for details.
Praise for David Parmenter's key note addresses
David Parmenter held a keynote speech and an in-depth session at our two main events (Copenhagen & Tampa, USA). He is a very inspiring speaker with some interesting topics on his agenda. He delivers his messages in a controversial and humoristic way. His session rated as number one among all speakers. Maj Nedergaard, Research & Campaign Manager, Targit
David Parmenter gave a key note address at our one-day Management Accounting Conference. The audience gave him the highest ratings with comments such as “Best speaker ever, thoroughly enjoyed it.” Jess Vailima, Conference Coordinator, New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants
The two presentations delivered at our annual conference were superb with a high degree of satisfaction from the attendees. Not only were the sessions entertaining they contained profound messages. The electronic templates that David provided attendees have been worth the attendee's conference fee! Carolyn Campbell-Wood, Chief Financial Officer, Australian Medicare Local Alliance
Introduction
I am convinced that corporate accountants, as professionals, want to leave a legacy before they move on. To be remembered they need to have made a permanent improvement to the organization.
Many finance teams are merely processing machines, moving from one deadline to the next, having too little time to invest in being a business partner to budget holders and senior management.
I know this from observation and my own personal experience.
THE THIRD VERSION
This book is a third version, as it follows on from Pareto's 80/20 Rule for Corporate Accountants and Winning CFOs: Implementing and Applying Better Practices. The book has been restructured to facilitate easier implementation and is accompanied with a 100-page toolkit. The reader can access, free of charge, a PDF of the suggested templates, checklists and templates from www.davidparmenter.com/The_Financial_Controller_and_CFO's_Toolkit.
The better practices in this book are ignored at your peril, as they are based on the wisdom and better practices of over 5,000 accountants whom I have met through delivering my workshops and webcasts around the world.
I would like to add that few, if any, of these practices were used by me when I was a corporate accountant; thus senior management did not shed a tear when I left the organization. It is my mission to ensure CFOs, financial controllers, and management accountants leave a legacy that remains long after they have left the organization.
David Parmenter
Writer, Speaker, Facilitator
Helping organizations measure, report, and improve performance
Waymark House, 20 John Street, Titahi Bay, New Zealand (+ 64 4) 499 0007
[email protected] www.davidparmenter.com
15 September 2016
Dear CFO and Financial Controller,
Invitation to leave a profound legacy in your organization
This book will cover the better practices that will have a profound impact on the way your finance team functions and help you make a difference as a leader and business partner. Do you find yourself and your team locked up in the past as historians, still trapped by the archaic annual planning process, constantly fighting fires, and unappreciated by the organization at large? If so, the panacea for you is here.
This book is written from the standpoint of an accountant and observer. It is a book that you need to read before you pass it down to your direct reports. Far too many CFOs have passed on the responsibility of keeping abreast of 21st century lean finance team methods to their younger accounting staff. While the detail is the domain of the younger corporate accountants, continuing learning is a duty that all of us need to shoulder.
This book is designed to transform your contribution, increase your job satisfaction and profile in the organization, and help you leave a legacy in every organization you work for. Please, would you at least read the following chapters:
● Chapter 1 Getting Your Finance Team Future Ready
● Chapter 2 Leading and Selling the Change
● Chapter 10 Lean and Smarter Work Methods
● Chapter 11 Effective Leadership – Growing and Retaining Talent
● Chapter 16 Implementing Quarterly Rolling Forecasting and Planning
● Chapters 17 Finding Your Organization's Operational Critical Success Factors
● Chapters 18 Getting Your KPIs to Work
● Chapter 20 Performance Bonus Schemes
Invest 45 minutes of your time to make use of the support materials (webcasts, electronic templates) on www.davidparmenter.com.
I am hopeful that someday in the future we will meet, whether it is at a course or over a coffee. It is my fervent wish that you will be able to say, “I used this book to make a difference.” It will mean that both you and I will have left a legacy.
Kind regards,
David Parmenter
HOW TO USE THE BOOK
This book is divided into six parts and appendices. Exhibit I.1 explains the purpose of each section.
EXHIBIT I.1 Book Outline
THE PDF TOOLKIT
With all my books there is a heavy focus on implementation. The purpose is to prepare the route forward. To second guess the problems the finance team will need to address and set out the major tasks they will need to undertake. Naturally, each implementation will reflect the organization's culture, future-ready status, and the level of commitment from the CFO and his or her direct reports.
The PDF toolkit is to be read and used in conjunction with The Financial Controller and CFO's Toolkit – Lean Finance Teams' Best Practices. The location of the templates is indicated in the relevant chapters.
To support your implementing the strategies and best practices in this book, the following electronic media are available:
● Webcasts and recorded presentations (see www.davidparmenter.com/webcasts).
