Starting with Systems
I studied industrial and systems engineering. Back then, I didn’t plan to work in finance. I just liked solving problems. I liked finding weak spots in big systems and fixing them.
Engineering taught me to break things down. It taught me to map out a process, test every step, and ask hard questions. When I moved into corporate finance years later, I kept using that mindset.
And it worked.
Systems Help You See the Real Problem
In finance, people often chase symptoms. If profit is down, they cut spending. If revenue is flat, they double marketing.
But those are surface moves. Engineering thinking says: step back. Look at the system.
I once worked with a company that had great sales but low profit. Everyone blamed pricing. I asked to see the whole flow. We mapped the customer journey, invoicing, cash collection, and cost structure.
The problem was buried in the billing system. Invoices were late. Cash was slow. Customers weren’t even paying full price half the time. Fixing that added 12% to net margin in one quarter. No price changes. Just process.
Engineers Don’t Hope. They Model.
Forecasting isn’t guessing. It’s building a model, testing variables, and stress-testing the system.
In engineering, you never build something without testing edge cases. Finance should work the same way.
When I create a budget, I don’t just plan for growth. I run best-case and worst-case scenarios. What if sales drop 10%? What if costs spike?
I don’t wait to be surprised. I want the surprise to happen in the spreadsheet—not real life.
According to McKinsey, companies that use scenario planning grow 30% faster and recover quicker from downturns.
Feedback Loops Keep You Honest
Systems need feedback. If something breaks, you find out fast. If something improves, you measure it.
In finance, too many teams wait until the quarter ends to look at the data. That’s too late.
I build feedback into every process. Weekly reports. Rolling forecasts. Short retrospectives after major decisions.
One habit I push hard is asking, “What changed?” every Friday. What assumption broke? What variable moved? That’s how you stay agile.
Process Thinking > Gut Instinct
Gut decisions feel fast. But they’re fragile.
People overestimate their intuition. A PwC study showed that 55% of leaders still rely on gut feeling for major decisions. That leads to bias and errors.
Engineering teaches you to trust the process. Map it. Measure it. Improve it.
David Rocker once said, “I’ve seen million-dollar decisions made faster when we map them out like an engineering flowchart. It takes the fear out of the unknown.”
I agree. When the process is clear, the decision is easier.
Build Once. Reuse Often.
Engineers love reusable parts. Build a tool once, then apply it everywhere.
Finance can do the same. Reuse models, templates, review processes, and feedback systems.
Don’t build from scratch every time. Build better tools, and let them run.
That’s how you scale your team without doubling your hours.
What You Can Do Today
Want to lead like an engineer? Try these:
1. Map a Core Process
Pick one important process—like billing, budgeting, or hiring. Draw it out. Look for weak spots.
2. Add One Feedback Loop
Pick a metric to review weekly. It could be lead response time, cash balance, or pipeline size. Track it. Share it.
3. Write One “What If” Model
Take your forecast. Add a version where costs rise or revenue falls. What changes?
4. Kill One Gut Habit
Find one decision you keep making on instinct. Turn it into a model. Or a checklist.
5. Share the Process
Make your thinking visible. Let your team see how you make decisions. It builds trust and gets better input.
Final Thoughts
Engineering didn’t teach me finance. It taught me how to think in systems. That mindset made me a better leader.
I don’t just chase results. I design the system behind the results.
That’s what good leadership is: not reacting faster, but building smarter.
