To Improve Financial Management, Understand the Mindset

The constantly evolving nature of financial regulation and stakeholder expectations, along with the unique requirements each company has for its financial management (FM) processes, limits the effectiveness of standard process re-engineering methods. While each company has unique operating attributes, it can be argued that the FM arena could gain visible benefits in term of efficiency and effectiveness as a result of a disciplined approach to process improvement. But the key is: one step at a time that accountants can truly own and be optimistic about.
 
At APQC’s 2016 Process Conference, Gabe Zubizarreta, founder and CEO of Silicon Valley Accountants, conducted a session for process-change professionals who interact with the FM department but who are not steeped in the technical aspects of corporate accounting and financial reporting. The session aimed to clarify what it takes to foster change-oriented collaboration with the FM group, and identify ways to leverage accounting changes into continuous improvement opportunities.