Finance and Accounting for Non-Financial Professionals

Financial data is the universal language of business. Quarterly results, cost drivers, cash flow, working capital, net profits, margins — these are terms that reveal key issues facing your company. Even the most dynamic and well-liked business leaders will flounder if they lack overall business or financial acumen. Research shows there is a critical need at all levels of an organization for people who are adept at knowing what these concepts really mean, how you can use them to persuade your colleagues, and how to better understand your competitors’ operations.

Through expert instruction, engaging discussion, a business simulation, and real-world case studies, this program will help you master the financial language of business and discover how to make decisions that lead to financial success for your department and your organization. Teams, through a business simulation, will run a company for four years. Along the way will be challenges of working capital, finding sales growth, eroding margins, and budgeting for success. The simulation will be the foundation for the exploration of basic financial concepts and financial statement reporting. Additional activities will develop financial analytical skills.

At the completion of this session, you will have a stronger understanding of business acumen and the language of business. Being able to communicate more effectively with other departments and gain a deeper insight into the operations of the organization and its competitors will drive more successful performance. An organization will also benefit from the participants’ ability to make more timely, cost-effective decisions and identify appropriate initiatives and projects for the future.

• Strengthen your business acumen and understanding of financial language
• Communicate effectively with other departments and executives using accounting terminology and principles
• Get projects approved by backing up proposals with solid financial information
• Acquire valuable insight into the operations of your competitors and suppliers by interpreting their financial statements
• Find out how return on assets (ROA), return on equity (ROE), and other financial ratios can be used
• Assess whether you are building value in your organization
• Make timely, cost-effective decisions
• Identify appropriate initiatives and projects when you know what drives costs in your organization

• Supervisors or managers who want to develop business acumen and confidence in communicating with others from a broader financial perspective
• Directors or executives who want to improve their skills as leaders by looking at their organization more strategically and understanding what is driving performance
• Individuals who want to advance in their careers and benefit by understanding the language of business and operations beyond their current responsibilities
• Entrepreneurs who desire to understand financial acumen to improve their business decision making capabilities and stay ahead of competitors