
“Employee satisfaction was terrible. You had to Uncertainty and Managing Growth is a one-hour
say, ‘I had nothing to do with this, but it will be course that examines and walks through formulas
for calculating a company’s financial capacity and
better,’” said Williams, who now lives in Florida.
external funds needed, based on growth estimates.
“This too shall pass.”
Special focus is given to the role of the financial
Williams has since been through layoffs himself
professional in analyzing and forecasting funding
and recently had to let 60 people go from a previ-
needs for various growth scenarios.
ous employer because of changes in the insurance
market. Sometimes, he said, leaders can only offer CPE SELF-STUDY
reassurance and a vision for the future — to others
and to themselves.
Overview: Advanced Controller and CFO Skills
EYES ON THE FUTURE Examine the best practices of leading-edge
The same attitude can help finance leaders fac- controllers and CFOs in the areas of business
ing tough times in 2023, Williams said. Beyond planning, risk management, financial analysis,
dealing with numbers and plans, they can listen change management, leadership, social styles, and
to employees’ concerns about the company itself, developing high-performing employees.
make changes where possible, and acknowledge
CPE SELF-STUDY
difficulties that can’t be solved.
Pamela Oberski, Dow Inc.’s finance director
For more information or to make a purchase, go to aicpa.org/cpe-learning
for North America and a member of the AICPA’s or call the Institute at 888-777-7077.
Future of Finance group, is similarly applying
personal leadership skills to keep her team focused
and motivated.
“You have to look at your team and understand
the dynamics there. With any kind of downturn, AICPA RESOURCES
you need to acknowledge your team might be feel-
ing anxious and stressed. If you have new employ- Articles
ees, they may not have gone through something
“4 Ways Leaders Can Improve Enterprise Risk Management,” AICPA
like this before,” said Oberski, who is based in
Insights, Dec. 12, 2022
Michigan.
Those anxieties can be addressed in part with “Improving Forecasting for 2023 and Beyond,” FM magazine, Dec.
regular check-ins. Leaders, she said, should ensure 9, 2022
that both their employees and they themselves are
Podcast episodes
taking time to “refresh and recharge.”
At the same time, she said, CFOs should help “Future of Finance Takeaways: Talent, Transformation, Trust,” JofA,
their team members to understand the company’s Dec. 14, 2022
overall strategy to survive the downturn.
“Why CFOs Have Confidence in the Midst of Difficult Economic
“Are you focused on sales, collecting cash,
Times,” JofA, Sept. 8, 2022
working capital, maintaining a strong balance
sheet?” Oberski said (see the sidebar, “What’s
Next? Cash Flow and Pricing”). “Helping your
team connect the dots to how they contribute to
those broader business goals is important, and it an ironclad strategy, especially in times of eco-
helps them understand their own priorities. ‘This is nomic disruption.
our focus, this is what we get done, this is our role, “Be secure in self,” she said. “Attempt to be as
this is how you contribute.’” data-driven as possible, and still recognize there’s
Encouraging and acknowledging contributions an art to what we do that relies on our intuition
to those larger goals can help keep employees en- and on our gut, and that it too has to be trusted,
gaged and motivated, even when a company pares especially in times of uncertainty.”
back on raises and bonuses, she added. Sometimes, the missing piece is simply the
Kite of Amazon offered a final piece of advice. wisdom that comes with experience — even when
No amount of data and analysis will ever provide you’re not sure what to expect. ■

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