At some point in your career, the distinction between being a good manager and being a great leader becomes increasingly important. A manager gets things done. A leader creates an environment where other people can get things done and want to.
This distinction becomes particularly relevant as tax professionals progress into senior management and leadership roles. The technical expertise that helped you get there is still important, but it is no longer enough.
For tax professionals in particular, the transition can be challenging. You’re often promoted because you’re technically strong, commercially capable and good at getting things done. But as your career progresses, you have to move from being the person with all the answers to being the person who creates the conditions for others to succeed.
And that can require a very different mindset. The question isn’t just “How good am I at managing?” The question is “What happens to the people and the business because I lead them?”
How do you demonstrate leadership in an interview?
At a senior level, interviewers are often less interested in what you did and more interested in how you brought others with you, influenced decisions and created an outcome through your team.
A few areas to think about:
1. Talk about the outcome through your team, not just yourself
Instead of: “I managed the project and delivered it on time.”
Talk about how you set the direction, delegated responsibility, supported the team and created accountability to deliver the outcome.
2. Demonstrate how you develop people
Be ready with examples of people you’ve coached, mentored or helped progress. What did you identify in them? What did you do differently? What was the outcome?
3. Show how you influence without authority
Particularly for senior tax roles, this is critical. Give examples of where you had to influence Finance, Commercial, Legal, Treasury or senior leadership to change direction or reconsider an approach.
4. Give an example of when you challenged someone senior
Leadership isn’t about being agreeable. Tell them about a situation where you respectfully challenged a CFO, Partner, CEO or other senior stakeholder and explain how you approached it.
5. Show how you deal with ambiguity
Senior leaders rarely have all the information they would ideally like. Think about a situation where you had to make a difficult decision, take a calculated risk or provide direction when the answer wasn’t obvious.
6. Explain your leadership philosophy
You may be asked directly: “What makes you a good leader?” Avoid generic answers around communication and being approachable. Instead, explain what you believe your role is as a leader and how that translates into your day-to-day behaviour.
Want to discuss your tax or treasury career?
Contact Kate Flanagan at kate.flanagan@Barden.ie or via LinkedIn to organise a confidential advisory chat.
