One of the very smart CFOs I follow on Twitter blogs at Beyond Beans. His most recent post talks about the importance of communication in leadership. He’s right. In fact, communication is so important, that Tatum has pushed its CFOs to get training in “the softer skills,” including communications and negotiations.
And retired CFO of AT&T and Northrup Grumman, Charles N. Noski, says “once you get past the technical skills, it’s all about the people – communicating with them, developing them, empowering them, and listening to them.”
At the CFO level, communication skills are critical. So are the other two Cs: culture fit and core values.
One of the most challenging issues a company faces when hiring is culture fit. Its ability, or inability, to clearly communicate its corporate culture is the difference between smart hiring and costly hiring mistakes. Underlining corporate culture are a company’s core values.
Understanding individual core values and culture fit are equally important to making that next, right move.
Core values can serve as a roadmap for good decision-making. Unless you are clear about what values you hold, and whether that next position will validate or violate your core values, you become like a ship without a rudder. You’re moving, but aimlessly … and often unhappily or unsatisfactorily.
The same is true for culture fit. It is, or should be, as important to you as it is to the company hiring you. The more you “fit in,” the happier and more satisfied you will be in that next position.
So here’s the skinny … understand your core values and your brand (culture fit), and then communicate that message in a clear and consistent manner to your target market.