The second round of the Finance for Non-Finance Professionals workshop was held last week in a one-day virtual session. Delivered by training partner Franklin Covey, the program equips professionals with the foundational business and financial knowledge needed to better support organizational goals and contribute more effectively to the bottom line.
Senior Consultant Cris Lang provided practical tools to boost financial literacy and deepen understanding of key business drivers such as cash flow, profitability, and margin. The session emphasized how every employee can play a role in strategic decision-making by understanding how the business operates from a leadership perspective.
Participants began by sharing common challenges around financial fluency, including decoding business terminology and finding time for deeper learning. One attendee shared:
“In my role I see my department’s piece of the financials, but when it gets to the bigger picture—especially on earnings calls—I’m really not sure I understand because there are so many terms being used.”
The morning focused on the bigger picture of business operations and the story financials tell about an organization’s health. Attendees worked in groups to apply their learning through real-world exercises and case studies, while also building cross-functional relationships.
The afternoon drilled down into commonly used financial terms and concepts, with an emphasis on practical application. Participants also explored “The 5 Essential Elements of a Business” and reviewed components of financial reports, including income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements.
Key takeaways included increased confidence in decision-making and a clearer understanding of financial terminology:
“Learning the language was my biggest takeaway. Now I feel more empowered to make decisions without always needing to involve upper management. And if I don’t know the answers, now I know what questions to ask.”
— Program Participant
The session concluded with an overview of post-program support, including on-demand resources such as micro-courses, articles, videos, and guided mini-mentoring sessions.
Energy Workforce would like to thank Strategic Partners Chevron and SLB for their support.
For more information on upcoming Energy Workforce training programs, contact Vice President, Programs & Events Peggy Helfert.
Peggy Helfert, Vice President Programs & Events, writes about the Energy Workforce’s sector-specific best practices and leadership. Click here to subscribe to the Energy Workforce newsletter, which highlights sector-specific issues, best practices, activities and more.
