One of the things people do not talk about enough in business is how lonely leadership can become once you step into senior roles.

One of the most interesting dynamics inside organisations is how differently people think, communicate and process information. Over the years, I have often found myself working between what I loosely describe as “left-brain” and “right-brain” leadership styles.

Cash tells you what is really happening operationally inside an organisation. This is why I believe every senior leader, not only finance teams, should develop a strong understanding of cash flow and cash movement within their organisation.

Many businesses understand turnover extremely well. Far fewer truly understand profitability, and there is an important difference between the two.

The strongest strategies are rarely the most complicated. They are usually the clearest. They create direction, alignment, confidence and commercial focus across the business, while still allowing enough flexibility for organisations to adapt as circumstances change.

One of the biggest things I have learned throughout my career is that businesses are emotional systems, whether people acknowledge that openly or not.