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A habit is a routine behavior that determines our productivity level and our work ethic. Our habits are closely aligned with our mindset and how we approach challenges. Do we embrace wanting to achieve excellence or do you become complacent? Our success is a combination of mindset and habits, plus leadership. I hope that you practice great leadership as the most important habit of all.

Episode outline:

1. Your habits determine your daily success,
2. What successful people do to build and reinforce good habits, and 
3. The most important habit is practicing great leadership.

Please connect with me on:

1. Instagram: stephen.mclain
2. Twitter: smclainiii
3. Facebook: stephenmclainconsultant
4. LinkedIn: stephenjmclainiii

Consider joining The Finance Leader Podcast Community Facebook Group, where we can talk leadership and the other topics I present here on the podcast. https://www.facebook.com/groups/financeleaderpodcast  This is a good time to jump in and start sharing ideas and thoughts about leadership so we can help each other.

For more resources, please visit stephenmclain.com. On the website, you can download the Leadership Growth Blueprint for Finance and Accounting Managers. You can use this guide to develop your leadership by focusing on communication, and growing and empowering your team.

You can now purchase a course to help you advance your career from financeleaderacademy.com. It's called Advance Your Finance and Accounting Career: Developing a Promotion Strategy that Sets You Apart.

Support the show

Stephen is an experienced Finance Professional and Leader who offers fractional CFO services and development opportunities. Please visit his LinkedIn profile or Finance Leader Academy for more information.

The views and information shared on The Finance Leader Podcast are intended solely for educational and informational purposes. They do not constitute financial, accounting, tax, legal, investment, or other professional advice. Always seek guidance from a qualified professional before making decisions related to your specific circumstances. 

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Bonus episode # 38: Please enjoy this encore episode....You have assumed a new role at a new company. What are your first steps? What do you do first so you set yourself up for success? Those first few weeks can determine how well you know your role, and more importantly, who do you need to meet, what systems do you need to learn, and what are the details about the company’s culture. Your first actions in a new role will be critical to your success, so plan carefully and embrace learning and meeting new people.

Episode outline:

1. Embrace onboarding and ask questions,
2. Learn the culture and live it,
3. Know your manager’s priorities and their manager’s priorities,
4. Build your internal network, and 
5. Build credibility immediately and add value.

==>> Link to Preview Course:  Click here Or go to Finance Leader Academy, click Shop to find the course. Thank you!

Please connect with me on:

1. Instagram: stephen.mclain
2. Twitter: smclainiii
3. Facebook: stephenmclainconsultant
4. LinkedIn: stephenjmclainiii

For more resources, please visit Finance Leader Academy:  financeleaderacademy.com.

Support the show

Stephen is an experienced Finance Professional and Leader who offers fractional CFO services and development opportunities. Please visit his LinkedIn profile or Finance Leader Academy for more information.

The views and information shared on The Finance Leader Podcast are intended solely for educational and informational purposes. They do not constitute financial, accounting, tax, legal, investment, or other professional advice. Always seek guidance from a qualified professional before making decisions related to your specific circumstances. 

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Episode # 90: If you own a start-up or will be founding one soon, consider adding a finance leader to your team as soon as possible. You will have a teammate who can help you understand cash-flow and profitability from Day 1. They can help you instill financial discipline immediately and provide legitimacy for potential investors. A finance or accounting professional gives your team someone who can provide key advice on tax implications, cash burn rates, corporate structure, and adding value as you navigate a challenging marketplace and economy.

Episode outline:

1. Provide important finance leadership from Day 1,
2. Develop finance information systems that make sense,
3. Understand cash flow, measuring profitability, and publishing financial statements, and
4. Establishes more legitimacy for key stakeholders.

 Please connect with me on:

1. Instagram: stephen.mclain
2. Twitter: smclainiii
3. Facebook: stephenmclainconsultant
4. LinkedIn: stephenjmclainiii

Support the show

Stephen is an experienced Finance Professional and Leader who offers fractional CFO services and development opportunities. Please visit his LinkedIn profile or Finance Leader Academy for more information.

The views and information shared on The Finance Leader Podcast are intended solely for educational and informational purposes. They do not constitute financial, accounting, tax, legal, investment, or other professional advice. Always seek guidance from a qualified professional before making decisions related to your specific circumstances. 

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Episode # 89: As a leader, you will make many decisions. You will have choices to make. But how do you guard yourself against bias? How do you ensure fairness in opportunity and in how your team is treated? We must be aware of any bias we have both, conscious and subconscious, to ensure all have the opportunity if they do the hard work to improve themselves and to be ready for the next level. Further, we need to check our bias in all problem-solving activities and projects.

Episode outline:

1. Building trust is the cornerstone of leadership,
2. Root causes of our bias,
3. Confirmation bias reinforces our own position, and
4. How do we overcome bias?

 Please connect with me on:

1. Instagram: stephen.mclain
2. Twitter: smclainiii
3. Facebook: stephenmclainconsultant
4. LinkedIn: stephenjmclainiii

For more resources, please visit Finance Leader Academy:  financeleaderacademy.com.

Support the show

Stephen is an experienced Finance Professional and Leader who offers fractional CFO services and development opportunities. Please visit his LinkedIn profile or Finance Leader Academy for more information.

The views and information shared on The Finance Leader Podcast are intended solely for educational and informational purposes. They do not constitute financial, accounting, tax, legal, investment, or other professional advice. Always seek guidance from a qualified professional before making decisions related to your specific circumstances. 

Send us Fan Mail

Episode # 88: Are you on track for a promotion? What does it take to be promoted from individual contributor to manager? You must show potential for greater responsibility. You need a combination of mature soft skills, good character and high emotional intelligence, deliver results every time, and be able to treat people fairly without bias. If you can prioritize your actions correctly, clearly communicate a vision, and follow through with incredible results, you will be in line for promotion to manager in no time.

Episode outline:

1. Be of good character, strong ethics, and have a never-quit attitude,
2. Over deliver on results,
3. Develop the key soft skills,
4. Know how to prioritize, and
5. Show potential for greater responsibility.

Please connect with me on:

1. Instagram: stephen.mclain
2. Twitter: smclainiii
3. Facebook: stephenmclainconsultant
4. LinkedIn: stephenjmclainiii

For more resources, please visit Finance Leader Academy:  financeleaderacademy.com.

Support the show

Stephen is an experienced Finance Professional and Leader who offers fractional CFO services and development opportunities. Please visit his LinkedIn profile or Finance Leader Academy for more information.

The views and information shared on The Finance Leader Podcast are intended solely for educational and informational purposes. They do not constitute financial, accounting, tax, legal, investment, or other professional advice. Always seek guidance from a qualified professional before making decisions related to your specific circumstances. 

Send us Fan Mail

Episode # 87: Your long-term success and how you feel about yourself are directly affected by your self-worth and your confidence level.  What you believe in yourself affects your ability to take risk and feel confident about what roles and challenges may be next for you. Your mindset is powerful, and this requires a daily exercise of self-care to strengthen yourself against the adversity you will face and to give you confidence to go after your long-term goal.
 
Episode outline:
1) Build a healthy approach in how we see ourselves,
2) Know your self-worth,
3) Practice great self-care, and
4) Taking risk is key to growth and opportunity. 

Please connect with me on:

1. Instagram: stephen.mclain
2. Twitter: smclainiii
3. Facebook: stephenmclainconsultant
4. LinkedIn: stephenjmclainiii

For more resources, please visit Finance Leader Academy:  financeleaderacademy.com.

Support the show

Stephen is an experienced Finance Professional and Leader who offers fractional CFO services and development opportunities. Please visit his LinkedIn profile or Finance Leader Academy for more information.

The views and information shared on The Finance Leader Podcast are intended solely for educational and informational purposes. They do not constitute financial, accounting, tax, legal, investment, or other professional advice. Always seek guidance from a qualified professional before making decisions related to your specific circumstances. 

Send us Fan Mail

Episode # 86: As a Finance or Accounting professional have you ever been assigned to a project team or worked on a business case?  Have you provided financial analysis or accounting advice regarding a high visibility project? These are great opportunities to develop and show off your skills. Additionally, you may get visibility with the executive team and other senior leaders. This week, I am encouraging you to seek out high visibility projects to showcase your skills and abilities, which will also help you grow your professional portfolio.
 
Episode outline:
1) Project teams are great opportunities,
2) What skills you need to bring,
3) Grow your network, and
4) Strengthen your professional foundation.

Please connect with me on:

1. Instagram: stephen.mclain
2. Twitter: smclainiii
3. Facebook: stephenmclainconsultant
4. LinkedIn: stephenjmclainiii

For more resources, please visit Finance Leader Academy:  financeleaderacademy.com.

Support the show

Stephen is an experienced Finance Professional and Leader who offers fractional CFO services and development opportunities. Please visit his LinkedIn profile or Finance Leader Academy for more information.

The views and information shared on The Finance Leader Podcast are intended solely for educational and informational purposes. They do not constitute financial, accounting, tax, legal, investment, or other professional advice. Always seek guidance from a qualified professional before making decisions related to your specific circumstances. 

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Episode # 85: We are a primary source of inspiration and motivation for our team members. How we act and speak and make decisions serves to encourage, or even discourage, our team members as they tackle tough assignments and tasks. How we approach the work and adversity does have ripple effects on team productivity and morale. How can we do better, as leaders, to encourage our team members to be inspired, which then can translate into higher productivity, without being abusive?   

Episode outline:

1. Great leaders bring out the best in their team,
2. Let’s set a great example,
3. Set a realistic vision, and 
4. Help others achieve their purpose and goals.

Please connect with me on:

1. Instagram: stephen.mclain
2. Twitter: smclainiii
3. Facebook: stephenmclainconsultant
4. LinkedIn: stephenjmclainiii

Support the show

Stephen is an experienced Finance Professional and Leader who offers fractional CFO services and development opportunities. Please visit his LinkedIn profile or Finance Leader Academy for more information.

The views and information shared on The Finance Leader Podcast are intended solely for educational and informational purposes. They do not constitute financial, accounting, tax, legal, investment, or other professional advice. Always seek guidance from a qualified professional before making decisions related to your specific circumstances. 

Send us Fan Mail

Episode # 84: Should you earn a graduate degree? As a Finance and Accounting professional, a graduate degree will strengthen and round out your professional foundation and help to give you credibility as an expert in the field, which will serve to gain you respect. Further, earning a graduate degree can open additional opportunities for you to advance your career and could increase your earnings potential. Let’s address if a graduate degree is the right career move for you.

Episode outline:

1) Graduate degree trends from the field,
2) Is earning a graduate degree for me,
3) Which degree should I pursue, and 
4) How should I plan for it?

Please connect with me on:

1. Instagram: stephen.mclain
2. Twitter: smclainiii
3. Facebook: stephenmclainconsultant
4. LinkedIn: stephenjmclainiii

For more resources, please visit Finance Leader Academy:  financeleaderacademy.com.

Support the show

Stephen is an experienced Finance Professional and Leader who offers fractional CFO services and development opportunities. Please visit his LinkedIn profile or Finance Leader Academy for more information.

The views and information shared on The Finance Leader Podcast are intended solely for educational and informational purposes. They do not constitute financial, accounting, tax, legal, investment, or other professional advice. Always seek guidance from a qualified professional before making decisions related to your specific circumstances. 

Send us Fan Mail

Episode # 83: Did you know that business social skills are equally important as your technical and other soft skills? How you act socially can determine your next opportunity. How you conduct yourself in a public situation such as a meeting or at an after-work event or even on a project team can bring you closer or take you away from advancing in your career. How do you navigate these often-complicated situations? Be aware that your actions, facial expressions and even the very words you choose can make others pass judgment on your favorability.
 
Episode outline:

1. Be respectful of others,
2. Reading the room,
3. Let’s talk about a few key social skills: Authenticity, Approachability, Be present, Empathy, and Collaboration, and
4. Refine and improve your executive presence.

Please connect with me on:

1. Instagram: stephen.mclain
2. Twitter: smclainiii
3. Facebook: stephenmclainconsultant
4. LinkedIn: stephenjmclainiii

For more resources, please visit Finance Leader Academy:  financeleaderacademy.com.

Support the show

Stephen is an experienced Finance Professional and Leader who offers fractional CFO services and development opportunities. Please visit his LinkedIn profile or Finance Leader Academy for more information.

The views and information shared on The Finance Leader Podcast are intended solely for educational and informational purposes. They do not constitute financial, accounting, tax, legal, investment, or other professional advice. Always seek guidance from a qualified professional before making decisions related to your specific circumstances.