How to avoid chaos in insurance finance operations

A few years back, I walked into a leadership review feeling bulletproof. We had just rolled out a new finance ops system. It was sleek. Integrated. Expensive. The kind of setup that made it look like we had everything figured out. Slide deck loaded. Dashboards crisp. KPIs auto-updating like magic. Then halfway through the presentation, our COO squinted at the cash flow projection and asked: “Why is accounts payable reversing in Q3?” I blinked. Then blinked again. Turns out, the automation rules in our shiny new system were duplicating vendor prepaids—because someone had toggled a sync setting during implementation. A few lines of code gave us two versions of the truth, and neither was right. It reminded me of giving a toddler a chainsaw. Just because the tool is powerful doesn’t mean it’s helping. Here’s what that mess taught me: => 1. Simplicity is not a lack of sophistication—it’s clarity. A lean system forces you to understand the mechanics before you automate them. Complexity doesn’t equal competence. => 2. Finance ops isn’t about tech. It’s about truth. You don’t need 17 dashboards. You need one that’s right. Start with clean data, tight processes, and a team that knows where the bodies are buried. => 3. Every tool adds friction if it’s not aligned with process. Adding more tech without a clear objective is like adding wings to a car and expecting it to fly. Now it’s just heavier and still can’t leave the ground. => 4. If it takes 10 clicks to validate a number, your team won’t check it. That’s how errors slip through—buried in layers of abstraction, hidden behind UI. => 5. Most finance problems are process problems in disguise. Tech can speed up your work, but it can’t fix bad habits. It just automates the chaos. => 6. Don’t be dazzled by dashboards. Look under the hood. If your reconciliations are manual and your assumptions are guesses, no tool is going to save you. => 7. When in doubt, build a better process, not a bigger stack. The most effective teams I’ve worked with ran on shared logic, tight spreadsheets, and ruthless version control. So now, before I recommend a new platform or workflow tool, I ask one question: Are we solving the problem or decorating it? If your finance ops feel overengineered, underperforming, or just...exhausting—what would happen if you cut half the stack and doubled down on process?

Last year, I stepped into a microfinance institution in crisis: They were bleeding money, losing valuable staff, and disappointing customers. What I discovered was shocking… → 2-hour tasks were dragging on for 2 days   → Staff turnover was so high that training couldn’t keep up   → Frustrated customers were waiting weeks for basic loan approvals  The entire operation ran on unwritten rules and tribal knowledge. No documentation. No systems. Just chaos. Without intervention, they risked losing their biggest clients. Here’s how we turned it around: Step 1: Diagnosing the Problem → We interviewed every team member   → Mapped critical workflows   → Pinpointed the biggest bottlenecks  Step 2: Transforming the Process   → Developed clear, digital process maps for everyone to follow   → Established fail-proof SOPs for loan processing   → Implemented automated approval triggers to streamline workflows  The results? → Loan processing time was slashed by 50%   → Staff turnover dropped by 65%   → Customer satisfaction soared by 88%  The Big Takeaway: When processes are clear, people perform. And when people perform, profits follow. The best part? These results aren’t unique – they’re repeatable. If your business is grappling with similar challenges, drop a “👋” in the comments, and let’s talk about turning chaos into clarity. Vincent Munderu, Credit|Operations|Strategic Leader

"Oh, Sarah used to handle that before she left. But she didn’t write it down." Jen screams into the void Here's what just happened. Sarah took your entire AML program with her when she walked out that door. All that institutional knowledge? Gone. That clever workaround for the system glitch? Vanished. The reason why you check that specific data point? Nobody knows anymore. I get it. Documentation is dull. But here's the thing. It’s your insurance policy against chaos. Think about it: Regulator looking for evidence of compliance? Documentation. Audit wants proof you follow your own processes? Documentation. New team member needs training yesterday? Documentation. CEO randomly asks "How does this actually work?" Documentation. When someone's asking why you cleared that wire to Sketchy Island Holdings LLC, you can’t talk about your gut feeling, you need to point them to the process you followed. So write it down (like, actually written, not "oh Sarah knows that"): ✅ Step by step breakdown of every key process in gory detail, so anyone could, in a pinch, perform that function ✅ Identification and details of all workarounds whether they are system related or manual in nature and what the workaround is compensating for. ✅ How processes (and which ones) are connected and/or interdependent ✅ Decision making authority and escalations I've watched organizations scramble trying to recreate what Sarah knew. Trying to reverse-engineer processes from paper breadcrumbs, email, slack and prayer. Meanwhile, the work isn’t getting done or is being done...poorly. Write. It. Down.

I once waited outside a CFO’s office to discuss IPO-readiness.  I asked the Receptionist about office timing and the answer was profound. The receptionist said, “Our office hours are 9:30AM–6PM… except finance—during month close and audits they’re here most nights.” If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. 𝑇𝑜𝑝 5% 𝑜𝑓 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑒𝑠 𝑎𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑒𝑣𝑒 𝐹𝑎𝑠𝑡 & 𝐸𝑎𝑠𝑦 𝐹𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑐𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑒 & 𝑅𝑒𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑜𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑚𝑜𝑛𝑡ℎ𝑙𝑦 𝑚𝑖𝑑-𝑛𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑛𝑚𝑜𝑖𝑙.  𝐻𝑜𝑤 𝑑𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑑𝑜 𝑖𝑡? There isn’t one magic bullet. A fast, reliable close takes 3–12 months of steady work across People, Process, and Technology. Below is a pragmatic finance close playbook from 25+ years of my experience across startups and MNCs. [Journey of CFO Series - 5] 𝐄𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡-𝐄𝐧𝐝 “𝐋𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐧”: 𝐀 𝐂𝐅𝐎’𝐬 𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐳𝐲 𝐂𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞 The 10-Point Close Playbook 1) Tame upstream data (Operations → Finance GL) 2) Run a D-calendar—not a to-do list 3) Kill the “it’s just 15-30 minutes in Excel” trap 4) Make the full tasks graph visible 5) Lock your reporting backbone 6) Make analysis a control, not an afterthought 7) One chart of accounts; two worlds in sync 8) No adjustments outside the system. Ever. 9) Enable the team to succeed 10) Run the close with operating metrics Many CFOs overlook the messy, error-prone close because it feels high effort with low short-term payoff—until it fails and lands in front of the Audit Committee. Meanwhile, Controllers are left firefighting without budget or air cover. Some forward-looking CFOs invest leadership time and resources to modernize controllership—standardize, automate, and govern the close—creating a durable foundation for the Office of the CFO. Act now and turn the closing into a growth enabler. 𝐂𝐡𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐂𝐅𝐎𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐬: 𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐲—don’t be the boiling frog. #resultlane #financereporting #financeclose #lifeofCFO #lifeofFC #CFOlife #financeconsolidation #financeautomation

🛑 What if I told you your entire business operations could be out of sync at balance date… and no one’s even noticed? That’s the reality when data isn’t updated or accurate, whether using a project management tool or a simple spreadsheet. Sounds small, right? But it has BIG consequences. 💥 Why does it matter? Because on balance day, when finance adjusts general ledger accounts, they rely on your data to reflect the true financial state. But what if costs, timelines, or revenue allocations are incorrect? 👉 Financial statements become distorted 👉 Adjustments are rushed and reactive 👉 Risk exposure skyrockets 👉 Executive confidence drops This isn’t theory. From my experience managing a PMO, I saw firsthand the chaos. My project managers were constantly being interrupted at month-end by finance, chasing down last-minute updates. We had to push key priorities aside just to clean up last month’s mess. That’s not strategy; that’s damage control. The issue? Lack of communication and transparency. Without clear, consistent communication, decisions get delayed, teams get frustrated, and trust breaks down. What’s really happening? Balance day is when: ➜Revenues and expenses are matched to the correct period (Accounting Period Concept) ➜The accrual basis of accounting is applied (Conceptual Framework) ➜Adjustments are made to reflect the true balance of assets and liabilities The kicker? If your processes aren’t tight from the get-go, these risks are magnified. You’re not just missing dates; you’re misinforming decisions. Where’s the risk? 👉 Operational risk: Rushed data entry leads to human error 👉 Strategic risk: Incorrect reporting = flawed executive decisions 👉 Financial risk: Misaligned revenue/expense recognition impacts audits 👉 Reputation risk: When trust falters, so does collaboration So what’s the fix? ✅ Embed robust processes early; don’t leave it to month-end ✅ Educate your teams on the why, not just the what ✅ Align project and finance workflows with shared cut-off dates ✅ Monitor data integrity before the reporting window Because this isn’t just about ticking boxes. It’s about making sure everyone is educated, aligned, and clear on what’s required from day one. When everyone knows their role and trusts that others are doing theirs, you eliminate the scramble. ❌ No more wasting time chasing updates ❌ No more pulling resources away from priorities just to double-check last month’s work 🚀 Imagine your business running smoothly, with operations as a trusted source of truth. The good news? You can make that shift. Start by aligning your systems, team, and processes. #PMO #RiskManagement #StrategicLeadership #RESETYourThinking #Management #Leadership #Business 📢 P.S. If you need help organising systems and processes to avoid last-minute scrambles, I can help.