People People
Financial Planning and Analysis can sound very dry, and its easy to assume that the profession lacks warmth and kindness.
But people skills are essential to good FP&A. Here’s why:
Numbers can be intimidating.
Many people carry baggage from bad experiences with math. Data can feel overwhelming or even threatening. A skilled analyst recognizes this and uses their fluency with numbers to make things easier, more understandable, and less stressful. That kind of empathy goes a long way in building trust and unlocking insight across the business.
Ideas come from people.
Some of the most valuable work in FP&A comes not from spreadsheets, but from conversations. When analysts engage with teams across the company, they often uncover ideas, concerns, and possibilities that never show up in the data alone. Listening well—and bringing back analysis that supports or sharpens those ideas—is a powerful way for FP&A to add value.
Analysis means nothing without action.
Understanding people’s motivations and constraints helps analysts frame recommendations that are more likely to be accepted—and implemented. When FP&A is grounded in real relationships, it becomes a catalyst for action, not just a tool for measurement.
My recommendation is to place a strong emphasis on empathy and service when hiring for FP&A. It’s rare that we do math that is more complicated than addition, subtraction, division and multiplication, but every interaction with our colleagues makes a difference to the impact that FP&A can have. Hire for a positive impact.
Where does Fractional FP&A fit in to all this?
Finding someone who’s both analytically sharp and emotionally intelligent can be tough—and often expensive. That’s where Seahorse comes in. You get access to consulting that values numbers and people—bringing empathy, clarity, and collaboration to your planning process. It’s a low-risk, high-impact way to build a finance function that supports your team as much as your strategy.
If you are looking to hire an FP&A consultant, feel free to email me here and we can explore whether Seahorse is a good fit.
