Episodes

Send us Fan Mail Episode # 32: We should be building sustainable businesses that can outlast an economic downturn with no or minimal employee layoffs. Long-term sustainability can be achieved by getting more creative in generating new lines of revenue. The year 2020 taught us that you must never get complacent with the business model. Keep looking at new ways to bring in revenue. Episode outline: We can never be complacent with the business model,We must include crisis situations into our l...

Send us Fan Mail Episode # 31: Financial Analysts help grow the business by digging in to the how and the why to financial transactions to find patterns and insights. These patterns can help find a way to leverage your offers to increase sales. Additionally, costs can be saved by finding efficiencies within the expenses. Episode outline: Figure out the why and how regarding data around financial transactions,Help to validate the strategy through the analysis of key metrics, andPartner with ...

Send us Fan Mail Bonus episode # 13: Purpose gives us the reason for what we do, and why we show up every day. It's our job as leaders to communicate purpose to our team members so they better understand how they contribute to the organization and can get excited about the brand. When we know our purpose, we can better support the customer. Purpose is what we do, and vision is where we are going. Please connect with me on: 1. Instagram: stephen.mclain 2. Twitter: smclainiii 3. Facebook: s...

Send us Fan Mail Examining Sports through a Leadership lens can aid us in better overcoming adversity. In the episode introduction, I am discussing using how the sports leagues re-started their seasons in 2020 through very difficult adversity. To accomplish your goals, we often have to overcome obstacles and adversity. This week I am sharing an encore episode from Season 2 on Becoming Your Best Self. Becoming Your Best Self is essential when you are developing your leadership a...

Send us Fan Mail Earning a Certification adds great value to your professional foundation and can boost your earnings and career potential. Please enjoy this encore episode from Season 2 about Earning a Professional Certification. Season 4 will debut on November 10, 2020. Thank you for the great support! You can download the Leadership Growth Blueprint for Finance and Accounting Managers here. You can use this guide to develop your leadership by focusing on communication, and growing and em...

Send us Fan Mail Bonus episode # 10: Finance and Accounting professionals have a great opportunity to be so much more than the expert who does analysis or prepares financial statements. We can help shape the business so it achieves its full potential. 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. Suppor...

Send us Fan Mail Episode # 30: We need to transition to a Trusted Business Advisor so we help leaders from around the company to grow and develop the business. As Finance and Accounting professionals, we have insights that others often do not have. Episode outline: Tell a story with the numbers,Work with your IT team to make reporting better, and,Partner with leaders at all levels around the company. Please connect with me on: 1. Instagram: stephen.mclain 2. Twitter: smclainiii 3. Facebook...

Send us Fan Mail Episode # 29: Leaders make decisions every day. You must become comfortable making decisions. There are many types of decisions, and it's critical that as leaders, we make timely decisions so we can move forward. We should not dwell on "what-ifs" or have regret. Make the decision and move on. In the episode, I discuss the following steps to overcoming indecisiveness: Change your mindset,Know what kind of decision you are making,Write down the details of the decision,Con...

Send us Fan Mail Episode #28: We must continue to improve the monthly close process so we add value and help our senior leaders do their jobs better with valuable insights about the business. Monthly close isn't only to close the books, but to really figure out what happened so we can determine if the business met expectations and we can make necessary adjustments. Monthly close requires leadership to improve the process. Episode outline: Map out the process - does it make sense?Let analyst...

Send us Fan Mail Episode # 27: Understanding Emotional Intelligence is our ability to be self-aware of our own words, actions, and attitude and how it affects others. We need to know ourselves so we can become a better leader who can inspire and create a positive environment where our team can thrive. Episode outline: Our actions and words affect others so we must become self-awareUnderstanding and caring for othersStay humble, continue to learn, and set the example, andWe still set the bar...

Send us Fan Mail Episode # 26: Collaboration done right can help solve problems by using the expertise and knowledge around the organization. When you collaborate with others, you get the benefit of the insights that you may have missed when working alone. Episode outline: How collaboration can solve a problemYou need to build trust and set clear expectationsGetting the right people involvedCommunicate the results across the company Please connect with me on: 1. Instagram: stephen.mcl...

Send us Fan Mail Episode #25: Growing your influence is a key step in your journey in becoming a senior leader. You have a unique role, because you have the opportunity to speak with many leaders across the organization. This provides a chance to talk about how to best support the strategy and to share ideas where the organization should be going in the future. Episode outline: 1) Our ability to influence others begins with us, 2) Understand your potential impact, 3) Continue to make connec...

Send us Fan Mail Episode # 24: We are obligated to speak up about a decision if it's not in the best interest of the organization. In this episode, I discuss four steps to professionally disagree with your supervisor about a pending decision, Be in the proper mindset,Our approach and method,Bring data, analysis, and options to discuss,If your recommendation and concerns are dismissed, then we fully support the decision. Please connect with me on: 1. Instagram: stephen.mclain 2. Twit...

Send us Fan Mail Episode # 23: Your habits often define who you are, and what you can accomplish. In the episode, I recommend five habits that you can incorporate into your day, Improve your morning and evening routines,How can you reduce your mid-day stress,Better time management,Written goals, and,Team communication. Here is the blog post on scheduling time on your calendar for thinking. Please connect with me on: 1. Instagram: stephen.mclain 2. Twitter: smclainiii 3. Facebook: stephenm...

Send us Fan Mail Episode # 22: You need a well-trained team behind you, because you can't get all the work done alone. To go to a higher level, you need an empowered and trained team ready to take on challenges. In Finance and Accounting, we deal with a hectic list of tasks, reports, additional analysis, and monthly close. We need a team ready to help us get all the requirements done. Episode outline, You need to set the team culture you need to achieve excellence,Take risk and better unders...

Send us Fan Mail Episode # 21: You must set yourself apart from your peers so you get recognized by senior leaders and advance your career. Just doing your job every day will not get you promoted. Only completing tasks that have been assigned to you won’t help you advance. Episode outline: Grow your leadership skills and abilities,Make sure you make your boss's priorities your priorities,Get things done without being told and get it done with little guidance,Achieve results, andProfessionali...

Send us Fan Mail Bonus episode #9: You can have a great Impact as a Leader in your organization. In this episode, I talk about why I love to lead, and the positive impacts we get to make in our organization. While we perform our Finance and Accounting duties, we can get overwhelmed while delivering financial projections, completing our journal entries, and conducting monthly close procedures, but we also have a great responsibility to create an environment where our team can grow and t...

Send us Fan Mail What separates finance professionals who influence strategy from those who only report the numbers? The answer isn't better spreadsheets. It's developing the judgment, leadership, and business acumen to become a trusted strategic advisor. The Finance Leader Podcast helps finance and accounting professionals, FP&A teams, controllers, CFOs, business owners, and executive leaders strengthen the connection between finance, operations, and strategy. Episodes provide practical ...

Send us Fan Mail Bonus episode # 8: Writing down your goals gives you a significantly greater chance of success according to numerous studies going back decades. When goal setting, you must be specific, have a defined date of completion, review them often, and update regularly. In the episode, I highlight my goal setting process which includes: Having the right mindset, Ensuring you have a supportive inner circle, Develop a strategy, Nurture your network, and Assess and u...

Send us Fan Mail Bonus episode # 7: Your mindset determines your outcome. How you view yourself and how you view the world will affect your career potential. In the episode, we discuss the following: 1) Leadership is the embodiment of making the impossible possible, 2) Mindset determines everything, 3) What is holding you back? 4) You can only control yourself and how you view your abilities, 5) Remove negative influences from your life, 6) Our team will adopt our mindset, so we need to be ...

Send us Fan Mail Bonus episode # 6: Values make up our personal character. This week's episode is about the seven key leader values that we should strive to improve daily. These values show how we lead, and how we deal with tough decisions. Are we fair? Can we be humble? Are we an expert in our field? We are discussing humility, professionalism, technical competence, respect, duty, integrity, and courage. How you approach your duties affects your team members. We must be working to have a p...

Send us Fan Mail Episode # 20: Becoming Your Best Self is essential when you are developing your leadership ability, because when you lead others you should be your best version to encourage growth and development while avoiding toxic behavior. During the episode, I discuss Becoming Your Best Self using the following focus areas: Continuous improvement,Develop a deep respect for others, and Take the high road when dealing with an adverse event or personal setback.The show notes for this...

Send us Fan Mail Episode # 19: Executive Presence represents your ability to confidently lead an organization in a positive way, show respect for others, solve problems, and anticipate the future. In the episode, I talk about Executive Presence in terms of looking like a leader, acting like a leader, and becoming a leader. The episode show notes are no longer available. Please connect with me on: 1. Instagram: stephen.mclain 2. Twitter: smclainiii 3. Facebook: stephenmclainconsultan...

Send us Fan Mail Episode # 18: Writing down your goals gives you a significantly greater chance of success according to numerous studies going back decades. When goal setting, you must be specific, have a defined date of completion, review them often, and update regularly. Episode outline: Having the right mindset, Ensuring you have a supportive inner circle, Develop a strategy, Nurture your network, and Assess and update your goals regularly. The original show notes...