Management Careers

If you want success as a manager, read this: 60% of managers fail in 18 months. But their fate was sealed in the first 90 days. And it's not for lack of effort or talent. It's because they didn't have a plan. I've watched 100s of smart leaders fall into the same trap: - They feel the pressure to add value.  - They try to change everything at once. - They struggle to mask their imposter syndrome. Here's the brutal truth: Nothing predicts success like how you start. And the formula is counterintuitive:  Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast. The First 90-Day Manager Startup Playbook: PHASE 1: FIRST 30 DAYS → ESTABLISH CREDIBILITY Listen Before You Lead ❌ Start making changes based on previous experience ✅ Conduct one-on-ones with every team member ✅ Document patterns without making changes yet ✅ Meet key stakeholders to understand expectations Create Immediate Clarity ❌ Assume everyone knows what you're thinking ✅ Define the team's mission in one clear sentence ✅ Establish 3-5 priorities for the quarter ✅ Document role expectations for each person Build Trust Quickly ❌ Pretend you have all the answers ✅ Admit what you don't know ✅ Honor all existing commitments ✅ Cultivate individual connections PHASE 2: DAYS 31-60 → DRIVE PERFORMANCE Implement Your Cadence ❌ "Keep people honest" with random check-ins ✅ 15-minute sprint standups ✅ Weekly team progress reviews ✅ Bi-weekly one-on-ones with direct reports Address Problems Directly ❌ Hope performance issues resolve themselves ✅ Have tough conversations early ✅ Set specific timelines for progress ✅ Create improvement plans with clear metrics Optimize for Efficiency ❌ Accept "that's how we've always done it" ✅ Create templates for common tasks ✅ Eliminate unnecessary meetings ✅ Automate repetitive processes PHASE 3: DAYS 61-90 → BUILD FOR THE FUTURE Develop Your People ❌ Focus exclusively on their weaknesses ✅ Create 3-bullet development plans ✅ Delegate stretch assignments ✅ Provide weekly specific feedback Create Lasting Systems ❌ Build a culture that runs on heroics ✅ Document key processes ✅ Build simple metric dashboards ✅ Establish regular feedback loops Prepare for What's Next ❌ Live quarter to quarter ✅ Set 6-month team goals ✅ Identify future talent needs ✅ Create your own development plan The biggest mistake managers make? They mistake projecting confidence for showing competence. The smartest ones? They earn the right to lead by:  ✅ Asking better questions ✅ Including people in decisions ✅ Building the systems to win long-term That's how you do more than manage to get by.  You earn the right to lead. ♻️ Share this if it was helpful. 🔖 Save this post so you can reference it later.  🔔 Follow me (Dave Kline) for more leadership insights.

Want to be a quant? Here's a breakdown of different roles and how they interact with one another 🔎 1. **Quantitative Analyst (Quant):** Develop complex models and algorithms to value financial instruments, predict market movements, and identify trading opportunities. Quants work in areas like derivatives pricing, risk management, and algorithmic trading. 2. **Quantitative Trader:** Using quantitative models, these traders make high-frequency trades (HFT) based on market inefficiencies and short-term financial discrepancies. They often work in proprietary trading firms and hedge funds, leveraging algorithms for automated trading strategies. 3. **Quantitative Developer:** These developers build and implement sophisticated computational algorithms and analytical tools used by quantitative analysts and traders. They require strong programming skills in languages like Python, R, C++, and MATLAB. 4. **Risk Manager:** They utilise quantitative methods to assess and mitigate financial risks. This role involves creating models to detect, analyse, and manage risks associated with investments, trading positions, and market movements. 5. **Portfolio Manager:** Use models to determine asset allocation, diversification, and investment strategies for a fund or portfolio. They rely heavily on quantitative research and analysis to maximize return while minimizing risk. 6. **Financial Engineer:** This role involves the creation of new financial products, such as derivatives, for investment, hedging, and trading purposes. Financial engineers need to understand complex financial theories, mathematical models, and computational algorithms. 7. **Data Scientist in Finance:** Analyse big data sets to unearth insights that can inform investment strategies. They employ machine learning, statistical analysis, and predictive modeling in their analyses. 8. **Quantitative Researcher:** Develop new financial models or improve existing ones for forecasting, valuation, or trading strategy purposes. Their work underpins many quantitative strategies and products. 9. **Regulatory Quantitative Analyst:** Specialise in ensuring that financial firms comply with industry regulations. They use quantitative methods to assess the risk management processes and reporting practices of financial institutions. 10. **AI and Machine Learning Engineer** These experts use AI and ML to refine trading algorithms, forecast market trends, and optimise investment strategies. The focus is more on the technical side of building, deploying, and maintaining models within software applications. Find out more by listening to my full conversation with our Head of Engineering Milandeep Bassi, CQF 👉 https://lnkd.in/e7kC7u6A #quantitativefinance #careers #finance #applications

Gen Z does not want to be your next manager. And before you panic, it is worth asking why. Korn Ferry research reveals that Gen Z, born between 1996 and 2010, is one of the most motivated age groups at work. They are tenacious, fast learners and deeply driven to maximise their potential. The issue is not ambition. It is what they are being asked to do with it. In my experience working with this generation, a few things stand out clearly. Gen Z is not fixated on a single profession or career stream. They are open to experimenting, trying different paths, acquiring new skills and pursuing executive education until they find work that genuinely aligns with who they are. They are not building a career in the traditional linear sense. They are building a life, and they want their work to fit into it, not consume it. They are also remarkably clear about what they expect from an organisation. And what they will not tolerate.They do not navigate office politics. They do not manage upwards for the sake of visibility or favour. They do not build relationships strategically to protect their career. They show up, they deliver, and they expect to be recognised for the quality of their contribution rather than for how well they have learned to manage perceptions. In short, they refuse to play games that previous generations accepted as simply part of how organisations work. This is not immaturity. It is clarity. And it is deeply uncomfortable for organisations built on hierarchy, political capital and traditional notions of who is ready for leadership. The reluctance of Gen Z to step into management roles is not a talent problem. It is a mirror. They are reflecting back everything that is broken about how most organisations define and practice leadership. The burnout they have watched in their managers. The ambiguity they experience around expectations. The politics they are unwilling to perform. The gap between what organisations say they value and what they actually reward. If organisations want Gen Z in the leadership pipeline, they need to earn that willingness.That means creating workplaces with clear expectations and fair practices rather than unspoken rules and invisible hierarchies. It means offering reverse mentoring, coaching and buddying to help them ease into managerial roles on their own terms rather than pushing them into structures designed for a different generation. It means showing them a version of leadership that looks like something worth becoming, not something worth surviving. Gen Z will lead. But they will do it on their own terms. The organisations that understand this early will have a significant advantage over those still waiting for this generation to simply fall in line. They are not disengaged. They are discerning. There is a difference. And it matters enormously for the future of your leadership pipeline.

Everyone's chasing IB and FP&A. Nobody's noticing risk management. That's the mistake. I get 50 messages a week: "How do I break into investment banking?" "What's the path to FP&A?" Nobody asks about risk management. That's exactly why you should. Here's what's happening: RBI compliance tightening = NBFCs need risk teams Basel III regulations = banks need risk analysts IL&FS crisis = regulators forcing risk hiring Demand: Exploding Supply: Nearly zero The 8-level path: Level 1: Academic Base Any bachelor's in finance, economics, math. Your starting point. Level 2: Risk Specialization Choose your certification path: → FRM (most recognized globally) → CFA with risk electives → PRM (faster, cheaper) Pick one. Commit. Level 3: Learn Tools You need 9 tools: Core: Excel, Python, R, SQL Visualization: Power BI, Tableau Advanced: SAS, SPSS, Monte Carlo tools 6 months to learn all 9. Level 4: Practical Exposure Get an internship. Credit risk at a bank. Market risk at an NBFC. Operational risk at insurance. Live projects beat classroom learning. Level 5: Industry Certifications FRM = ₹60K investment, global recognition PRM = ₹30K investment, faster completion Return? ₹4-6 LPA salary jump. Level 6: Entry-Level Roles Risk Analyst positions at: → HDFC Bank, ICICI, Axis → Bajaj Finance, Muthoot → Insurance companies Starting salary: ₹6-10 LPA Level 7: Stay Current Regulations change quarterly. Basel norms update annually. RBI guidelines shift constantly. Your job is to stay ahead. Level 8: Leadership Track Risk Analyst → Senior → Manager → CRO 10-15 years to C-suite. The compensation reality: Years 1-3: ₹6-10 LPA Years 4-7: ₹12-20 LPA Years 8-12: ₹25-40 LPA Years 15+: ₹60 LPA to ₹2 Cr (CRO level) Why nobody talks about this: It's not sexy like investment banking. It's not trendy like private equity. But it's stable. High paying. And desperately needed. The career advantages: ✅ Better work-life balance than consulting ✅ More job security than trading ✅ Less competition than IB ✅ Clear path to C-suite ----- Jeetain Kumar, FMVA® Founder of FCP Consulting Interested in risk management but don't know the path? Book a consultation with me. 30 minutes. I'll: → Compare FRM vs PRM vs CFA for your profile → Give you a 6-month skill-building roadmap → Share which companies are actively hiring → Show you which tools to learn first Limited slots. Link in comments. ↓

Getting the offer is just the beginning. How you show up in the first 90 days sets the tone for everything that follows. Most people focus on looking impressive. But if you want to succeed, not just survive, you need a plan. Here’s how to master your new role in the first 90 days: 1. Learn before you lead. Ask questions. Observe team dynamics. Understand the systems, the culture, and the real decision-makers. The people who listen well early on earn trust faster. 2. Build strong relationships intentionally. Your work matters. But who trusts you to deliver it matters more. Set up 1:1s. Learn what success looks like to your manager, your peers, and your cross-functional partners. 3. Align with impact, not noise. Don’t try to do everything. Find the problems that matter most and start solving those. Show that you understand what’s valuable and where your work fits into the bigger picture. 4. Communicate what you’re learning. You don’t need to show off. But share progress, ideas, and insights. Let people know how you're ramping and where you're focused. 5. Set the tone for how you work. The boundaries you set now are harder to redraw later. Start with clarity. Protect your time. Model how you want to operate long-term. The first 90 days aren’t about proving yourself. They’re about building a foundation that makes the next 9 months count. Move with intention, not anxiety. That’s how you lead from day one.

I spent this weekend mentoring and coaching a bunch of first-time managers online. Almost all their problems sounded the same. On one side, there was the team member who never did what was asked. On the other, there was the team member who questioned every single decision, leaving the manager feeling challenged and frustrated.   Well... Welcome to the world of people management! 😀 The fundamental truth about managing people is simple. It is not a one-size-fits-all sport. You cannot manage Ramesh the same way you manage Priya. And you definitely cannot manage both of them the way your previous manager managed you. One framework I have always relied on while advising first-time managers is Hersey and Blanchard’s Situational Leadership model. The model is beautifully simple. Every team member has a readiness level, which is really a mix of skill and will for a specific task. Your job as a manager is to match your leadership style to that readiness level of the team member. Let me break it down with some very familiar types of office characters. R1: Raju, the enthusiastic fresher. He joined 6months ago. Full of energy. Zero clue. He wants to do well but has no idea where to begin. Your style here is to tell him clearly what to do, step by step, and keep checking in. Do not mistake enthusiasm for capability. R2: Sunita, the willing learner who keeps getting it wrong. She is sincere. She attends every training session. But she is still making mistakes and needs to understand why her work matters. Your style here is to coach and explain. Help her see the rationale. Appreciate the effort. Stay close. Do not back off just because she seems eager. R3: Vikram, the star who has suddenly gone quiet. He knows his job inside out. But something has dented his confidence. Your style here is to involve him. Listen carefully. Encourage him. Ask for his opinion. Give him shared ownership. He does not need instructions. He needs belief. R4: Meghna, the self-sufficient rock. She delivers. Always. She does not need hand-holding and in fact resents it. Your style here is to delegate and step back. Check in once in a while. Trust her fully. Micromanaging Meghna is the fastest way to lose her. This is the single most powerful reframe I give every first-time manager, I work with - Assess the readiness. →  Match the style. → Repeat. And yes, please note - the same person can be R1 for a new task and R4 for something they have done a hundred times. The model applies to tasks too, not just people. Now apply the above and lead well, Hope this helps. :) #HappyCorporateSouls #SituationalLeadership #Leadership #PeopleManagement #Mentoring #Management 

🚨 Why is Gen Z Rejecting Middle Management? And What Can We Do About It? 🚨 The latest Financial Times article highlights a growing workplace crisis: Gen Z is turning away from middle management roles. For years, middle management has been the backbone of organisations—translating strategy into action, developing talent, and keeping teams motivated. But today’s young professionals (myself included) are saying "no, thank you." Why? Here are some hard truths: 🔥 Burnout Culture – Many saw their millennial predecessors crushed under the weight of long hours, poor work-life balance, and unrealistic expectations. They’re asking: Why would I step into that? 🔥 Lack of Meaningful Leadership – Gen Z wants impactful work and authentic leadership. They don’t just want to "manage" for the sake of it—they want to drive real change. Too often, middle management is tasked with bureaucracy over innovation. 🔥 Limited Autonomy & Growth – Rather than climbing the traditional corporate ladder, Gen Z is creating their own paths—starting businesses, freelancing, and opting for roles with more flexibility. Middle management often comes with more responsibility but little real power. 🔥 The Pay Doesn’t Justify the Pain – Many see middle managers taking on huge emotional burdens (handling layoffs, toxic work environments, and high-pressure KPIs) without adequate compensation or recognition. 💡 So, what’s the solution? If businesses want to attract and retain young leaders, the system must evolve. Here’s how: ✅ Redesign Middle Management – Make it a role that fosters creativity, strategic thinking, and leadership development, rather than just a "buffer" between executives and staff. ✅ Empower Managers with Real Influence – Give middle managers decision-making power to drive meaningful change. No one wants to be stuck enforcing policies they have no say in. ✅ Invest in Leadership Development – Provide mentorship, coaching, and training to equip Gen Z with the skills (and motivation) to lead. ✅ Rethink Pay & Benefits – If we want to attract top talent, compensation must reflect responsibility. Higher salaries, equity options, and mental health support should be non-negotiables. ✅ Flexible Career Paths – Not everyone wants to follow a rigid corporate trajectory. Companies should create alternative leadership paths that allow for lateral moves, innovation projects, and entrepreneurial ventures. Gen Z isn’t lazy or afraid of hard work. They’re simply rejecting broken systems. If we want to nurture the next generation of leaders, we need to fix the leadership pipeline. What do you think? Have you seen this trend in your workplace? How can we make middle management a role that excites, rather than exhausts? Let’s discuss 👇🏾 #Leadership #FutureOfWork #GenZ #MiddleManagement #WorkplaceCulture #Careers Photo Credit: Financial Times

Your First Leadership Role Will Humble You. No book or course can prepare you for the reality of leading people for the first time.   I have coached hundreds of first-time managers, and here is what separates those who grow from those who burn out: 1/ Empower, Don’t Hover Create clarity, then step back. Micromanagement suffocates trust and creativity. 2/ Address Issues Early Difficult conversations only get heavier with time. Resolve them before they drain the team. 3/ Make Feedback a Habit Specific feedback given regularly builds momentum. Recognition given in the moment builds trust. 4/ Lead Each Person Differently Understand what drives each individual and adjust your style to unlock their best work. 5/ Listen First, Speak Second Your team’s ideas are often better than you think. Give them space before you give direction. 6/ Think Beyond the Urgent Step away from the noise. Block time for strategy, reflection, and developing future leaders. 7/ Stay Human Mistakes will happen. Own them, learn from them, and model growth for your team. Leadership is not about showing strength at all times. It is about creating an environment where people can do their best work and where you keep evolving too. Which of these seven lessons speaks to you the most right now?

I started my career as an investigative journalist. The first lesson they teach you: the most important story is usually the one no one is talking about yet. Right now, that story is happening inside your leadership pipeline. Gen Z professionals, the people you're banking on to become your next wave of GMs, CEOs and CFOs, are quietly opting out of management. Not because they lack ambition but because they're doing the maths. "I watched my manager age ten years in two. No thanks." "High stress, low reward, and everyone blames you when the strategy doesn't land. Ill skip." A recent survey cited in the FT found half of Gen Z professionals are uninterested in middle management, with nearly 70% viewing those roles as exactly that: high stress, low reward. In financial and corporate services, this has real consequences: → Succession pipelines are thinner, → The 'high potential' list is full of people who may quietly just want to step sideways or stay where they are, → Leadership development ROI collapses if no one wants it. The organisations winning this right now are redesigning what leadership looks like. If you're building a C-suite team in APAC and want a frank conversation about what the pipeline actually looks like, my DMs are open. What's the most compelling reason you've seen a top performer turn down a leadership role?

Interested in finance careers? Master quantitative & technological skills. Finance is evolving—firms don’t just want people who can think about markets, they want people who can analyse and automate them. Whether you're in investment banking, asset management, or hedge funds, these skills will give you an edge: 📊 Excel & Financial Modeling – The backbone of finance. I. Building financial models – DCF, LBO, merger models. II. Sensitivity & Scenario Analysis – Understanding how key variables impact valuation. III. VBA & Excel Automation – Enhancing portfolio analysis and financial workflows. 📈 Data Science & Quantitative Analysis – Markets are driven by data, and those who can analyse it win. I. Python & R for Data Analysis – Portfolio optimisation, factor modeling, and asset allocation. II. Machine Learning in Asset Management – Predictive analytics, NLP for news sentiment, AI-driven trading. III. Monte Carlo Simulations & Stochastic Models – Risk modeling and stress testing portfolios. 🖥 Bloomberg & Financial Databases – The tools every analyst needs. I. Bloomberg Terminal, FactSet, Refinitiv – Extracting market data and running analysis. II. Interpreting Economic Indicators – Using real-time data to drive investment decisions. ⚡ Algorithmic & Quant Trading – The future of markets is automated. I. High-Frequency Trading (HFT) – Executing thousands of trades per second using ultra-low latency. II. Statistical Arbitrage – Using quantitative models to exploit mispricings. III. Risk Parity Strategies – Balancing risk-weighted exposure across asset classes. The best finance professionals aren’t just good with numbers—they know how to leverage technology to make smarter, faster decisions. Which of these quant skills are you working on? Follow me, Afzal Hussein, to break into the industry faster. #Finance #Banking #Careers