My three interesting things for you this month…
1. Make annual reviews a moment for strategy, not just reflection
Most annual reviews focus on past performance, metrics and milestones. But with the right framing, they can become something much more valuable: a conversation about where your team is headed, what’s getting in the way and how you can support their growth.
Here’s a simple framework I’ve been using with clients to sharpen these conversations.
1. What are your goals?
Clear, motivating goals are the foundation for growth. But don’t just accept recycled KPIs or vague ambitions – dig deeper.
Try asking: What’s the next big challenge you want to tackle? Where do you want to grow commercial impact or influence next year?
Help them shape goals that link personal growth to business needs. Whether it’s leading a transformation project, deepening stakeholder influence or building a new capability like AI, goals should stretch them and align with where the business is going.
2. What feedback have you received?
This is where insights surface. Go beyond the formal review form and ask: What feedback has stuck with you this year? What have you heard from peers, stakeholders, or your team?
As a team leader, it’s your job to help spot patterns people might be missing – especially around behaviours, impact or how they show up in key moments.
3. What’s on your development plan?
This is where annual reviews move from reflection to practical next-steps. The best development plans focus on practical skills that move people and the business forward, not safe, easy wins.
Ask: Which 1–2 capabilities will make the biggest difference in your performance this year?
Maybe it’s strategic thinking, storytelling with data or leading with more presence. Encourage them to prioritise fewer things and go deeper on what really matters.
Used well, this approach shifts reviews from tick-box exercises to real development conversations.
Where to focus this year
If you or your team are wondering where to focus this year, here are the three capabilities I see making the biggest difference:
AI fluency is no longer optional. Leaders who are experimenting with tools like ChatGPT, Power BI, or process automation are freeing up time, improving decision-making and changing how work gets done. Even small use cases, like drafting reports or kickstarting strategic thinking, can save hours every week.
Strategic influence is what turns solid analysis into real impact. Finance isn’t just reporting the numbers – we’re shaping decisions. Influence is everything, and the ability to guide a conversation, bring clarity to complexity and steer stakeholders to the right outcomes is what sets great finance leaders apart.
Problem-solving and automation. The best finance leaders don’t just patch symptoms – they fix root causes. That means rethinking outdated processes, building smarter workflows and identifying where technology can remove friction. Building this capability doesn’t just increase efficiency. It builds resilience, agility and trust across the business.
If your annual reviews lead to sharper goals and clearer development plans, these are three areas worth prioritising. They will set finance leaders apart over the next 12 months.
2. Rethink your next team day: three offsite formats that build real capability
I’ve been to a lot of offsites over the years and one thing’s always clear: the best ones shift how the team works, not just how they feel.
If you’re planning a session in the next quarter, here are three formats that consistently deliver energy, insight and growth.
AI Hackathon
This format combines two high-impact ideas: experimenting with AI and tackling real team challenges.
Start with a real business challenge, something that matters to your team. Give them 90 minutes, access to tools like ChatGPT and a clear prompt. Their job is to explore solutions, test workflows and share learnings.
The goal isn’t to solve the problem, but to explore how AI can speed up thinking, uncover new ideas and streamline how work gets done.
It’s a fast way to build confidence. You’ll see team dynamics emerge, gaps in process become visible and a lot of “why don’t we do this already?” moments. The best part? Most teams leave with practical insights they want to apply straight away, especially if they weren’t using AI before.
Strengths Finder Session
Gallup’s Strengths Finder is one of the most accessible tools for helping teams understand what they do best and how to do more of it.
Before the session, get your team to complete the StrengthsFinder assessment. On the day, dig into the results: Where are we overplaying certain strengths? What’s underused? What do we need more of?
The best conversations happen when you connect strengths to actual work. You’ll uncover better ways to delegate, structure tasks and support each other more effectively.
It’s also incredibly useful for development planning and future hiring decisions. Teams leave with greater clarity on how to collaborate and better support one another, where to focus their energy and what to stop doing altogether.
Discovery Insights Workshop
Insights Discovery is one of the most widely used personality assessment tools in the world, with a 98% accuracy rating and a reputation for helping teams improve how they communicate and collaborate.
It uses a four-colour energy model which helps people understand their natural working style and how they respond under pressure.
What sets it apart is how quickly it becomes practical. The model gives teams a shared language to talk about differences, reduce friction and build stronger day-to-day relationships. It’s simple, memorable and easy to apply in real conversations. It’s amazing what surfaces when people understand each other’s style, not just their skillset.
All three sessions are built to be high energy, practical and focused on what will make the biggest difference in the way your team works.
If you’re planning a team day and want help designing or facilitating one of these sessions, feel free to get in touch. I’d be happy to support.
3. Intentional practice for finance: how do you actually train as a leader?
One of the best blog posts I’ve read recently is Tyler Cowen’s “How I Practice at What I Do.”
The core question he asks is this: What do you do to train that is comparable to a pianist practising scales?
Most of us in finance don’t think of our work that way. We focus on delivery, running meetings, writing decks, reviewing forecasts, but rarely on practising those skills deliberately. What if that mindset is holding us back?
Here are five ways I see finance leaders start to bring that mindset into their work:
1. Revisit key moments
After a meeting, take five minutes to reflect. What landed well? What fell flat? What would you try differently next time? That habit alone compounds quickly.
2. Build the counter-argument
Before you pitch a recommendation or plan, challenge it. What’s the opposing argument? Where’s the risk? This sharpens your analysis, prepares you for objections and often leads to a more balanced decision.
3. Run small experiments
Choose one leadership behaviour you want to improve, like opening a meeting with clarity or giving sharper feedback and try a new approach. Test, reflect and adjust. These small shifts often lead to bigger changes in how you’re perceived and how effectively your team works.
4. Ask better questions
“What did I learn today?” is a powerful starting point. But go further. Ask, “What challenged me?” or “Where did I lead with intention today?” The goal is to move beyond activity and into insight, helping you lead with more clarity.
5. Invite challenge, not just agreement
Surround yourself with people who will push your thinking. Seek out colleagues who ask tough questions or take a different view. Growth often happens at the edge – where it’s uncomfortable but constructive.
The point is this: doing the job isn’t the same as getting better at it. The best leaders I coach are constantly training – refining their questions, sharpening their influence, adjusting how they lead.
If you haven’t answered Tyler’s question yet, this might be the month to figure it out. So… what’s your version of practising scales?
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