An Open-Mind Explore ideas from business partners with an open mind and a "Yes, and…" mentality. Think outside of the box to find interesting solutions to business problems.
Why this matters: Finance can have the reputation of being a department of "No," but the most successful people in FP&A find ways to embrace and build on others' ideas. Often, there is more than one solution to a business problem, and incorporating ideas from those who think differently can level up your recommendations and have a multiplier effect on a line of business. Bringing an open-minded style to your interactions also empowers and enables your business partners.
News junkie Keep up to date with the news impacting your business, industry, and geography. Use what you learn to help you get ahead on scenario analysis. Create best-case and worst-case scenarios for specific situations that could arise.
Why this matters: Staying up to date on current events can give you an edge when creating a forecast and help the organization better prepare for potential changes. We saw this with a handful of forward-looking FP&A leaders when COVID hit. There were people who were surprised by it and others who saw the trends and immediately started building scenarios. (See how one head of FP&A approached the problem in
"How FP&A Forecasts the Unexpected.")