FP&A Today

Jack McCullough: Rock Star CFOs and Psychopath CEOs

Aug 8, 2023

Jack McCullough, President of CFO Leadership Council and 26-time CFO, discusses working with psychopath CEOs, building a personal brand for CFOs, adapting during the pandemic, finding mentors, worst manual processes, the impact of technology, and the importance of communication skills for CFOs.

52:05

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Episode guests

Jack McCullough

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Effective communication and empathy are critical skills for CFOs.

CFOs need to understand the broader aspects of the business beyond finance and accounting.

Mentorship is invaluable for aspiring CFOs.

Deep dives

The Importance of Communication and Empathy

Effective communication and empathy are critical skills for CFOs. Being able to tell the story behind the numbers and communicate financial insights in a meaningful way is essential. Good communication builds trust, facilitates decision-making, and enhances relationships with stakeholders. CFOs who can effectively communicate and empathize are more likely to succeed in their role and drive positive change within their organizations. Warren Buffett is a great example of a CFO who excels in storytelling and communication.

Introduction

2min

The Impact of Psychopathic CEOs

10min

Building a Brand for CFOs

15min

Adapting and Thriving During the Pandemic

9min

Finding a Mentor and Thinking Outside the Box

6min

Worst Manual Processes and Frustrating Purchase Orders

2min

The Impact of Technology and the Importance of Communication Skills for CFOs

8min

“The male prison population in the United States is about 15% psychopaths. So if, if you’re a warden and you work all day with prisoners, and then at the end of the day you go to some award ceremony honoring local CEOs, you’re probably interacting with a similar number of psychopaths at each event." Jack McCullough – President of CFO Leadership Council and 26-time CFO.

Jack MCcullough’s background gives him an unprecedented perspective on financial leadership. Having started hist career at Big Four audit firm KPMG, he subsequently served as a CFO for 26 different companies, often in a part-time or interim role, working with about 35 CEOs. In his words “several geniuses, a handful of lunatics, and two or three who were both. But I learned from each person and became a more effective leader.”

In this episode Jack McCullough reveals:

How to work with Psychopath CEOs
Mental health and finance and overcoming difficult leaders
The importance of personal brand-building for CFOs and FP&A analysts
How Jack invented the phrase “CF-No” in 1984
Why FP&A professionals and CFOs need to build their brand today
The things that CFOs most want from their FP&A leaders
His most strategic finance moment – or how COVID transformed his business
Mentoring in finance and the power of being mentored by Gen Z talent
Why he headlines his finance conferences with Guns n’ Roses and AC DC
Who would he most like to meet
His most manual processes ever
The surprising two traits that CFOs must achieve today to have any chance of success
How to become a CFO