You are your own worst enemy!!

I know that sounds tough and I don’t usually like to be quite so brutal however I keep talking to finance leaders who are so conscientious and cost-conscious that they put their own development needs at the bottom of the priority list.

I get it, many of you are inherently conservative, you are managing risk and departmental budgets, and with the threat of an economic downturn you are reluctant to spend the money (this was me too, for too many years!)……..Yet what is the likely outcome if the organisation doesn’t invest in you?

My own experience was that I felt undervalued, and like I was treading water in my career. I started to disengage from my work, doing just enough to get by, I made less effort with my relationships across the organisation and became much more transactional in my approach, which was not helpful for either myself or my team members. This simply fuels a downward spiral of performance and energy, which in turn impacts business performance.

And the cost of that is much higher to both you and the organisation!!

For the organisation the cost of replacing a senior leader can be anywhere from 50% - 200% of their salary, and for you as an individual the cost usually comes as a direct hit to your wellbeing and confidence, which may then be compounded with a monetary cost as you take some time out or struggle to find the next role.

So stagnating as a leader is a not a great option!

If you want to feel more fulfilled at work you need to keep growing as a leader and that requires you to challenge yourself to think and work differently. It requires you to challenge yourself to connect with your purpose and focus on the contribution you want to make.

As you do this work you will be cultivating your executive presence, and becoming more inclusive, influential and inspiring as a leader.

With improved executive presence you can increase your leadership impact and deliver that great contribution that will have you feeling more fulfilled, thus creating a virtuous cycle upwards.

So isn’t it time to reflect on your challenges and focus on what you want to achieve next as a leader?

How are you going to get there?

I have a limited number of spaces available for 1:1 coaching and am currently planning the next few months so if you’d like to discuss how together we can shift the impact that you have, then please book in a call here.

With love

Sue