Sheridan Lloyd · Diagnostic Tool

Finance Leadership
Score

Eight questions. Five minutes. A clear picture of whether your finance leadership is keeping pace with your business — and what, if anything, needs to change.

Time 5 minutes

Categories 8 areas assessed

Result Instant green / amber / red verdict

01 Finance function structure Foundation

How would you describe your current finance leadership?

We have a bookkeeper or accounts assistant — no qualified finance leader We have a part-qualified or newly qualified accountant in a finance manager role We have a qualified FD or CFO, fractional or permanent, but capacity is limited We have a strong, experienced FD or CFO who is actively involved in strategic decisions

02 Financial visibility Clarity

How quickly and confidently can you access accurate management information?

We rely on year-end accounts — monthly or quarterly reporting doesn't really exist We get monthly figures but they're often late or I'm not confident in their accuracy We have monthly management accounts but limited analysis or forward-looking insight We have timely, accurate MI with KPIs, cash flow forecasting and variance analysis

03 Cash flow and forecasting Control

How far ahead can you see your cash position with confidence?

We manage cash reactively — surprises happen and I find out too late I have a rough sense of cash but no formal 13-week or rolling forecast We have a cash forecast but it's not always updated or reliable under pressure We have a live, rolling 13-week cash forecast that I trust and use to make decisions

04 Strategic finance involvement Leverage

How involved is your finance function in commercial and strategic decisions?

Finance is purely compliance — tax, payroll, invoicing. No strategic input. Finance provides numbers when asked but isn't part of commercial conversations Finance is consulted on major decisions but isn't a consistent strategic voice Finance sits at the table — our FD or CFO challenges, models and shapes strategy

05 Business inflection points Timing

Which of the following best describes where your business is right now?

We're approaching a funding round, sale, MBO or significant acquisition Our FD or finance lead has recently left or is about to leave We're growing fast and the finance function is struggling to keep pace We're in a stable period — no immediate trigger but I want to sense-check the function

06 Finance team capability Depth

If your most senior finance person left tomorrow, how exposed would you be?

Critically exposed — the function would effectively stop Significantly exposed — we'd manage basics but lose all strategic capability Somewhat exposed — there's some depth but a clear gap would open up Well covered — the team has depth and we could manage the transition

07 Founder confidence Trust

How confident are you in the financial information you're making decisions from?

Not confident — I often question whether the numbers I'm seeing are right Partially confident — the basics are fine but I lack depth and forward visibility Mostly confident — but there are gaps I'm aware of and working around Fully confident — I trust my numbers and use them actively to run the business

08 Finance leadership fit Alignment

How well does your current finance leadership match the complexity and stage of your business?

It doesn't — the business has outgrown the finance function significantly Partial fit — adequate for now but I can see it becoming a problem Reasonable fit — but I'm not sure it's right for where we're heading Strong fit — the finance function is well matched to our current stage and ambition

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Finance Leadership
Score