LEADERSHIP: THE ART OF CULTIVATING

RELATIONSHIPS THAT MATTER

Ernie Humphrey, CTP

CEO & COO

APP2P FALL CONFERENCE & EXPO

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

➢ Identify specific opportunities to build deeper mutually beneficial

relationships within and across departmental lines.

➢ Explore the benefits of dedicating more time to developing soft

skills that matter, and how they can help drive your continuous

improvement in leading across the enterprise.

➢ Discover what it takes to lead effectively up and down the

corporate ladder.

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OUR AGENDA

➢ Dimensions of an Effective Finance Leader Overview

➢ Effective Communication

➢ Knowing Yourself & Your Team

➢ Respect & Inspiration

➢ Closing Thoughts

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Dimensions of Effective Leadership

EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP DIMENSIONS

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➢Great Listener

➢Communications Guru

➢Keen Self-Awareness

➢Passion & Energy

➢Authenticity

➢A High Observational IQ

➢Knowing what Makes Colleagues Tick

➢Being True to Who You are at Work

➢Collaboration vs. Arguing

➢Saying Yes with an

Outcome of No

➢Mastering the Art of

Deliberative Discussion

➢Earns Respect

➢Actions Convey Respect

LISTENING IS THE FOUNDATION

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Active listening conveys respect and that

you value what the other person is saying.

“ When you talk, you are only repeating what you

already know. But if you listen, you may learn

something new ”.

Dalai Lama

LISTENING IS THE FOUNDATION

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The average individual listens ONLY

for 7 seconds before interrupting!

LISTENING BEST PRACTICES

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DO NOT

➢ Multi-Task

➢ Give “Off-Putting” Facial Expressions

➢ Engage Someone Else

➢ Replay What They are Saying while

They are Still Talking

➢ Loose Eye Contact for More than a

Few Seconds

LISTENING BEST PRACTICES

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Ten Principles of Effective Listening*

1. Stop talking

2. Relax

3. Put the Speaker at Ease

4. Remove Distractions

5. Empathize

6. Be Patient

7. Avoid Personal Prejudice

8. Listen to the Tone

9. Listen for Ideas and not Just Words

10. Wait and Watch for Non-Verbal Communication

* Listening Skills- http://www.skillsyouneed.com/ips/listening-skills.html

LISTENING TO E-MAILS

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COMMUNICATION ACUMEN

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5 WARNING SIGNS YOU STINK

AT PRESENTATIONS1. You do not prepare for presentations.

2. You are a story teller.

3. You like to speak in technical terms, offer details, and

not known for your energetic personality.

4. You do not “know” your audience before you deliver a

presentation.

5. You do not care to understand why you are delivering a

presentation (and/or why it is important to you)

EFFECTIVE MEETING LEADERSHIP

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➢ Have an agenda – an unstructured meeting creates an

inherent barrier to productivity.

➢ Invite only those who need to attend- make sure that you

have a reason for inviting each meeting attendee.

➢ Communicate to those you are inviting why they are

invited- attendees need to have an incentive to listen and

engage in the meeting.

➢ Control your meeting- do not let your meeting get too far

off topic or let an attendee take over your meeting.

EFFECTIVE MEETING LEADERSHIP

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➢ Demand attention- if the meeting is an in-person gathering then do

not allow any type of smart phones, iPads, etc. If you someone sneaks

one in then take it or remove them from the meeting.

➢ Create specific action items from the meeting- define specific

action items that result from the meeting. This clearly communicates

the output from the meeting and why you called the meeting

➢ Manage your meeting reputation- following the best practices

above your colleagues will know that when you call a meeting you

mean business and it will be a productive use of their time.

EFFECTIVE VIRTUAL MEETING LEADERSHIP

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➢ If a virtual meeting’s agenda involves making an important decision or is

focused on resolving a meaningful issue, then add video to the meeting

whenever possible, non-verbal gestures matter.

➢ Use a tool that allows you to track attendee attentiveness, and learn know

how people can “get around” this functionality. If someone uses multiple

monitors in general, ensure they have all but one monitor off during your

meeting.

➢ If you have colleagues that you would like to be “in the loop” regarding

what takes place at a meeting then record the meeting, and share it with

them if you or these colleagues will not benefit from them actively

participating in the meeting.

EFFECTIVE VIRTUAL MEETING LEADERSHIP

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➢ Do not invite people to virtual meetings only as a CYA (to cover your

backside). This is not a good use of anyone’s time.

➢ Strictly control who has the ability to add meetings to your calendar, and

also manage who has visibility to your calendar. Doing so will mitigate your

risk in being dragged into meetings which offer you and your employer no

value.

➢ Don’t be afraid to decline a virtual meeting request. If you do not value

you time your colleagues will fail to do so as well. If you feel declining a

meeting may cause internal political turmoil discuss with your boss or

colleague and get their insights as to whether you really need to attend a

meeting.

ARGUING vs. COLLABORATION

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Arguing➢Emotion inhibits resolution.

➢Effective listening is compromised.

➢The goal of each side is to win.

➢Neither side likes to lose.

➢Business logic deteriorates into personal attacks.

Collaboration➢Identify common ground.

➢Understanding what motivates your counterparty.

➢Respect is conveyed by each party.

➢Define expected benefits and costs for each party.

➢There are no winners or losers, it is a “win, win”.

DELIBERATIVE DISCUSSION

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➢ Involves an important decision.

➢ Requires a somewhat passionate examination of opposing sides of an issue.

➢ Focus on root causes and/or the path to a resolution or decision.

➢ Requires honesty.

➢ Requires an open mind.

➢ Requires control of tone and non-verbal gestures.

➢ Wording of questions and responses are key.

➢ Requires active listening by both parties.

➢ Requires preparation.

➢ Check your ego at the door.

➢ Empathize with your counterparty.

DELIBERATIVE DISCUSSION

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Knowing Yourself & Your Colleagues

SELF-AWARENESS

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Any of These Traits Sound Familiar?

➢ Not investing in knowing & valuing our colleagues.

➢ Failing to embrace change.

➢ Avoiding instead of engaging and leveraging difficult customers.

➢ Not valuing colleagues who cause friction.

➢ Failing to be a “good follower” as well as an effective leader.

➢ Not understanding the impact of our actions.

➢ Failing to realize that perception can easily become reality.

➢ Avoiding people who challenge me.

PASSION, ENERGY, POSITIVITY

2118 Ways To Be More Positive In The Office, cmd, https://www.cmd-ltd.com/2013/05/14/18-ways-to-be-more-positive-at-work

OBSERVE & LEARN

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➢ Bring the observational skills you use in your personal life to work.

➢ Spouse, friends, kids, kids you coach, etc.

➢ Just pay attention.

➢ Understanding relationship dynamics is critical.

➢ Understanding what motivates and drives behaviors means you

need to be able to observe and interpret it.

KNOWING YOUR COLLEAGUES

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➢ What are their career goals?

➢ What are their favorite activities outside of work?

➢ What common interests do you share with them?

➢ What do they enjoy most about work?

➢ What are the top challenges they perceive at work?

➢ How can you help them be more successful at work?

➢ What can they do to help you be more successful?

KNOWING YOUR COLLEAGUES

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➢ What puts smiles on their faces?

➢ What makes them “less than happy”?

➢ Know when they are stressed & overworked.

➢ Understanding relationship dynamics is critical.

➢ Understanding what motivates and drives behaviors means you need to be

able to observe and interpret it.

KNOWING YOUR COLLEAGUES

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KNOWING YOUR COLLEAGUES

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KNOWING YOUR COLLEAGUES

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KNOWING YOUR COLLEAGUES

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KNOWING YOUR COLLEAGUES

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THE COLORS OF YES

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➢ Yes, and

➢ Yes

➢ Yes, but

➢ Maybe

➢ I will consider it

➢ Let me think about it

EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT

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Respect & Inspiration

PROFESSIONAL RESPECT

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Earn It!*

➢ Demonstrate your worth and value as an employee.

➢ Interact with your colleagues and care about their lives.

➢ Speak calmly and listen to others.

➢ Always smile during times of triumph.

➢ Deal with adversity in a similar manner.

➢ Go above and beyond the call of duty.

* 12 Effective Ways To Gain Respect In The Workplace. Lewis Humphries, Lifehack.org (2015).

PROFESSIONAL RESPECT

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Earn It!*

➢ Make collaboration a key aspect of your work life.

➢ Establish boundaries and understand your limits.

➢ Practice the virtue of patience.

➢ Avoid the perils of office gossip.

➢ Deal with conflict in a proactive and mature manner.

➢ Become a problem solver.

* 12 Effective Ways To Gain Respect In The Workplace. Lewis Humphries, Lifehack.org (2015).

PROFESSIONAL RESPECT

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Give it!

➢ Praise your colleagues whenever they deserve it.

➢ Do not point fingers in times of crisis.

➢ Do not criticize or correct in public, only one on one.

➢ Do not yell.

➢ Interact with your colleagues and care about their lives.

➢ When you know a colleague needs help do not make them ask for it, offer it.

➢ Give more than you get.

➢ Practice the virtue of patience.

➢ Avoid the perils of office gossip.

➢ Deal with conflict in a proactive and mature manner.

➢ Listen, listen, listen.

Leading across the Enterprise: Theory to Practice

COLLABORATING WITH MARKETING

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➢ Teach them the language of Finance

➢ Learn the language of Marketing

➢ Facilitate a better understanding of customer and prospect behaviors.

➢ Provide a framework to measure the ROI of each marketing program.

➢ Ensure there is an analytics guru in marketing.

➢ Ensure they are leveraging social media channels and understand the related

brank risk exposures.

COLLABORATING WITH SALES

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➢ Teach them the language of Finance

➢ Learn the language of Sales

➢ Get more involved in customer relationships throughout the customer lifecycle

and do not just play the role of referee for customer issues.

➢ Help them understand how to engage and retain the most valuable customers.

➢ Help them access and manage the health of the sales pipeline. This will vastly

improve the sales forecast.

➢ Help them achieve a 360 degree view of each customer in terms of ensuring they

have the right technology so they have visibility and influence on each interaction

with a customer.

➢ Help sales leader define and effectively communicate the value that your company

offers to customers.

COLLABORATING WITH HR

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➢ Teach them the language of Finance

➢ Learn the language of HR

➢ Help HR understand the need to educate and train each manager how to manage

and embrace the dynamics of a multi-generational workforce.

➢ Develop a framework that HR can distribute to company leaders across the

enterprise that they can leverage to assess, adapt and cultivate the skill sets and

performance of their teams.

➢ Help HR develop and leverage human capital financial statements.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

IFive Pillars of Effective Leadership1. Effective Communication

2. Knowing Yourself

3. Knowing Your Team

4. Knowing Your Colleagues

5. Respect & Inspiration

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Q&A

THANK YOU!!!

Ernie Humphrey, CTP

CEO & COO

Ernie@Treasurywebinars.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/erniehumphrey