How important is it to have financial acumen in your role?
I am guessing if you decided to read this blog – the answer is very important.
Is this a subject in which you feel confident?
No – so what is stopping you upskilling in this topic?
Now whilst upskilling does involve time and money but is there something more holding you back?
My observation is that there always seems to be higher ‘no show rate’ on finance programs than on, say, leadership and management programs. I imagine participants waking up on the morning of the course, realising that they are due to attend a day of finance training and deciding they do not feel well! I may not be right, but let’s face it, the words “finance training” often conjure up the prospect of complete boredom!
Yet most managers understand the need to have strong financial acumen.
On our Fundamentals of Finance program, you work in teams of three throughout the program and you play a computerised board game, competing against other teams. Everyone just loves this game!
The use of the team approach helps to allay any fears of being tested or exposed and embarrassed – let’s face it a lot of people feel very vulnerable in this space. We make sure the emphasis is on making the learning interactive and fun and we always have a cardinal rule – There is no such thing as a stupid question.
We design our programs not to assume any knowledge – we start from basics. In fact in the program above, we start with analysing Nick’s personal finance situation. Nick, a 34-year-old male (played not so convincingly by myself!) comes along to the course to ask the participants’ help since he has financial problems – he seems to have no money left at the end of each month and he also seems to be in debt! If I tell you that I try to weave into the story line, threats of knee capping and a potential Swedish blonde as a flatmate, I hope you can tell we do have some fun!
I have even had participants come up to me and tell me that if they had known the course was going to be so much fun, they would have not dreaded coming!
So if improving your Financial Understanding and confidence in this area is something you know you need to do – let’s talk. You can always give us a ring (+61 3 9510 9401) – in confidence – or use our Contact Us page to get in touch.
