Top 13 Characteristics of a "Bench Warmer" Finance Organization - Blog Post 10
Archetype 4 - The Bench Warmer
***Note from John: no kidding I've seen all of these displayed - this is REAL!***
In your best Southern Drawl, say "you might be a Bench Warmer if..." before each of these:
You sit in most of the important business meetings...but say nothing unless asked...which doesn't happen much...
There aren't enough seats at the table (literally) and you end up sitting against the wall every time (next to HR, Learning, Procurement and "Guests")...
You get to participate in cross-functional projects and are asked your opinion often...but you NEVER lead them...
Your Business Leader boss listens to you when alone with you but frequently embarrasses or ignores you when in team meetings...
You find yourself having to do "pre-meetings" to "get folks ready" to present the information you or your team put together...because nobody wants to listen to you actually present the information...
Your finance boss has a great relationship with your business boss and you do not...
Your "topics" usually come at the end of meetings...and frequently fall victim to the "well we ran out of time...can you send a quick email summary or present at the next meeting?" syndrome...
You are looped in on all the key business decisions...because the Delegation of Authority and/or The Boss said so...but usually at the last minute when the decision has already been made (i.e. you either approve it, or become the "Business Prevention Force")
Secretly (as you'd never actually admit to it), you sit through most strategic/operational meetings without much of an understanding of what is being discussed, but don't ask questions because that would be embarrassing...
Despite having met him or her a dozen times, presented in meetings for them and being cc'ed regularly on emails they see, your boss' boss still has no idea who you are...
You can claim that accounting is not your sole focus (clearly "reporting" is a focus too)...
You can claim that simple reporting without detailed analysis is not good enough...
You can claim that you sit in all the key meetings and "have the ear of the boss" (sometimes)...