The Finance Leader Podcast

Stephen McLain
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Organizations have a greater chance of success when Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A), Accounting, Operations, and the Executive Senior Leadership are more strategically aligned. Developing Finance Leaders capable of growing partnerships across the organization and leading positive change are the goals for this podcast.  The host is Stephen McLain, a U.S. Army-Retired Finance Officer. After retirement, Stephen transitioned to working as a Business Consultant in Corporate FP&A and Accounting.  Topics will be dedicated to finance leadership development, "The CFO Mindset", improving processes like month-end close, and strengthening strategic alignment.  Please listen to the trailer so you can check it out. Thank you!

  1. FEB 3

    When FP&A Translates Drivers, Strategy Finally Moves

    Send us a text Episode # 152: We show how finance becomes a real partner to operations by translating numbers into drivers, embedding FP&A in decisions before they are made, and aligning metrics and incentives to strategy. The result is faster execution, fewer surprises, and teams that own outcomes. • translating financials into operational drivers • replacing data dumps with clear operational stories • partnering early to frame trade‑offs and scenarios • aligning metrics, goals, and incentives to strategy • shifting from metric protection to outcome ownership • strengthening accountability while deepening trust • practical questions to assess team impact • getting out of the stovepipe to join project teams Please subscribe to the podcast on the platform you are currently listening to, and also subscribe to my weekly email. Please connect with me on: 1. Instagram: stephen.mclain 2. Twitter: smclainiii 3. Facebook: stephenmclainconsultant 4. LinkedIn: stephenjmclainiii For more resources, please visit Finance Leader Academy:  financeleaderacademy.com. Support the show

    16 min

  2. JAN 13

    How Clear Priorities, Trust, And Timely Decisions Transform Performance

    Send us a text Episode # 151: Start the year with leadership that actually moves the needle. We walk through the strategic actions that make teams faster, clearer, and more resilient—without adding noise.  We begin with the culture you model when pressure hits, because people copy what you do, not what you say. Calm, integrity, and active listening create psychological safety and higher standards at the same time. From there, we narrow in on priorities: how to publish a short, ranked list, tie it to forecasts and analysis, and adjust in real time so finance and accounting stop guessing. You’ll hear practical ways to align tasks to business objectives using specified, implied, and essential work—an approach that reduces miscommunication and keeps execution honest. Governance becomes your engine for speed. We outline how to set clear escalation thresholds, run effective risk and operating reviews, and reward early warnings over last‑minute heroics. Then we tackle direct engagement and decision timeliness: structured operating rhythms, skip‑level listening, and defined decision rights that accelerate choices without micromanaging. The throughline is clarity—who decides, what matters now, and why trade‑offs are worth it—so people can move with confidence. By the end, you’ll have a checklist for today: model one cultural behavior, publish your priorities, and set a simple escalation path. Whether you lead FP&A, accounting, or the broader enterprise, these moves build trust and momentum that last beyond January.  Episode outline: Set a positive team culture,Establish clear priorities, transparency, and accountability,Encourage risk issue escalation with good governance, and Lead with more direct engagement and better decision timeliness.  Please connect with me on: 1. Instagram: stephen.mclain 2. Twitter: smclainiii 3. Facebook: stephenmclainconsultant 4. LinkedIn: stephenjmclainiii For more resources, please visit Finance Leader Academy:  financeleaderacademy.com. Support the show

    16 min

  3. 11/12/2025

    Finance Leadership, Beyond The Numbers

    Send us a text Episode # 150: Leadership in finance isn’t a title—it’s a practice. We dive into what turns any role in accounting, FP&A, or audit into a force for strategic impact, starting with the four pillars that anchor meaningful change: influence, grow your people, deliver results, and see the future. Along the way, we unpack how to turn data into decisions, build trust with senior leaders, and convert operational friction—like a chaotic month end—into a reliable, learning-driven process. We start by reframing influence as earned alignment. You’ll hear how to show up with validated numbers, a sharp point of view, and a concise ask that respects executive time. Then we get practical about developing talent: mentoring for strategic thinking, cross-training on the business model, and running blameless reviews that raise the team’s ceiling. Execution takes center stage with tactics to speed the close, improve forecast accuracy, and translate variances into action. Finally, we step into forward-looking leadership—tracking external signals that matter, setting crisp scenarios, and aligning decisions to both profitability and purpose. If you’re ready to elevate your impact, this conversation will help you become the partner your organization needs: people-centered, data-driven, and ethically grounded.  Please connect with me on: 1. Instagram: stephen.mclain 2. Twitter: smclainiii 3. Facebook: stephenmclainconsultant 4. LinkedIn: stephenjmclainiii For more resources, please visit Finance Leader Academy:  financeleaderacademy.com. Support the show

    8 min

  4. 11/04/2025

    Month-End Close Procedures Improvement by Using the Army's After-Action Review Process

    Send us a text Episode  #149: Month-end doesn’t have to feel like a rolling emergency. We walk through a proven, blame-free framework—the U.S. Army’s After Action Review—to turn your close into a reliable, data-driven process that gets faster and more accurate every cycle. If your calendar is packed and bottlenecks keep returning, this is the practical reset your team needs. We start by reframing performance reviews as a leadership habit that compounds. Then we break down the AAR into three simple stages: plan, prepare, execute. You’ll learn how to define clear success metrics for close, set roles and handoffs, and create a safe environment where facts matter more than opinions. We show how to gather evidence during the cycle—timelines, task logs, error heat maps—so the review pinpoints root causes and turns observations into action. From there, we dive into the backbone of a modern close: standardized processes, integrated systems, and tools that truly enable collaboration. Expect concrete ideas for automating data flow, reducing manual entries, and mapping end-to-end dependencies. We share ways to align accounting and FP&A early, cut late reclasses, and measure progress with a focused KPI set: close duration, on-time tasks, aged reconciliations, and post-close entries. Episode outline: The U.S. Army’s After-Action Review process,Let’s always focus on processes, systems, and tools, andUsing the After-Action Review system to evaluate our month-end close procedures. Please connect with me on: 1. Instagram: stephen.mclain 2. Twitter: smclainiii 3. Facebook: stephenmclainconsultant 4. LinkedIn: stephenjmclainiii For more resources, please visit Finance Leader Academy:  financeleaderacademy.com. Support the show

    16 min

  5. 10/28/2025

    Aligning Finance Teams For Real Impact

    Send us a text Episode #148: Comfort feels safe, but it quietly taxes our careers and our teams. We take on complacency head-on and show how alignment, clear standards, and better conversations can turn routine finance work into strategic results. From setting the pace as a leader to running meetings that actually remove blockers, we break down the simple habits that keep momentum high without slipping into micromanagement. Walks through a practical framework: define success beyond compliance, link daily tasks to strategy, and give context that turns reports into decisions. We explore how leaders model urgency and integrity, why teams mirror the behaviors they see, and how recognition and coaching build trust that fuels ownership.  Celebrate the win, take real rest, then redirect energy to the next priority. Excellence is not a sprint; it is consistent, aligned action. If you’re aiming for bigger roles or simply a stronger function, use these tactics to build a culture of accountability, sharpen decisions, and protect focus. Episode outline: Leaders set the pace of the organization,Complacency is the opposite of alignment,What can we do to ensure that we create a culture of excellence. Please connect with me on: 1. Instagram: stephen.mclain 2. Twitter: smclainiii 3. Facebook: stephenmclainconsultant 4. LinkedIn: stephenjmclainiii For more resources, please visit Finance Leader Academy:  financeleaderacademy.com. Support the show

    14 min

  6. 10/14/2025

    From Reporting to Relevance: Building Capacity through Alignment, Automation, and Development

    Send us a text Episode #147: Too many finance teams are stuck formatting data while the decisions fly by. We tackle a smarter way to work: build capacity by aligning effort to strategy, automating the grind, and developing the skills that turn reports into results. Stephen walks us through a practical approach for FP&A and accounting leaders who want to shield their teams from noise, prioritize what matters, and partner with IT to unlock automation without a costly tech overhaul. The focus is simple—reduce friction, raise insight, and spend more time advising than assembling. We start with clarity: how to map every role and deliverable to a strategic objective, choose the leading indicators that actually drive action, and say no to work that doesn’t move the needle. From there, we dig into process and systems—standardizing inputs, automating routine pulls and reconciliations, and using collaborative workspaces so knowledge isn’t trapped in inboxes. Along the way, we challenge the culture of daily fire drills and offer a guardrail: route ad-hoc requests through a priority gate so the team’s best hours aren’t lost to random tasks. Finally, we talk people. Coaching time management, building stronger analysis and storytelling skills, and running short, focused development sprints can transform morale and output. A tighter partnership with IT helps you ship quick wins—scheduled queries, clean templates, and self-serve dashboards—that free analysts to interpret trends and shape choices. Expect clear takeaways you can apply this week: an audit of calendars and tasks, a skills plan that sticks, and an automation backlog that delivers measurable time back. Episode outline: Clarify priorities and align with strategic goals,Leverage tools and automation, andBuild capacity through development. Please connect with me on: 1. Instagram: stephen.mclain 2. Twitter: smclainiii 3. Facebook: stephenmclainconsultant 4. LinkedIn: stephenjmclainiii For more resources, please visit Finance Leader Academy:  financeleaderacademy.com. Support the show

    11 min

  7. 09/30/2025

    Strategic Accounting, Not Just Reporting

    Send us a text Episode 146: What if your accounting team did more than close the books—what if they helped shape outcomes before the month even ends? We explore how to evolve accounting from a reporting function into a true strategic partner that translates numbers into decisions. From building business acumen and storytelling skills to inserting accountants into high‑stakes projects, we lay out a practical path to unlock the insight already sitting inside your ledgers. We start by reframing the role: compliance and accurate reporting remain essential, but the next level is connecting transactions to the choices leaders face. You’ll hear how to turn variance reviews into narratives operators can act on, when to reset baselines so forecasts stop lying, and how to use simple visuals and clear language to remove guesswork. We also talk about freeing capacity—retire low-value reports, streamline reconciliations, and focus on work that changes outcomes—so your team can show up where decisions are made, not just after the fact. If you’re ready to move from ledgers to leverage, this conversation gives you clear steps to start today—train for communication, show up in project rooms, tell the story behind the numbers, and make accounting a catalyst for growth. Like what you heard? Follow, share with a colleague, and leave a review so more finance leaders can turn their teams into strategic partners. Episode outline: Evolve accounting from a reporting only entity,Looking beyond compliance and good bookkeeping, andIntegrating governance and risk into strategy. Please connect with me on: 1. Instagram: stephen.mclain 2. Twitter: smclainiii 3. Facebook: stephenmclainconsultant 4. LinkedIn: stephenjmclainiii For more resources, please visit Finance Leader Academy:  financeleaderacademy.com. Support the show

    15 min

  8. 09/23/2025

    FP&A and Operations: Creating Powerful Partnerships for Strategic Growth

    Send us a text Episode # 145: What happens when your FP&A team operates in isolation from the people actually running your business? Nothing good. The gap between finance and operations isn't just an organizational issue—it's a strategic vulnerability that could be costing your company significant competitive advantage. Bridging this divide creates transformative opportunities. When finance professionals develop deep partnerships with operations teams, forecasting becomes dramatically more accurate, resource allocation improves, and the organization gains agility to respond to market changes. This alignment doesn't happen accidentally—it requires intentional leadership and cultural development focused on building mutual trust. A well-aligned FP&A team operates as a true strategic partner rather than just a reporting function. They maintain a forward-looking mindset using forecasting, scenario analysis, and sensitivity testing to guide decisions instead of merely reporting historical results. Processes become streamlined, data grows more accurate, and finance professionals proactively engage with department leaders to translate strategy into measurable financial plans. The alternative? Disconnected financial plans, unrealistic budgets, inefficient resource allocation, and the inability to respond quickly to changing market conditions. Operations may pursue initiatives that don't reflect financial constraints, while finance imposes limitations without understanding operational needs. Communication breakdowns reduce trust, weaken decision-making, and ultimately erode competitiveness. Ready to transform this relationship in your organization? Start by developing a common language that translates finance terms into operational impacts. Build trust by providing insights that help operations succeed rather than just highlighting problems. Know the micro-details of the metrics you analyze, and be willing to step away from your desk to understand what's really driving performance. Remember: finance leaders have both the ethical and fiduciary responsibility to move the business forward through powerful partnerships. Episode outline: The benefits of properly strategically aligning your FP&A team,What happens when FP&A is not aligned, andA few steps to get started. Please connect with me on: 1. Instagram: stephen.mclain 2. Twitter: smclainiii 3. Facebook: stephenmclainconsultant 4. LinkedIn: stephenjmclainiii For more resources, please visit Finance Leader Academy:  financeleaderacademy.com. Support the show

    17 min
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Trailer

4.9
out of 5
12 Ratings

About

Organizations have a greater chance of success when Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A), Accounting, Operations, and the Executive Senior Leadership are more strategically aligned. Developing Finance Leaders capable of growing partnerships across the organization and leading positive change are the goals for this podcast.  The host is Stephen McLain, a U.S. Army-Retired Finance Officer. After retirement, Stephen transitioned to working as a Business Consultant in Corporate FP&A and Accounting.  Topics will be dedicated to finance leadership development, "The CFO Mindset", improving processes like month-end close, and strengthening strategic alignment.  Please listen to the trailer so you can check it out. Thank you!

Information

  • Creator
    Stephen McLain
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    250
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Finance Leader Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Finance Leader Podcast