Which FD’s are the happiest?
Who are the happiest FDs and how do you optimise your chances of joining that elusive group?!
I’ve met / interviewed over 3000 FDs in my career so far.
Thousands of impressively capable finance professionals – qualified or QBE. I met another amazing one this morning!
The same topics come up over and over when it comes to what underpins fulfilment and what leads to unhappiness.
These are the 7 key things I would think about if I was an FD / Designate FD / Head of Finance / FC if I wanted to optimise my chances of being happy in my career:
1) The MD / CEO you work for is > important than the sector you choose.
The relationship you have with the MD / CEO (and the rest of the Board players) is usually way more impactful on your sense of fulfilment in a job than what the business actually does. FDs / CFOs who work with leaders that they gel with & have similar values tend to be extremely positive when they describe their situation. This is a MASSIVE factor. If everything else is right but the two of you just don’t rub along well and have ongoing tension then it’s very challenging.
2) The appetite for a business to invite new ideas and change is > important than how they are doing in terms of growth trajectory, profit or cash position.
Most finance folk are pretty tenacious and thick skinned. They can handle working in businesses that are having tough trading periods, where cash is tight or when profit is under threat. AS LONG AS the business is not resistant to innovation and fresh perspective. Being a sailor in choppy waters is often invigorating and can be highly satisfying. But trying to steer a boat where nobody wants you to touch the wheel can be exhausting.
3) The level of autonomy and trust you are given is > important than the job title.
One of the biggest misconceptions in finance careers is that happiness sits in the next title. Whether you are CFO, FD, Designate FD, or Head of Finance the level of autonomy to get stuck in and add value is vital.
In reality, a lot of fulfilment comes from being trusted to do your job. Being listened to. Having your opinion sought out. Being allowed to influence decisions rather than simply report on them. The happiest FDs tend to feel like business leaders who happen to be finance professionals. The unhappiest often feel like scorekeepers or bean counts.
4) The quality of the finance team around you is > important than your own capability.
Strong FDs can carry weaker teams for a period of time. But eventually it becomes draining. Many of the frustrations I hear aren’t actually about strategy, boards, lenders or investors. They’re about spending every day firefighting because there isn’t enough capability, capacity or accountability within the finance function.
The happiest finance leaders tend to have built teams they genuinely enjoy working with. Teams that take ownership. Teams that solve problems rather than escalate every problem. A great finance team gives an FD space to think and get into the strategy and vision. And thinking time is often what separates a rewarding role from a frustrating one.
5) Progress is > important than perfection.
One thing that surprises people is how often finance leaders in imperfect businesses describe themselves as happy.
The systems aren’t perfect. The reporting isn’t perfect. The commercial decisions aren’t always perfect. The money available for investment isn’t perfect. The market they are in isn’t perfect. But they can see progress.
Humans are remarkably tolerant of problems when they believe things are moving in the right direction. What creates frustration is stagnation. Feeling like you’re solving the same issue for the tenth time. Having the same conversations. Watching the same bad habits repeat themselves month after month. The happiest FDs don’t necessarily have fewer problems. They just feel like the business is learning and evolving.
6) Values alignment is > important than your basic salary / package once you reach a certain level.
Of course money matters. Cost of living is brutally spiralling. Nobody works for free. But once people reach a level where they feel fairly rewarded, discussions around happiness tend to shift.
They start talking to us more frequently and passionately about culture. Integrity. Decision-making. How people are treated. Whether the business / leadership team does what it says it will do.
I’ve seen finance leaders take pay cuts to join businesses they believed in and I’ve seen others leave highly paid roles because the culture was draining the life out of them. The happiest FDs usually feel some degree of pride around where they work. That matters more than many people realise.
And perhaps the biggest one of all…
7) The happiest FDs don’t build their life and identity entirely around being an FD.
The role is important. But it isn’t everything. The finance leaders who seem most content tend to have fulfilling lives outside work too. We talk about Family. Friends. Hobbies. Fitness. Interests that have absolutely nothing to do with month-end reporting, audits or forecasts.
Because no job – even a great one – should sap the energy and time away from spokes on the wheel of life.
So who are the happiest FDs????
In my experience, they’re rarely the ones with the biggest titles.
They’re the ones who trust their CEO, feel trusted in return, are sensibly remunerated, have room to make a difference, work with good people and can see the impact of what they do.
Simple. Right?
But not always easy to find.
Which is why it’s worth being deliberate about the opportunities you choose to take and the ones you opt to stay in.
Thanks as always for reading. If you are looking to recruit into your finance function in 2026 it would be great to speak. John
