Most finance professionals can agree that budget season is not their favourite time of the year and while alternatives exist most companies are still using traditional budgets for their planning and management operating model. It’s kind of a paradox because when no one likes to do something or like when a company’s products are not in demand then typically over time better alternatives will take their place. Yet, with budgeting, this still hasn’t happened. In my mind, the best alternative is going beyond budgeting which I have written about in several articles previously, however, few companies have been truly successful transitioning to beyond budgeting and I think I know why. Hence, to make a real push for companies to take the leap and be successful let’s discuss the issues with beyond budgeting based on my own experiences.

​

Read More…

Blockchain is a foundational technology that has the potential to transform business as we know it on a scale like what we’ve seen it with the Internet. Those are not my words but words from respected Harvard professors. However, to date there are few use cases and critics would say that the technology has serious limitations. That’s why in my on-going series about “Blockchain Opportunities And Risks For Finance” I have now teamed up with Kunal Patel to discuss the prospects of mass adoption of Blockchain based applications and business models and not least, of course, the potential impact on the finance function.

Read More…

Selling a business is a bit like running a business If you don’t have a good team in place, all kinds of things can go wrong. And when things go wrong, value disappears, valued employees leave, and customers lose confidence. When enough mistakes pile up, the business itself can deteriorate and everyone loses. Believe us; we have seen this happen and we’re sure you have too.

Read More…

Soft skills are not fluffy or namby-pamby but, emerging as vital links to high-performance, growth mindset and future business success. This article explores why businesses can’t afford to ignore the ‘soft-stuff’ anymore.

Read More…

Enjoy this series of shorts on Metrics from Jim.

To deliver the results you want, refine your metrics (KPIs) like you’d refine ore into gold. Your metrics must directly impact the most vital outcomes in your business; otherwise they are nothing more than an expensive toy, misdirecting your scarce resources.

Read More…