​Tips to becoming a great leader

FRS 102 Revised Seminar Brings South Yorkshire Finance Leaders Together

In collaboration with Shorts Chartered Accountants, we recently hosted a seminar for senior finance professionals from across the region.The event brought together a number of Finance Directors, Financial Controllers and senior leaders from across the region for a morning of insight, discussion and networking over breakfast. It was a pleasure to welcome so many familiar faces, alongside new contacts, reflecting the strength and depth of the Yorkshire finance community. The seminar was presented by Howard Freeman, Audit & Accounts Partner, and Andy Ryder, Corporate Finance Partner at Shorts. We are extremely grateful to both speakers for sharing their time and expertise, and for delivering a clear, practical overview of the forthcoming changes to FRS 102, which came into effect on 1 January 2026 and are expected to impact a significant number of UK businesses. The session explored what is changing and why, particularly in relation to lease accounting and revenue recognition, and considered what the updates mean in practice for finance teams and business leaders. The speakers also addressed the new reporting requirements under FRS 102, the potential impact on EBITDA and valuation methodologies, and the key considerations for organisations as they prepare for implementation. Rather than focusing purely on technical detail, the seminar encouraged broader discussion around readiness, communication with stakeholders and the commercial implications of the changes. This led to a highly engaged Q&A session, with attendees sharing perspectives and experiences from their own organisations. At Sharp Consultancy, we are committed to supporting the finance community beyond recruitment alone. Events such as this form part of our ongoing effort to create opportunities for connection, knowledge-sharing and professional development among senior finance professionals. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to Shorts for partnering with us on this event, and in particular to Howard and Andy for delivering such an informative and thought-provoking session. We are also grateful to everyone who attended and contributed to the discussion. We look forward to hosting further events in the coming months and continuing to work closely with our network of finance leaders across the region.If you would like to discuss how these changes may impact your finance team, or if you are considering strengthening your leadership function, please contact us for a confidential conversation.

Read article

You’ve worked hard and have just gained a promotion to a new management role. Whether it’s your first time in a leadership position or you’re moving to a new company, here are our suggestions on how to inspire and win the trust of your team.

Start as you mean to go on

Set the tone of your leadership style –people will be watching and listening as they develop their perceptions of you, so it is important that you come across as someone who is confident in the position but is also open to others having the opportunity to share their views.

Inspire from the outset

Make people aware of what it is that you are looking to achieve; ensure that there is clarity to your ambitions and communicate your goals in a way that others can understand what their contribution needs to be and inspires them to work with you to achieve them.

Involve others in making things happen

Good leaders recognise that it is impossible for them to do everything themselves. Delegate and trust others with particular areas of responsibility and give them the tools and the confidence that they need to enable them to develop their own solutions.

Set the right example

Be passionate, enthusiastic and proud of what you are looking to achieve. Recognise and praise the achievements of those around you and be sure to share good news with your team to help them stay motivated and inspired.

Bridge the gap between employees and the senior team

Whilst it is not necessarily possible – or advisable – to be the boss and one of the gang, it is important to demonstrate that everyone is on the same side and is working towards a common goal.

Let people make mistakes

Avoid the temptation of stepping in too early and instead allow people to work through problems and develop possible solutions for themselves, offering support and guidance where it is most needed.

No ideas are bad ideas

Encourage your team to develop ideas and innovate. Give clear guidelines and deadlines to ensure everything stays on track and create enthusiasm for coming up with new and different solutions.

Don’t be afraid to take a few risks

Be prepared to take calculated risks to ensure you continue to move forward with new ideas.

Make strong and credible decisions

Take note of all the information that is available and gather the thoughts and opinions of those around that you trust - when the time comes, have a plan in mind of how you will make things happen.

Sharp Consultancy specialises in the recruitment of temporary, interim and permanent finance professionals. With offices in Leeds and Sheffield our highly experienced team of consultants recruit for positions throughout Yorkshire and beyond. CONTACT US today and see how we can help.