We deploy CFO assessment tools at the start of coaching to rapidly identify root causes of any potential issues, and strengths to build on.  Results are carefully filtered through my decades of experience, to tailor a coaching framework that ensures you as a CFO are on a leadership trajectory that gets you to where you want to go.

For new or aspiring CFOs, we often begin with a CFO skills assessment, in order to create clarity and help determine priorities for focus. For CFO leadership coaching, a customized approach includes a selection of whichever assessment tools (described below) seem most appropriate for the current circumstances.

These may range from the StrengthsFinder and an initial Success Insights survey that helps identify Behaviors (DiSC), Driving Forces, Perception and Soft Skills ranking the leader’s top 25 competencies, to a “CFO Saboteurs Assessment” that identifies the top 2-3 specific ways of thinking and behaving that may be getting in the way.

CFO SKILLS AND LEADERSHIP assessment

The 64 questions on this CFO Readiness Assessment quickly reveal where your investment in CFO skill development may have the greatest return on investment.

It is easy to complete, and takes about 10 minutes. Download results immediately, and CFO University’s Toolkit is one resource we may use for targeted professional development.

The de-brief guide summarizes CFO University’s “4 Pillars” framework: Finance, Accounting, Treasury, and Leadership.

CFO “saboteurS”: to what extent are any of these causing trip-ups?

How do CFOs get in their own way? This 5-minute CFO leadership self-assessment equips leaders with rapid insights on which of these 10 common self-sabotaging behaviors may be getting in the way, and to what extent. It’s free and it’s confidential, and results are emailed directly to the participant, from my colleagues at PositiveIntelligence.com. (Even if we never work together, the insights and actions can be transformative.)

The app-based element of the “CFO Coaching Menu” is one that almost every leader says “yes” to — because it quickly creates mental shifts that free executives from stress, anxiety, fear, frustration and the like. The resulting skills enable leaders to be more clear, more free, more positive, resilient and charged up.

TriMetrix

One Assessment to Discover the One True You.

CFO 360 REVIEWS

Inviting responses from the CEO, peers, direct reports, P/E operating partners and others with whom the CFO, head of finance or other executive works – may be appropriate, along with insights from StrengthsFinder and other tools depending each leader’s unique needs.

For 360 assessments, we find the Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI) tool – based on The 5 Practices of Exemplary Leadership® model used by more than 3 million people worldwide – is often an important step to enable an executive to achieve the extraordinary.  The 360 review identifies both others’ perceptions, and opportunities to improve when it comes to a leader’s ability to:

The results of the 360 assessment illuminate both an Executive’s effectiveness as a leader -- and also shed light on the level of engagement, commitment and satisfaction of those who follow. 360 reviews are a component of most services offered by NEXT.

CFO ASSESSMENTS: The Bottom Line

Connecting perceptions with intentions is a key to CFO coaching, and assessment tools put a "science" behind that.  As leaders work to align behaviors, driving forces, competencies and acumen, assessments also set the baseline against which to measure and expedite personal and professional growth. Learn more about a typical CFO coaching engagement.

CFO Coaching Success Stories