Contents
Chapter 1: Controller Responsibilities
Major Roles of a High Road Controller
The Controller’s Major Responsibilities
Chapter 2: CFO Responsibilities
How the CFO and Controller’s Roles Differ
CFO Tool: Calculating the Economic Value Added
Chapter 3: What Is the Contract Controller’s Job About?
Main Difference in Expectation of the Roles
The Controller Job Description
The Chief Financial Officer Job Description
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
The Need for a Contract Controller or CFO
Most Common Reasons a Company Employs a Contract Financial Executive
The Role of the Contract Controller
Valuing and Choosing the Appropriate Role for You
Varying Roles of the Hired Gun
Chapter 4: Attitudes for Success
What Mindset Does the Contract Controller Need?
1. You Control Your Own Destiny
2. You Are Your Boss and Employer
The Attitude of Teflon-Coated Toughness
How to Develop a Tough, Non-Stick Attitude
The Attitude of the Fortune Teller
Chapter 5: How Can I Ensure I Will Be Successful?
No Guarantee of Success, So Improve Your Odds
Tactics for Creating Success as the Part-Time or Contract Hired Gun
Hired Gun Tool: A Position Description
Example 5-1: Position Description Example for a General Accounting Assistant
Special Difficulties of the Position Description
Example 5-2: Position Description Example for a Part-Time Controller
Impact of Job on the Organization
Authority of Person to Act for the Company
Special Difficulties of the Position
Tactic 2: Determine What Is Most Important
Why It’s Hard to Find the “Real” Cause of an Issue or Problem
Tactic 3: Enhance Their Metrics of Performance
Hired Gun Tool: Scorecard Metrics
Categories and Examples of Performance Measures
Tactic 4: Help Them Fly in Formation
Hired Gun Tool: Critical Success Factor
Performance Measuring Principle
Drivers of an “Information Business”
Tactic 5: Keep Your Eyes on the Forest
Daily Prioritization and Calibration
Chapter 6: Hired Gun Skills—Part 1
Daily Skill Set that Benefits the Client
Special Skills the Hired Gun Uses Daily
Systems Approach to Accounting
Base Block—Controller’s People Systems
2nd Block—Controller’s Planning System
What Every Employee Wants to Know
3rd Block—Controller’s Communication System
Hired Gun Credibility Comes from Great Communication
Hired Gun Tool: Communication Web
How to Design a Communication Web
Hired Gun Tool: Communication Web System Checklist
Urgent Does Not Mean Important
Finance’s Workload Killers that Create False Urgency
Traits of the Effective Finance Leader
Chapter 7: Hired Gun Skills—Part 2
More Special Skills the Hired Gun Needs
Hired Gun Tool: The Gap Analysis
Skill #6: Selling Your Solutions
The Mindset of the Risk-Taking Entrepreneur
Process for Selling Your Ideas
When You Speak, Clients Will Listen
Skill #7: Managing Client Expectations
Tactics to Manage Expectations
Skill #8: Marketing Professional Services
Marketing Yourself as a Part-Time or Contract Controller
Chapter 8: Resources and Concerns
What Other Things Do I Need to Know?
Do I Have Independence Issues to be Concerned About?
Can I Sign the Payroll Tax Returns?
How Should I Determine How Much to Charge for My Services?
Could I Take Stock in Lieu of Pay or Compensation to Help a Client Who Lacks Sufficient Cash?
Do I Need Risk, Errors and Omission, or Other Insurance Coverage?
Is There Any Insurance Protection That I Should Have?
What About Understanding and Using Technology?
Can I Take the Home Office Deduction?
How Does the Issue of Ethics Impact Me or My Role?
Do I Need to Worry about Independent Contractor Status?
As a Consultant, Are There Any Problem Areas to Avoid?
Is It Wise to Supervise Employees When I am Only a Contractor?
Advice from Experienced Hired Guns
Erin Corsair Is a Professional Temporary
Curt Halin Is a Contract Controller
Bob Anderson Chooses to Niche in Retail
Scott Allred Is Located in Montana and Relies Heavily on the Internet to Provide Services
Gene Siciliano Is CFO for Rent®
Audrey Godwin Defines Herself as a Chief Business Integrator
Sandra Copas Owns a Firm on the Leading Edge
William Looney Left the Corporate Big Company Environment after 20+ Years
Five Accounting Leader Realities
Significant Trends in Accounting Impacting the Controller
Tool: Instilling a Personal Commitment
Tool: Instill Continuous Improvement
The Challenges of Being a Part-Time or Contract Controller are Many
But There are the Upsides of Opportunities Too
You Can Increase the Odds of Your Success If You