What do you wish someone had told you at the start of your CFO career?
“When you take on a leadership role in finance, whether you’re controller or CFO, finding and utilizing your voice is very important. There is an authority built into the position and there’s an authority that you create out of your own competence and insights, and you have to recognize the power of that voice and use it accordingly.
“To really understand the power of your role as CFO, you have to understand the power of your voice. And you have to be careful with that power and truly understand that you have insight and an ability to change things. You must stay true to that voice.
“In preparation, you should be thoughtful before you engage. Just being right doesn’t make you more effective. You need to communicate and empower others. You can be 100 percent correct, but you will fail if you don’t communicate things in a way that others can then take and be actionable with.” –James Tholen, CFO, Broadsoft