Best Practice Reports

CFO Alliance Member Testimonial

"Thanks for sharing this report. In addition to being a slick pub, professionally presented, and easy to read, it is chocked full of many very actionable best practices. Early on, I was looking for a slightly different organization of report findings, namely by businesses or industries that have much in common. But a more complete reading reveals that so many of the best practices discussed here, many times, simply with a little thought and innovation, can cut across those traditional business/industry boundaries. I might be in the Real Estate business but there are things I can learn from someone in the automotive field. Combining the forward thinking from such a broad range of industry experts allows, and even encourages the reader, to think at a higher level, out of the box, to develop strategies and best practices adapted from those of others for the improvement of their own business. Nicely done. "

25 CFO and CHROs, as well as noted business author Ram Charan, volunteered to write a comprehensive best practice report with the main focus on leadership traits and skills, specifically insights for first-time managers and how to build a management pipeline.

The Report, now available for download, covers six primary areas managers should consider: skills, talent pooling, pathways to success, retaining top performers, managing your talent pipeline, and becoming a better boss.

Take a look at what our Members created -- based on Members’ real life learnings, experiences, and insights.
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In October 2020, members of AchieveNEXT’s CFO and CHRO Alliances formed a special task force devoted to Employee Engagement and Productivity. The result: A comprehensive guide of best practices, case studies and shared insights designed to equip finance and HR leaders with the tools they need to succeed in 2021 and beyond.
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	This Special Task Force Report was convened by AchieveNEXT to bring together a select group of respected Finance and HR Leaders from two separate but connected Peer Advisory Networks, The CFO Alliance and The CHRO Alliance to author a Report, written by Finance and HR leaders, for Finance and HR leaders to: (1) Capture and highlight preliminary legal, practical and policy considerations and action items for Finance and HR Leaders to consider in preparation for restarting operations based on their current knowledge; and (2) Outline strategies for c-suite executives and leaders to consider to accelerate their business and revenue rebound, and to mitigate the risk of their enterprises experiencing any prolonged cycle of decline. Non-Alliance Members Request to Access the Report HERE.
As the role of the Chief Financial Officer continues to evolve, providing finance leaders with enhanced visibility and opportunity to more directly lead and impact employee and customer experiences, the first ninety (90) days in a new CFO role are critical for building relationships and establishing credibility that will lay the groundwork for individual and enterprise success for years to come. Fourteen CFOs created this best-practice-sharing Report to highlight the top short- and long-term strategic goals pertaining to leading your PEOPLE, leading your FUNCTION, and leading your ENTERPRISE. Access the Executive Summary
	Who is responsible for delivering the customer experience? Some would say the responsibility lies on the CMO, others may say the CEO or COO. The customer experience is often times discussed as a key way to differentiate in an increasingly competitive marketplace. Because of this, every role within an organization plays a role in enhancing the customer experience, and that needs to start at the top. One of the 8 critical areas of opportunity and issues for the CFO indicated in the 2018 CFO Sentiment Study is the expanded role of the modern CFO. The CFO position has now moved well beyond the domain of pure financial oversight to a much more strategic role. This provides the CFO a unique opportunity to positively impact the customer experience. This STF will focuses on how the CFO has the ability to play a major role in understanding the customer and the desired vision to enhance their experience.
When it comes to driving growth strategy, the CFO has the unique opportunity to lead by example by effectively communicating expectations, targets and compensation. The CFO is the connecting force between all the moving parts and people in driving growth strategy, ensuring that what gets measured, gets done. This Special Task Force Report written 'by CFOs, for CFOs,' provides actionable frameworks, lessons learned and recommendations that finance leaders can utilize to drive growth dramatically in your enterprise.
	Cyber threats aren’t going anywhere and finance leaders must have an accurate and complete understanding of enterprise risks and security stance. For this to be successful, CFOs must work with colleagues across the enterprise to ensure that investments in cybersecurity align to business objectives, protect the company’s most vital assets, and mitigate the risks that carry the highest damage potential in both the short and long term. This Special Task Force Report on Risk Monitoring: Cyber Resiliency discusses the important role that the CFO has in risk management and crisis situations.
This Special Task Force Report was created with the intent to provide actionable insights and tools for finance leaders, on key areas of M&A planning and execution. Members drew from years of professional deal experience to provide a detailed look at best practices for successfully completing transactions. Through the provided tools, finance executives will have a better understanding of how to manage the complex and dynamic process of M&A deal execution. We hope these findings will help today’s middle market CFO to lead and prepare their organizations to operate effectively during the course of any transactions in which they participate.
	This Special Task Force Report was created with the intent to provide actionable insights and tools for finance leaders on key areas for Talent and Workforce Development today. STF Members provided a detailed look at hiring methods and challenges, and suggestions for employee development and retention. Through the tools provided in the report, finance executives will have a better understanding of their employees and what motivates them. These findings help today’s middle market CFO to address team and leadership concerns in most effective manner, by CFOs, for CFOs.