Biggest Challenges Faced By A Sr. Finance Director At Parker Meggitt
Shawna, a Sr. Finance Director at Parker Meggitt, identifies prioritizing tasks as the biggest challenge, stating "constantly trying to figure out what is important versus what is urgent". This challenge is compounded by the need to balance "where Finance meets business" with detailed accounting issues, requiring Shawna to strategically leverage both their team's expertise and broader company resources.
Prioritization, Delegation, Financial Expertise, Collaboration, Problem-Solving
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Shawna Anderson
Sr. Finance Director
Parker Meggitt
California State University, Northride, 2009
UCLA Anderson School of Business, MBA
Finance
Aerospace, Aviation & Defense
Finance
Honors Student, Scholarship Recipient, Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School
Video Highlights
1. Prioritization of tasks: distinguishing between urgent and important matters is crucial for effective time management.
2. Collaboration and delegation: knowing when to rely on team expertise versus seeking external help is essential.
3. Bridging finance and business: the role involves a blend of financial expertise and business acumen, requiring adaptability and resourcefulness.
Transcript
What is the biggest challenge in your current role?
I'd say constantly trying to figure out what is important versus what is urgent is the biggest challenge. I get, I don't know, 50 to 100 emails in a given day.
Is it most important that I spend 10 minutes on a carefully crafted email when I could walk to someone's office and explain a point in two minutes? Or is it that maybe that can be pushed off until tomorrow because I have three other things that are actually driving my most urgent attention today?
The other bit too, actually comes from my background, which is highly engaged in where finance meets business, and less so on more detailed accounting. I come across detailed accounting problems and questions almost daily.
Sometimes it's knowing when I need to lean on my team, because they have great expertise that I may not have. And sometimes it's knowing when it just doesn't quite feel right, and reaching outside of my sphere so I can get better accounting expertise from experts elsewhere within my broader company.
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