Jul 12 2024 17 mins 1
"Rise Above The Numbers" by FP&HEY
Want to take the leap from FP&A Analyst to FP&A Manager?
Show off your FP&A Manager skills early and often.
🔥TIP: Here’s a guide on getting to each FP&A job level.
You never know when that promotion opportunity will come.
For us, it came in the form of a boss leaving.
We were ready and got promoted once we took over.
Show Notes
* 00:41 - Show off mad FP&A Manager skills as an FP&A Analyst
* 01:29 - Key skill to get to FP&A Manager—show ability to manage people
* 03:32 - Getting thrown into an FP&A Manager role requires communication
* 05:30 - Have empathy—and earn your team’s respect
* 06:13 - Show up early, leave late—lead your team by helping 🆘
* 07:10 - Know when to put your guard UP and DOWN—be a filter
* 08:28 - Leadership isn’t always great at communicating—that’s your job🫵
* 10:08 - Help your team learn from each other—create a learning culture
* 11:45 - Athletes make great salespeople—learn what motivates your team
* 12:40 - Manage someone the way you want to be managed
* 13:10 - Practice controllable failure—safe failure = learning
* 15:01 - Practice, practice, practice—it goes a long way
* 16:20 - Talk to people that manage people—they will teach you
Some Get Thrown Into Starting Manager Roles
One way to show off FP&A Manager skills is to do your boss’s job.
Sometimes they take vacation.
Sometimes they leave unexpectedly (like ours did).
Or sometimes they’re injured by a giant linebacker (slide QBs, slide).
Either way, use that window of opportunity to step up.
Lead your team through this difficult time.
While working with your boss’s boss to ensure they get continuity.
You Don’t Need a Team to Practice
Practice makes perfect (sorry Allen Iverson).
How do you practice people management without a team to manage?
Try looking for these opportunities right now:
* Find an intern or new hire and offer to coach them
* Take the lead in a process to practice people and project management
* Offer to lead a weekly team meeting
These things may sound simple.
But trust us, this practice will go a long way in teaching you the skills needed to crush your first FP&A Manager role.
Lead By Example
Showing you care goes a long way.
To do that you can do a few things:
* Before logging off ask your team if they need help
* Do the day-to-day work that FP&A Analysts do to understand what it takes
* Manage people how you want to be managed
Sounds obvious, but your team are people just like you.
Help them achieve their goals by actively participating and supporting their day-to-day work.
Conclusion: Crush Your Manager Opportunity
When the time comes, if you’ve practiced and prepared enough, you’ll be more than ready for that leap from FP&A Analyst to FP&A Manager.
Remember, it takes time to learn any new role or job.
So keep learning, stay humble, and listen to your future team for feedback.
You got this FP&A career thing.
Resources
▪️ Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fpandhey
▪️ Email us your burning FP&A questions at info [at] fpandhey.com
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fpandhey.substack.com
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fpandhey.substack.com