过渡期间不常见的问题

最重要的 questions that finance and accounting departments should be addressing during 时代在改变——但不要想问.

处理转换是所有业务单元的一个基本事实 在一个混乱的时代. 而快速变化的时期对任何人都是挑战 业务部门的转型对于金融和 accounting departments, whose processes and information flows are intertwined 组织的方方面面.

兼并、收购和资产剥离是最重要的 headlines, but the types of transitions that affect finance and accounting 部门形式多种多样. 有些是由外力引起的，比如 regulations that create new reporting requirements or an economic downturn that 这会导致一轮裁员. 其他时候，转变是由内部引起的 changes such as turnover in the CFO office or a company’s decision to expand 进入新的业务线或地理区域.

但转变并不仅仅是痛苦的来源. 他们 can be opportunities to make your finance and accounting departments run more 有效地——如果你知道问正确的问题.

以下是你在财务方面需要问的六个问题 and accounting team to make sure you’re using periods of change to drive 生产力.

我们能看到 转变是生存的负担，还是成长的机会?

太频繁 organizations—and finance teams in particular—view transitions as something that’s scary or painful. 所以，他们唯一的目标就是熬过去. 而不是进入生存模式, 财务团队应该将这种转变视为重新思考流程的机会, 资源和工具——并改进它们.

经常, the barriers that have prevented teams from making these improvements in the past—inertia, 风险规避, 办公室政治, 固定不变的预算和人员编制, or legacy technology platforms and relationships with vendors that are viewed as untouchable—are much lower during a transition. People are more open to change during transitions because they realize that the change is inevitable and it’s being instigated by some larger, 外力.
 
不要让这个加强团队的宝贵机会溜走. Take advantage of the lower barriers by implementing changes that will help your team emerge on the other side of 的过渡 as a new and improved version.

我们准备好了吗 这头正在过渡的公牛被它的战略角所左右?

太频繁 the finance team’s contributions are viewed as being backward-looking, and senior management simply uses accounting reports as a way to “keep score” about things that happened in the past. 作为一个结果, finance is often along for the ride when it comes to the strategic discussions about the future of 该组织.
 
A major transition is an opportunity for finance to elevate its strategic profile. 金融 can play a leading role in the decision-making process by using data analytics to tell the story of where the company should be headed and how various strategic options will affect 该组织’s financial performance. 通过提供这些前瞻性分析, finance gets to showcase its true value and show that it’s an essential part of any strategic discussion.

现在是时候了吗 重新想象我们团队未来的角色?

在稳定时期, it’s easy to think that optimizing your finance department’s staffing model, tools and process means making incremental changes to the status quo every year. 但当组织经历重大变化时, finance can’t assume that incremental changes will be sufficient to ensure that the department is serving 该组织’s future needs.
 
A major transition is an opportunity to reimagine your role and modernize your team to become data analysts and strategic partners to the rest of the business. You need to think critically about what size team and what types of reporting capabilities, processes and technology tools will be needed by 该组织 once 的过渡 is complete. 当你想到现代化, keep in mind that not all of the future functions need to be performed by your existing personnel; a transition can be the ideal opportunity to identify tasks that can be outsourced or automated.

我们准备好了吗 促进整个组织的变革?

财务涉及组织的每一个部分, so the changes being considered for the finance team can’t be considered in a vacuum. 不管你是否认为自己是变革的推动者, you need to realize that the changes your finance team makes will radiate throughout 该组织.
 
例如, if finance implements a tool to automate the collection of invoices from vendors, the business units that work with these vendors on a daily basis need to be looped in so they can make sure that new system doesn’t disrupt the delivery of services. 这种动态是双向的. 例如, if a business unit decides to switch from a variable pricing model to a fixed-fee model with its vendors, finance needs to be involved so that the invoicing system can be adapted to reflect this change.

我们指望 这种自我管理的转变?

太频繁, organizations succumb to the temptation of “magical thinking” when it comes to managing a transition. 他们认为只要闭上眼睛，努力许愿就够了, 当他们睁开眼睛的时候，过渡将会自我管理, 他们会被魔法从A点传送到B点.
 
Successful transitions don’t happen by chance; they require careful planning and communication. Like any complex project, they need to be managed intentionally and proactively. 这适用于任何部门，尤其是财务部门, where the stakes are high and missteps have a direct impact on the company’s bottom line.
 
至少，一个变更管理计划应该包括以下内容:

• 受变更影响的所有涉众的列表
• 团队中负责交接的成员和一名主要负责人
• 对最终状态的详细描述
• 从当前状态到结束状态所需的步骤
• 每个步骤的时间轴
• Checkpoints along the timeline to determine if you’re on the right path and adjust to unanticipated results

我们的队友可以读心术 说到过渡计划，没错?

不幸的是，读心术是一种非常罕见的技能. 除了拥有 a plan for how you will manage 的过渡, you also need to have a plan for how you will communicate with stakeholders in the finance team and throughout 该组织.

沟通计划的一个关键要素是清楚地定义 用于转换的业务案例. 你不能指望利益相关者参与进来 如果他们不理解背后的原理，他们就会做出决定. 的 沟通计划还应针对以下问题 利益相关者:

• 谁将是他们的主要联络人 的过渡?
• 转型的各个阶段将在什么时候 完成?
• 跨组织的不同团体将如何 受到变化的影响?
• 我们如何定义成功和衡量进步 朝着这个目标?

认识到你的沟通策略是很重要的 不应该是单行道. 你需要从管理者那里寻求反馈 利益相关者群体将受到影响.

通过思考这些不常见的问题，你 will significantly increase your chances of achieving an infrequent outcome: a transition that goes smoothly and results in the finance team emerging as a 组织成长的战略合作伙伴.