Learn ‘the language of business’ with one-day accounting course

May 9, 2019

This paid piece is sponsored by the USD Beacom School of Business.

No matter what your role as a business leader, you must have an understanding of financial basics or run the risk of poor decision-making.

A one-day course can help equip you with a sense of financial acumen that will empower you and your employees to make strategic decisions that will benefit your organization.

The Language of Business: Accounting for Decision Making will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 13 at the University Center in Sioux Falls.

Taught by Matt Heard as part of the USD Beacom School of Business executive education program, you’ll learn to:

  • Identify and understand how to interpret the key financial statements for any organization.
  • Determine the factors and variables to use to make lease versus buy decisions.
  • Recognize when it is most beneficial to finance a purchase versus paying with cash.
  • Utilize financial information to make strategic business decisions.
  • Develop a financial vocabulary so you can confidently talk to your employees, CFO and financial service providers.
  • Understand basic business budgeting and cash flow forecasting.

Matt Heard was a long-term care facility administrator before coming to USD as a specialist in the finance office. That’s where he was inspired to begin teaching, so he knows how to apply lessons from the classroom in the workplace.

We caught up with him for a preview of his course.

The course is called The Language of Business: Accounting for Decision Making. How much of a need are you hearing from businesses to teach this “language?” Are many people in management roles without understanding the basics of finance?

Finance and accounting information is used by such a wide variety of people, from managers and employees to vendors and creditors. A lot of times, we tend to promote people who do a great job, are loyal, dependable, good leaders — all great management attributes. Sometimes, these folks just don’t have the financial acumen to speak the language, or it is something they have long-since forgotten they have learned at one point.

Depending on where they sit in the organization, many managers might feel like they don’t see the complete financial picture. Can they begin to make more thoughtful financial decisions anyway?

Absolutely. In fact, sometimes it is advantageous to just be able to focus on your “slice” of the company without worrying about things that don’t affect your area and you have little to no control over.

What’s your teaching style like? What can participants expect your course to be like?

I teach with a lot of interaction, lots of group activities and discussions. This not only gives you a break from lecture, but it brings in different points of view that I may not have conveyed. Everyone has a different background, and this knowledge all combined is pretty powerful.

How much would you say a participant would be able to broaden his or her financial acumen in just one day through this course?

I think there is potential to learn quite a bit. It is really beneficial for those with little knowledge but is also a good refresher for those who may have had some training but would like to expand their skills.

What kind of professional is a good fit for your course?

People who have been newly hired as managers that may not have had much or any formal training in financial statements, accounting and financial decision-making would really benefit the most.

What are some things that course participants will be able to immediately apply in their workplace after they complete the class?

My goal is that they take away the vocabulary and basic understanding of finance and accounting, and how it is in play each day in their organization. Even if someone hasn’t had any or little formal training, they are often surprised at how much they actually know.

Register soon and you’ll qualify for an early bird discount! Click here to learn more and register.

 

 

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Learn ‘the language of business’ with one-day accounting course

No matter what your role as a business leader, you must have an understanding of financial basics or run the risk of poor decision-making. This one-day course can set you up for success.

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