PE sponsors and CEOs often define their "vision" as a revenue or EBITDA target. This is an output metric, not an inspiring vision. High-performing CEOs create a compelling narrative about the business's value proposition and purpose that motivates employees and resonates with customers. Financial success is the result of executing this vision.

A good CFO reports the numbers. An extraordinary CFO has the intellectual curiosity to ask second and third-order questions, transforming the finance function from a "traffic cop" into a strategic arm that deeply understands and influences the unique drivers of the business.

Shift focus from 'value' (a lagging indicator like profit) to 'utility' (a leading indicator of your team's capability). This fosters a proactive, "glass half full" perspective on what the organization can accomplish, rather than fixating on past results.

CFOs are more receptive to data-driven, ROI-focused marketing arguments than CMOs, who are often attached to traditional, less-measurable "romance" metrics and fake data. Marketers seeking to drive change should build alliances with the finance department.

Don't confine financial data to the finance team. Use FP&A and BI tools to deliver real-time operational and financial data directly to plant and operations managers. This helps them understand the dollar impact of their decisions, transforming them from pure operators into business managers who actively drive profitability.

To gain the CFO's confidence, GM's marketing head involved the CFO's team in the steering committee for developing the marketing plan. This transparency and disciplined approach built a strong partnership and prevented budget cuts driven by misunderstanding.

Don't just review past performance with your financials. Use them to model how pulling one lever, like increasing marketing spend, will impact other areas of the business, such as the need for more sales staff. This shifts accounting from a reporting task to a strategic planning function.

Instead of just asking peer CFOs for solutions, Figma's CFO provides deep business context. This transforms the relationship from a simple Q&A into a collaborative thought partnership, creating a personal "internal board" of trusted advisors for nuanced problem-solving.

Figma's CFO learned that spreadsheets alone don't build alignment. To truly influence fellow executives, you must understand their internal motivations, frame problems from their perspective, and then use data to support that shared understanding.