Monthly Archives: February 2022

Be the Most Positive Person in the Room – From Leadership to Clients to Pitching Investors, Positivity Pays

Be the Most Positive Person in the Room 
From Leadership to Clients to Pitching Investors, Positivity Pays 

Mindy Barker | Barker Associates

We’ve experienced burnout and a mental health crisis like we’ve never seen before. Truthfully, we’ve had a rather bleak outlook for a long time. For business leaders and/or entrepreneurs, there are even more stressors. Not only do we have to worry about ourselves and our families, but also our teams, clients, and potential investors. Despite feeling like we’re stuck in a rut, we know there is power in positivity.  

Contrary to what some may think, positivity is not the opposite of reality. You can be realistic, acknowledging challenges and struggles, without allowing them to diminish your attitude and deplete your energy. You can even be cautious, as long as it doesn’t slowly morph into pessimism.  

American philosopher and psychologist William James once said, “Pessimism leads to weakness, optimism to power.” And what company doesn’t want to be powerful? As business leaders, we want to build strong companies, not weak ones. Positivity has the power to build energy and resilience, and improve decision-making. Simply, it has the power to create a stronger, more resilient company. Here are three ways you can be the most positive person in the room:

  1. Positively Leading a Team 

Positivity is a crucial component of leadership. No one wants to follow someone down a path of despair and despondency. Your team needs optimism. They need to feel encouraged and energized. And it is up to you to provide the impetus for those feelings. Remember, positivity is contagious (as is negativity).  

There’s no doubt that it can be a struggle at times. It’s difficult to lead with positivity when you have mounting team challenges or are experiencing trying times. Here are a few tips: 

  • Embrace uncertainty  
  • Focus on resilience 
  • Focus on what you can control 
  • Stay calm and objective 
  • Remember the importance of connections and relationships 
  • Practice empathetic, active listening 
  • Move quickly past failures 
  • Celebrate small wins 

  1. Positivity when Working with a Difficult Client 

We’ve all had clients who aren’t the easiest to work with. Maybe they’re pessimistic. Maybe they’re obsessed with control. Maybe they’re simply not nice people. However, if we focus on the strengths of the relationship, we begin to see more opportunities and less challenges. Listen to them and support their needs, where you can. Your positivity may even start to rub off on their rough exteriors. Through it all, ensure that you have boundaries firmly in place, so their negativity doesn’t start rubbing off on you.

  1. Positively Pitching an Investor 

Investors hear hundreds, if not thousands, of pitches. And if you want to stand out among all the rest, it will come down to your story and how you are telling it. When you are preparing to pitch, make sure optimism is woven throughout your story. Of course, you never want to forget about the importance of the numbers, but don’t be scared to humanize them with an exciting narrative or even a joke (where appropriate). 

Yes, your nerves are probably rattling in your ears, your hands might be shaking, but try reversing your thought process. Instead of thinking about trying to win them over, think about them trying to win you over. And if you’re smiling and laughing a bit here and there, they’ll remember you long after you walk out the door. 

In any scenario, one of the keys to being the most positive person in the room is gratitude. Be thankful for everything you have – the business, your team, those difficult clients, and investors and the opportunity to pitch them. Focusing on what you have and what you’re thankful for will only bring more positivity into your business … and your life.  

Choose energy. Choose creativity and innovation. Choose positivity. Otherwise, you and your business may get left behind.

Barker Associates provides strategic guidance to companies of all sizes. We can provide the higher level of strategy your company needs to grow. If you need assistance, or have any other questions, please click here to schedule a 30-minute consultation at a rate of $100.  

Remote CFOs – Is Success Really Possible?

Remote CFOs – Is Success Really Possible? 
It’s All a Matter of Trust 

Mindy Barker | Barker Associates

More people are adjusting to the idea that our “new normal” includes remote work in some capacity. And this realization brings along new considerations, including which positions are better suited for remote work and the opportunity to attract additional top talent in various geographical areas. But when you’re talking about a leadership role, there are a number of other factors to consider, especially when that role is based in accountability and highly sensitive, confidential information, like a CFO. As such, many wonder if it is possible for a CFO to have success remotely. 

As we all know, the CFO holds the top financial position of an organization. Some focus more on financial planning and strategies, while others focus more on budgeting, accounting, reporting, and risk management. In either case, the CFO ensures that the organization’s numbers fairly reflect its performance. Also, in either case, the foundation of the CFO role is relationships, which are generally viewed as stronger when individuals are physically together. 

The key to working remotely is developing solid relationships with your direct reports. You need them to feel comfortable reaching out to you, as they would if you were in the same office.  Previously, when we all worked together, you could see fear and anxiety in someone’s face and body language when they were nervous about something. It was palpable because, in large part, it was right in front of us. Now, we no longer have that ability, as it is far easier to hide nervous tendencies when you are in front of a computer camera. As the CFO, it is your responsibility to build trust in any situation, including when you are not physically present.  

Remote CFO … In the Beginning 

If this is a new role and you are just coming into an organization, spending one-on-one time with each team member is crucial in developing a strong foundation. If you do not live in the same area, that will essentially mean more travel in the early stages, but it will pay dividends in the long run. Simply, there is no better way to establish trust in a relationship than being face-to-face, sharing a cup of coffee (or your beverage of choice), and empathetically listening to the other person with whom you work.  

In these meetings, learn their strengths and weaknesses, their aspirations, and their fears. Further, be abundantly clear about how and when you will be available when you are working remotely, as well as your expectations. Setting boundaries and clearly communicating them from the beginning will save you headaches down the road. 

Building Trust as a Remote CFO 

Continuing to incorporate relationship-building and trust as you perform your day-to-day responsibilities is key. Schedule weekly one-on-ones with your team and other stakeholders, and keep that time sacred. These meetings should be non-negotiable for anyone, including the CEO, to continue to build trust. One tip on virtual meetings is insisting on the use of cameras, despite everyone’s fatigue of them. Seeing the person with whom you are working, even though a camera, is better than not seeing them at all. Finally, when your team members reach out to you when you are not available, make sure you respond to them as soon as possible. 

Another tip with virtual meetings is to be cognizant of differences in time zones. More than ever, you could be working with team members and clients across the globe. It is not always easy to accommodate others due to their various locations, but in your position as CFO, and to continue to garner trust, you must be flexible. If that means getting on a call at 5:00 am or 10:00 pm, that’s what you do. However, be nimble only where it counts. If other stakeholders or team members are reaching out to you off-hours (and time zone is a non-issue) regarding ordinary work activity, then put a stop to it immediately. Determine how to proactively communicate to them to keep it from happening again.  

As always, boundaries are a key piece of trust, and they are never more important than with remote work when we are seemingly available at all times.  Of course, if there is an emergency, all bets are off. In your position, you must answer that call and help find a solution. But be aware of the distinction between the two scenarios. 

Your team members are not the only ones with whom you need to build trust. To build trust with other C Suite members, take time to understand their issues and challenges.  For example, if you find out that an SVP is spending hours a month on a manual task that the accounting or IT department could easily automate, offer the solution, and help make their lives easier. These instances become huge wins all around, as you build stronger relationships within the organization.  

More than ever, after a global pandemic and resulting economic crisis, organizations understand that a CFO is an investment and not an expense. And to have the best fit, that may mean hiring someone as a remote CFO. While this will require a different type of critical thinking and creativity in addition to the ordinary technical knowledge and risk mitigation skills of CFOs, many will find it more challenging and fulfilling. Their success is not only possible, but likely when trust is established from the beginning. 

Barker Associates provides strategic guidance and outsourced CFO services to companies of all sizes. We can provide the higher level of strategy your company needs to grow. If you need assistance, or have any other questions, please click here to schedule a 30-minute consultation at a rate of $100. 

Shifting Five Thoughts for a More Strategic Mindset

Shifting Five Thoughts for a More Strategic Mindset 

Mindy Barker | Barker Associates

We’ve talked about the transition workplaces are going through – from employees resigning in record numbers to the emphasis on employee experiences to the shift in hiring philosophies that prioritize skills over experience. Many employers are working diligently to fill the consequential gaps from those who left and advance those who stayed. And while those who are advancing are eager for the new challenge, the question begging an answer is – do they have the right strategic mindset to successfully transition into their new roles? 

Becoming a strategic leader is about much more than the new title or position. It is about broadening the employee’s perspective from focusing exclusively on one area of expertise to focusing on the organization’s bigger, future picture. A strategic mindset simply cannot have a narrow focus. 

Many avoid the transition from task oriented to strategy oriented when making this move. And it’s not that surprising. Task oriented roles and responsibilities are often more fulfilling in the day-to-day. There is instant gratification in many instances, as checking tasks off a list can be very satisfying. In contrast, you generally do not see the needle moving from a strategic perspective until months or even years later. And, as a society overall, we tend not to favor delayed gratification. However, to successfully make this transition, the strategic, broad, forward-thinking mindset must be embraced wholeheartedly. 

Crossroads to Shift Your Thinking  

For those who are at this crossroads, here are five shifts you can make today to begin having a more strategic mindset: 

1. Think long-term instead of short-term. Instead of looking at your daily list and identifying what tasks you can cross off, think about the organization’s future. Ask yourself: 

What are the possibilities for the future?  

What are the opportunities available?  

Where do we want to be as an organization in one year? What about in five years?  

What can we do today to help us get there? 

2. Think bigger rather than smaller. Think about how the tasks on those daily lists impact the company’s overall strategy. Are the things getting done today aligning to the company’s strategy and future plans? What are the long-term impacts of decisions that are being made and actions being taken today? 

3. Think about opportunities instead of challenges. Some of the most innovative solutions (in any industry) have been brought about during tough times. It is only when we can no longer do the things we’ve always done that we begin to scratch the surface of alternative methods. And often, those alternatives open various new doors of opportunity that would have otherwise remained closed. 

4. Think about future trends, not just the here and now. Join think tanks or find other resources that focus on market research. Ask yourself:  

What is happening the industry?  

What is happening in the marketplace overall?  

How will the events and trends outside of the organization impact the organization’s future? 

5. Think about spending time on strategic planning, not just current responsibilities. This is often the biggest challenge for leaders. As noted in a Harvard Business Review article, “How can you avoid getting overwhelmed by day-to-day tasks that feel so urgent, at the expense of game-changing initiatives that are truly important?”  

Higher-level strategic thinking needs time, space, and dedicated focus. The most effective strategic leaders recognize this and block time on their calendars consistently to devote to strategic planning. 

Cultivating a strategic mindset is crucial for those transitioning into a leadership role. It’s not always easy, but it is attainable by shifting these thoughts. Barker Associates provides strategic guidance to companies of all sizes. We can provide the higher level of strategy your company needs to grow. If you need assistance, or have any other questions, please click here to schedule a 30-minute consultation at a rate of $100.