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Ten short videos –

Our perspective on controlling.

Why do we need controllers?

Managers are only human. They have their own goals and they can make mistakes. It is the controller’s job to support managers in making their decisions and thereby to assure rationality throughout the company. This video clip illustrates how controllers can go about this task.

Game Changer Digitalization – The Agenda for Controllers

Digitalization is revolutionizing business and, with that, controlling, as well. The pressure to change is high. Controllers face eight central challenges. For instance, consistent and error-free data management is just as important as an appropriate controlling mindset. Our new video will lead you through these challenges.

What Tasks Do Controllers Have?

Controllers inform, plan, control, and advise. How they do this – whether they constrain, unburden or complement – depends on the skills of the individual manager they are supporting. This video visualizes these tasks and shows how and when controllers should act.

How Should Controllers See Their Managers?

What makes managers tick? Are they rational decision-makers, opportunists, or just plain ordinary people? This video illustrates the different perspectives on managers and shows what controllers can learn from them.

How to Reach the Right Decision – The Interaction of Analytics and Intuition

Controlling is often compared to mathematics. Yet, bare figures don't always produce the right results. It is important to take into account a "feel" for the numbers. Our video visualizes the differing approaches of controllers and managers, and explains how they can both reach better decisions.

Tools Alone Are Not Enough

Controllers have a wide variety of tools at their disposal. However, there is often a risk involved in using them – tools can be misused, not used due to lack of knowledge, or only partially used. What are the reasons for this? We have the answers.

Management Control - Simple Over Complex?

Controllers are using ever more sophisticated tools to make better individual decisions. However, the more complex the instruments are, the less suitable they are for coordinating decisions for management control purposes. This video explains the difference between decision-making and coordination – something that controllers are often unaware of.

Effective Communication

What characterizes a successful controller is knowing how to communicate his knowledge and experience effectively to his manager. However, of immense importance are communication skills not only towards management but also towards other departments that also report to management.

More Than Just Financial Metrics

Traditionally, the success of a business is measured in terms of financial metrics, which is why this is the language used by controllers. But today, financial results are no longer enough to run a company successfully. Controlling should use leading indicators, such as process, market, and customer-related data. Yet this is the only way for controllers to step into the role of business partner.

The Changing Role of Controllers: From Reporter to Business Partner

When we talk about company controlling, we typically mention its remarkable transformation. Controllers used to be bean counters, yet now support managers in almost all aspects of management.

Controlling & Culture

The tasks carried out by controllers are often described as being very tools-oriented.  It is true that tools help controllers to fulfill their function of assuring management rationality. However, the bigger – and in practice more frequently neglected – lever here is establishing a performance or “controlling culture” in the company.

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