LEIF J' AHNELL

1

• LEIF J. AHNELL
• CPA,CGFO,CPFO
• City Manager
• City of Boca Raton, FL

2

• LEADERSHIP
• in the
• Finance
• Department

3
In order to be successful, todays Finance
Director must possess a wide variety of

• Technical Competencies
• People Skills

4
Technical Competencies

• Accounting
• G/L Transactions
• Financial Statements
• Budgeting
• Forecasts

5
Technical Competencies (continued)

• Accounts Payable
• Payroll
• Processing
• Rules and Regulations

6
Technical Competencies (continued)

• Purchasing
• Process
• Laws
• Contracts

7
Technical Competencies (continued)

• Risk Management
• Health Insurance
• Workers Compensation
• Liability
• Legal

8
Technical Competencies (continued)

• Revenues
• Fees
• Billing
• Collections
• Processing

9
Technical Competencies (continued)

• Investments and Cash Management
• 1.      Transactions
• 2.      Asset Allocation
• 3.      Cash Flow Analysis and Forecasts
• 4.      Banking Broker Relationships
• 5.      Passive Money Management
• 6.      Active Money Management
•  

10
Technical Competencies (continued)

• Financing
• 1.   Bond Issues G.O., Revenue, Tax
  Increment Financing
• 2.   Short Term Financing
• 3.   Leases
• 4.   Rating Presentations 

11
Technical Competencies (continued)

• Retirement
• 1.      Defined Benefit
• 2.      Defined Contribution
• 3.      Administration
• 4.      Investments
• 5.      Policies
• 6.      Actuary Statements/Reports
•      

12
Technical Competencies (continued)

• -Asset Acquisition Disposal
•  
• -Project and Process Analysis
•  
• -Operational Analysis
•  
• -Automated Systems Software      

13
Technical Competencies (continued)

• Long Range Planning
• 1.      Operating
• 2.      Capital
• Policy Development
• Executive Management Team     

14
Technical Competencies (continued)

• Financial Analysis
• 1.      Operating
• 2.      Capital
•   

15
Technical Competencies (continued)

• Strategic Planning and Implementation
• 1.   Departmental
• 2. Organizational     

16
Technical Competencies (continued)

• Customer Service
• 1.      External
• 2.      Internal
• Personnel Issues
• 1.      Operational
• 2. Motivational    

17
What is Leadership?

• Leadership is inspiring others to want to work to
  achieve a shared vision

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The Importance of Vision

•     Vision is an image of the future we seek to
  create.
•       Provides direction to an organization
•      Enables people to understand their
  importance
•     True direction comes from a vision, not
  rules, regulations, policies and an
  organizational chart.
•  

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The Importance of Vision

•      How do you get a Vision?
•      The leaders must be able to create a
  plan to achieve the vision
•      Anyone can steer the ship, but it takes
  a leader to chart the course
•      Do not confuse Vision with Mission. A
  Mission is a purpose or reason for being.
• How do you know if someone can manage or lead?
  Ask them to create a positive change.   

20
Management vs. Leadership

• Ø  Managers focus on maintaining
  systems/processes
• Ø    Management relies on controls
• Ø    Leaders are innovators/creators who rely
  on people
• Ø    Leadership is about influencing people
• Ø   Leaders work with people and their emotions
• Ø   Leaders empower others to take
  responsibility to do things right

21
Misconceptions of Leadership

• Leading and managing are the same
• Power is the essence of leadership
• Anyone who is out in front of a crowd is the
  leader
• Leadership is based on Title/Position or
  command

22
Why is Leadership Important?

• What is an organizations most important asset?
• Ø     People make things happen
• Ø     Organizations cannot increase their
  productivity-only their people can
• Ø     Organizations cannot grow or improve
  until their people grow within
• Ø     Leadership provides the emotional
  connection of people in an organization
•  

23
Leadership Natural ability or can it be
learned?

• Every person has the potential to lead
• Leaders dont just happen naturally
• Combination of natural abilities (intelligence,
  desire, ambition, character) and a learning
  process   

24
Qualities of Leaders

• Character
•         Honesty Integrity
•         Self-discipline
•         Teachability
•         Dependability
•         Perseverance
•         Conscientiousness
•         Strong work ethic

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Qualities of Leaders

• Influence - Leadership is influence
• There are two characteristics
•       A good leader is going somewhere
•         A great leader is able to persuade
• others to go with him
•  

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Qualities of Leaders

• Positive Attitude - People with positive
  attitudes are able to go places others cant
• Excellent People Skills - A leader without
  people skills soon will have no followers
•  

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Qualities of Leaders

• Eagerness - The person wants to be a leader
• Altruistic Willing to place the needs of
  others above their own 

28
Qualities of Leaders

• Confidence - People are naturally attracted to
  people who have confidence
•     Confidence empowers
•     A good leader makes people believe in him
•    A great leader makes people believe in
  themselves

29
Qualities of Leaders

• Self-Discipline - Great leaders always have
  self-discipline
• Effective Communication Skills (Speaking and
  Listening)
•       Communication enables a leader to get
  others to buy into the vision
•       You cannot become a leader without
  effective communication skills
•  

30
Qualities of Leaders

• Desire for what can be, not the Status Quo
•          Leaders see what is, but more
  importantly, they have a vision for what
  could be.
•         Great leaders are never satisfied, they
  are constantly striving for higher levels.
  
•         Willingness to take risks to make
  things
• better

31
Good vs. Great Organizations

• Good Great
• High Level Leaders Leaders at all Levels
•  
• Takers Makers
•  
• 20 80
• Responsibility Empower all Employees
• concentrated
• with a few employees
•  
•  

32
Good vs. Great Organizations

•   Good Great
•  
• Pyramid Flattened
•  
• Focus- Focus-
• What is being done What are we trying to
  Accomplish
• Haphazard Leadership Succession Plan
• Individual Team

33
Good vs. Great Organizations

• Think about the organizations you recognize as
  being leaders in their field
• What kind of leadership do they have?

34
Creating an Environment for Leadership
Development

• The attitude of a leader coupled with a
  positive atmosphere
• Leaders develop a vision
• Leaders must model the way set the example
• Leaders provide growth opportunities
  (personal organizational)

35
 Organizations that Create a Leadership
Environment

• Committed to the growth and development of
  their people
• Willing to spend money to develop
  employees
• Provide growth opportunities for their
  people
• Leaders have vision and share it with their
  people
• Think big
• Look to promote from within

36
BECOME A LEADER

• Long Term Commitment to Learning It does not
  happen overnight
• Ø      Leadership development is a long term
  process
• Ø      Commitment to personal growth
• Ø      Perpetual learner and Perpetual teacher
•   

37
BECOME A LEADER

•  Self Analysis
• Ø     What are your strengths and
  weaknesses?
• Ø     Formulate a plan to develop the
  skills you need to become a leader

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BECOME A LEADER

• Personal Leadership Development Plan
• Ø     Time for development must be planned
• Ø     Commit to daily or weekly growth
• Ø     When you learn something, determine
  how you will apply it
• Ø     Find someone to grow with
• Ø     Start small but start today

39
BECOME A LEADER

•  Great Leaders Have Credibility
• Ø     Credibility Honesty Forward Looking
  Inspiring Competent
• Ø     Honesty Values, ethics, and standards
• Ø     Forward Looking The ability to have a
  vision
• Ø     Inspiring Communicate the vision with
  energy and enthusiasm
• Ø     Competent Capable and effective
• Without credibility a leader will not be able to
  get people to follow a vision  

40
A Leadership Plan 10 Fundamental Practices

• CHALLENGE THE PROCESS
• 1.   Search out challenging opportunities to
  change, grow, innovate and improve
• 2.   Experiment, take risks and learn from the
  accompanying mistakes
•   

41
A Leadership Plan 10 Fundamental Practices

•   INSPIRE A SHARED VISION
• 3.  Envision an uplifting and ennobling future
• 4.   Enlist others in a common vision by
  appealing to their values, interests, hopes and
  dreams

42
A Leadership Plan 10 Fundamental Practices

• ENABLE OTHERS TO ACT
• 5.   Foster collaboration by promoting
  cooperative goals and building trust
• 6. Strengthen people by giving power away,
  providing choice, developing competence,
  assigning critical tasks, and offering visible
  support   

43
A Leadership Plan 10 Fundamental Practices

• MODEL THE WAY
• 7.   Set the example by behaving in ways that
  are consistent with shared values
• 8.   Achieve small wins that promote consistent
  progress and build commitment

44
A Leadership Plan 10 Fundamental Practices

• ENCOURAGE PEOPLE
• 9.  Recognize individual contributions to the
  success of every project
• 10.  Celebrate team accomplishments
  regularly
•  

45
LEADERSHIP MISTAKES TO AVOID

•  Fail to be Flexible Everything changes
• Commanding instead of Leading Dont
  dictate, elicit cooperation
• Failing to Listen Leaders must listen to
  their followers
• Thinking of your own needs first Great leaders
  put the needs of others before their own   

46
LEADERSHIP MISTAKES TO AVOID

• Failing to Teach Leaders must constantly learn
  and teach
• Failure to learn from your past mistakes
• Seeing things only in black and white. Things
  are not always right and wrong. Many solutions
  are found in the grey.
•  

47

•   Dont Just Manage
• Lead !
•