Building Finance Teams That Actually Work
A practical program for anyone managing money, people, or both.
Most finance teams struggle because nobody taught them how people actually operate under pressure. We've spent fifteen years watching what works in Australian businesses—from tiny startups to companies with hundreds on payroll.
This isn't about spreadsheets. Well, not just spreadsheets. It's about understanding why your accountant freezes during budget presentations, or why your finance manager can't seem to delegate even simple tasks.
Our next cohort starts in August 2026. We're keeping it small—just twenty people—because this stuff needs proper conversation, not lecture halls.
What You'll Actually Learn
Six months of practical workshops, real scenarios, and honest discussions about what happens when finance meets human nature.
The Psychology Behind Numbers
Money makes people weird. Understanding why someone panics over a $500 expense but ignores a $50,000 risk isn't intuitive—but it's predictable once you know the patterns.
- How stress affects financial decision-making
- Reading resistance and defensiveness in budget conversations
- Why good people hide bad news
- Building trust when discussing sensitive topics
Communication Without Jargon
If your CEO's eyes glaze over during financial reports, that's on you, not them. We teach you to translate complexity into clarity without dumbing anything down.
- Presenting data to non-financial decision makers
- Difficult conversations about money and performance
- Written communication that people actually read
- Explaining constraints without sounding obstructive
Team Dynamics and Delegation
You can't do everything yourself, but handing off work when accuracy matters is terrifying. We'll walk through building systems that let you sleep at night.
- Training people without micromanaging
- Creating checks that catch mistakes early
- When to intervene and when to step back
- Managing different work styles and preferences
Conflict Resolution in Finance
Budget battles, disputed expenses, compensation discussions—finance teams sit at the center of every uncomfortable conversation. You need better strategies than avoidance or aggression.
- Mediating disagreements about resource allocation
- Handling emotional reactions to financial constraints
- Saying no without damaging relationships
- Finding creative solutions to competing priorities
Performance Management
Regular feedback shouldn't feel like pulling teeth. We cover practical approaches to helping finance team members improve without creating resentment or fear.
- Setting expectations that people can actually meet
- Addressing mistakes constructively
- Recognition that motivates without inflating egos
- Career development conversations
Building Resilient Systems
Good processes protect people from their worst days. We'll help you design workflows that accommodate human limitation while maintaining accuracy and accountability.
- Error-proofing critical financial processes
- Cross-training without overwhelming anyone
- Documentation that people actually use
- Adapting systems as teams grow or change
Program Details
Twenty-four sessions over six months, running from August 2026 through January 2027. Each Wednesday evening from 6:00 to 8:30 PM AEST, held at our Mosman location.
We limit cohorts to twenty participants because this format relies on actual discussion, not just listening to someone talk at you. You'll work through real scenarios—sometimes your own, sometimes carefully disguised versions from other businesses.
Applications open in March 2026. We review them as they come in, so don't wait until July.
Henrik Lindström
Spent twelve years as CFO for a manufacturing company, then five more consulting with businesses trying to fix broken finance operations. Believes most problems come from unclear expectations and uncomfortable silences.
Siobhan Callahan
Built and managed finance teams for three different startups through growth phases. Good at spotting when someone's drowning before they ask for help. Terrible at suffering fools but working on it.
Dimitri Vasiliou
Former audit manager who realized he was better at teaching people to communicate than finding accounting errors. Now helps finance professionals explain complicated things to skeptical audiences.
Leila Ansari
Organizational psychologist who specializes in high-stress work environments. Joins us for modules on conflict and team dynamics. Has zero patience for corporate speak and will call you on it.