Hi everyone! I am just after watching the latest episode of the Women in Finance series and was looking for somewhere to share my thoughts and continue the conversation!
There were three things that really stood out to me:
- Asking for opportunities - In the past, I had the opinion that if you do good work quietly you'll be rewarded. It was a big "ah-ha" moment for me when I realised if you don't communicate what you consider a reward how are people meant to know? For me, this resulted in working in DC with a non-profit for three months while completing my CPA. It was amazing, but if I hadn't asked for the opportunity my leaders would have thought I'd prefer a quiet summer after sitting my exams. But, is there a way we can make sure our direct reports are getting the right opportunities even if they're not yet comfortable to ask for what they want?
- Feedback - I find it fascinating how my opinion on feedback has changed over my career. It used to be so daunting, but now it's the best gift a colleague could give me. I still struggle to seek out ad-hoc feedback so would love to hear if you have any tips on how to get better at this rather than just after a milestone!
- Business Partnering - This is probably the closest to my heart as I step into a business partnering role with our FP&A team. As I am new to this world, is there anything as a business partner that you wish you knew at the start of your journey? I am still in the relationship-building and understanding the needs of the team stage
These were just my musings but I would love to hear if anything else struck a chord with people in this community.
(I don't know if I'm able to embed the video but here is a link to the post!)
------------------------------
Olivia MacDonald
Manager, Financial Systems and Operations
PwC
------------------------------