Timestamps:

0:40 - Welcome to today’s episode with guest Kelly Battles

2:10 - Kelly’s biggest piece of advice for young people

4:22 - Knowing when to take a risk vs. opt out

7:15 - Practical and tactical tips for work-life balance

9:22 - What makes a good CFO

12:58 - The biggest mistake companies make in execution

16:23 - Kelly’s most inspirational figures

18:58 - Kelly sums up her purpose in one sentence

19:51 - Rapid-fire questions

Today, we hear from Kelly Battles, a seasoned leader, CFO, and board member for many enterprises at the forefront of innovation. From an education from Princeton and Harvard to changing the world one board seat at a time, Kelly knows what it takes to lead teams and scale businesses.

To kick off the conversation, Kelly shares the most valuable lessons she learned in her education. Her high school history teacher not only taught her the importance of paying attention to current events and being a global citizen, but also that the secret to being an impactful leader is sharing your passion. Kelly has kept in touch with this teacher through the years and imparted these learnings to her own children.

Early in her career, Kelly worked for well-known companies such as JP Morgan Chase, McKinsey, and HP. Looking back, she shares that most of the risks she has taken during her career thus far have been about jumping into new things. But risk-taking is also about knowing when to opt out. While she advises young people to say yes to things often, she also believes there comes a point when saying no with intention is helpful for recharging your own batteries.

When it comes to work-life balance, Kelly is a big believer in prioritization. In her own life, she prioritizes family, friends, faith, work, and self-care. It all comes down to being intentional and balanced and making sure your time matches up with your priorities.

Kelly has served as CFO for various organizations throughout her career. A good CFO, she reveals, can find the balance between the heart of a customer servant and the mind of a police detective. At the root, CFOs are there to serve their internal and external stakeholders and to help scale the company as efficiently as possible. At the same time, they have to keep the company compliant with specific rules and parameters.

Later in the conversation, Kelly reveals the biggest mistake companies make with regard to execution: overreacting to the fear and greed cycle. The strongest and smartest organizations are disciplined during the greedy times and lead with strength during the tougher times. As the episode shifts to a more personal note, Kelly shares that her parents have been her biggest inspiration in life. Then, she sums up her purpose in one sentence. Finally, she engages in a rapid-fire round of questions.

Learn more about Kelly Battles
Find more episodes of Inspired Execution here.

Inspired Execution

Kelly Battles

Board Member, Former CFO (various companies)

Knowing When to Take a Risk and When to Opt Out with Kelly Battles

Episode Transcript