Finance and accounting professionals play a critical role in driving the financial performance of their organizations. And, as the sector continues to evolve, it’s important to keep pace with today’s ever-changing business landscape.
This can be achieved by devoting time to daily development. Growing your leadership skills and continuing your professional development will expand your influence and impact — both within your organization and with clients.
Here are four daily activities that can help boost your skills and enhance your leadership qualities.
Stay up to date on industry news
Staying informed on the latest news and trends in the finance and accounting industry is crucial for remaining competitive. Reading industry publications, blogs, and social media feeds daily can help you keep current and identify emerging trends and issues impacting your clients and work. Read something interesting? Use it as an opportunity to have a conversation with your manager or peers.
Pro-tip: Check out the recently published ARG Quarterly Barometer and subscribe to leading industry publications, such as CFO.com, CFO Dive and Alliance Resource Group blog.
Network with peers
Networking with other finance and accounting professionals is crucial to gaining insights, job leads, and connections that can help advance your career. This doesn’t need to be laborious or time-consuming. Sending a quick email, sharing an article, or reaching out on LinkedIn are all ways easy ways to expand your network.
Pro-tip: Complete your LinkedIn profile and keep it current. This helps others in the field understand your goals, interests and areas of expertise while building your online presence and social credibility.
Actively participate in team meetings
Participate in daily or weekly team meetings can provide valuable opportunities for finance and accounting professionals to stay informed on what’s happening within their organization, share ideas, and collaborate with colleagues. It can also help build stronger relationships with colleagues across the organization.
Pro-tip: Whether virtual or in-person, actively participate in meetings by sharing your ideas, insights and opinions. Also, ask questions. Team meetings are a great place to get clarity and garner a greater understanding of your work and client needs. And others might have the same question. Asking can help identify areas for growth and foster a culture of continuous learning throughout the organization.
Follow thought leaders
Leverage LinkedIn and other social media channels to follow accounting and finance thought leaders. These are industry leaders who regularly create and share content, are active in digital and in-person events, and share knowledge to help others achieve their goals. Influencers are active on a regular basis and are often some of the first thought leaders to share perspectives, news and insights on trending topics.
Pro-tip: Follow leaders in the accounting and finance world, including Alliance Resource Group Founder and CEO Jennifer Hannigan. Also, engage with LinkedIn Groups and newsletters relevant to your work and interests.
Daily development should be tailored to your specific goals and needs. There isn’t a one-size fits all approach to enhancing your expertise and leadership skills. The objective is to commit to a set amount of time and particular activities that will advance your professional development. For some, this might be 10 minutes each day. For others, it might be an hour. Just pick what’s right with you and stick to it.
Looking for new employment opportunities or tools to advance your career? Alliance Resource Group can help.
