Beyond the comfort zone: the new era of tax leadership

By building strategic partnerships and empowering teams, leaders can enhance their influence and deliver significant value.

In brief

• Embracing discomfort is essential for new tax leaders to foster personal and organizational growth.
• Developing strong relationships with finance peers and external networks can enhance collaboration.
• Proactive communication and collaboration can lead to improved performance and innovation within the organization.

Stepping into the role of head of tax requires embracing discomfort as a catalyst for personal and organizational growth. By building strategic partnerships, engaging with business leaders, empowering teams and leveraging external networks, new tax leaders can enhance their influence and drive significant value for their organizations. 

As Patti Johnson – EY Tax Advisor in Residence | EY - US and former Chief Tax Officer at Nike emphasizes, “The most important responsibility for a new head of tax is to have a deep understanding of the business.”

Empower and develop your tax team and cultivate trust and growth

Trust is not given; it is cultivated one conversation at a time. Delegation is more than assigning tasks; it is empowering others to own their success. Consider these steps to foster growth for both you and your team:

• Conduct leader assimilation exercises to build trust.
• Structure regular one-on-one meetings to address burning issues and development needs.
• Delegate effectively with clear accountability lines.

Effective leadership starts with understanding your team’s perspective. By delegating and building trust, you will not only empower your team but also grow as a leader especially when it feels uncomfortable.

Communicate with the audit committee and refine your communication skills

Engaging with the audit committee is an opportunity to refine your communication skills and demonstrate leadership in risk management. Here’s how to make the most of this platform:

• Use this platform to hone your communication skills and build trust in risk management.
• Rework historical slides for clarity and impact.
• Practice messaging with finance peers and seek feedback from external partners.

By presenting complex tax matters with clarity and confidence, you will build trust at the highest levels even when the spotlight feels uncomfortable.

Collaborate with finance peers and foster open relationships

Building strong relationships with finance peers requires openness and a willingness to seek input. These strategies can help you collaborate more effectively:

• Explain why tax matters to their work.
• Develop team relationships and ask for advice or input.
• Bring finance peers to meet your team for deeper collaboration.

These collaborations not only enhance business outcomes but also reinforce your reputation as a solution-driven trusted partner.

Partner early with service providers and build productive partnerships

Working closely with service providers from the outset can feel unfamiliar, but these actions will help you build strong productive partnerships:

• Build collaboration early especially around quarterly processes.
• Focus on soft services and troubleshooting together.
• Understand technology’s impact on testing and independence requirements.

By proactively building these partnerships, you minimize surprises and create a foundation for ongoing success.

Leverage external networks and gain fresh perspectives

Connecting with external networks may take you out of your routine but these steps can provide valuable benchmarking, support and fresh ideas:

• Choose one group to connect with and commit to quarterly catchups.
• Participate actively when present even if time is limited.
• Use external networks for benchmarking, sanity checks and feedforward.

The insights and encouragement you gain from outside voices can be the catalyst for innovation and resilience when you need it most.

Conclusion: Growth through discomfort — act now

Growth rarely waits for comfort; it thrives in the soil of uncertainty. For new tax leaders, implementing change immediately — rather than waiting for comfort — can yield measurable improvements in organizational performance. Studies and industry experience consistently show that leaders who proactively engage with new stakeholders, experiment with communication styles and seek feedback early drive faster alignment, greater innovation and stronger financial results. The evidence is clear: those who step out of their comfort zones swiftly not only accelerate their own development but also unlock tangible value for their teams and organizations.

So, don’t wait. Embrace discomfort, act decisively and watch your impact multiply.