The one skill AI will never take from great finance leaders

What if the CFO of the future is not the person with the fastest model or the deepest stack of dashboards, but the one who makes numbers mean something? In a world where algorithms reconcile a year in seconds and forecasts update before your coffee cools, that is not a downgrade of the role. It’s a promotion.

For years, many of us believed the edge belonged to whoever could build the tighter spreadsheet. Then something changed. Automation took on the busywork. Variance analysis started generating itself. Close cycles compressed. The machines got very good at telling us what happened. All of which cleared the way for leaders to do the work only leaders can do: Tell us why it matters.

I learned this the hard way. I once walked into a board meeting with flawless numbers. The deck was crisp, the logic solid, and the answers ready. Everyone nodded. We adjourned. Nothing moved. The same debates returned the next quarter, like unclosed tabs in the business's browser. The turning point came when I told the update as a story — not fiction, but a narrative with stakes, tension, and a clear path forward.

This time, people leaned in and acted.

Why storytelling matters in the AI era

The CFO portfolio has expanded from digital transformation and investor relations to company-wide change management and top-line business strategy; modern CFOs must touch (and influence) everything. At Payhawk, we call this Finance Forward, the move from controlling transactions to orchestrating growth, and it asks leaders to step into a different posture: less traffic cop, more architect, less historical reporter, more momentum builder.

Story is the multiplier. With a strong narrative, you can turn data into direction. And without it, your clean numbers become noise that washes over busy people.

With one, you can turn your numbers into evidence and take people on a journey they want to be on. Your power isn’t in “embellishment,” it’s in clarity, relevance, and purpose.

From conveyor belt to rollercoaster

Most finance updates march like assembly lines. Chart, tick, next slide. All very forgettable.

A better pattern is the “rollercoaster”. It gives people a reason to care and a reason to commit.

Here are the five most important components:

1. Purpose: Name the decision you want by the end.
2. Hook: Offer a moment that makes people lean in.
3. Tension: State the risk, cost, or trade-off that matters.
4. Insight: Explain what the numbers mean, not just what they show.
5. Resolution: Present a clear, credible path forward.

Compare the two approaches.

Conveyor belt:
“Q2 revenue grew 2%, costs declined 1%, Product A launched in June, marketing spend increased £1 million.”

Rollercoaster:
“In May, a critical supplier shut down overnight, and our Q2 plan nearly collapsed. That shock cost us 5% of revenue and put loyalty at risk. We pivoted, accelerated automation pilots, and restored growth, adding £2 million in June. If we invest £5 million in automation now, we can unlock £10 million in annual savings and avoid that single point of failure.”

Same facts, different meaning. The second version moves the room toward a decision because it connects the spreadsheet to stakes people recognise.

Crossing the narrative chasm

AI can compute faster than you, and it can draft sentences about those computations. But it will never care. It will not read the politics of a boardroom or adapt to the raised eyebrow of an investor. And it can’t connect numbers to the hopes, fears, and priorities of the people in front of you. That is the narrative chasm that only humans can cross.

But with such power comes responsibility. The more compelling your story, the more dangerous it becomes if your data is wrong. Finance leaders are “guardians of truth”. When the story rests on bulletproof facts, trust compounds. When it does not, trust evaporates.

A stronger data spine

Great narratives need a single source of truth. And that’s why many teams are embracing the “finance forward” approach. Think of it as an intelligent command centre that connects purchases, approvals, payments, and reporting into one living system.

If you properly orchestrate your workflows end-to-end, your integrity will be robust (and feel easy). You can apply policies consistently, make exceptions visible in real time, and reflect reality in your forecasts rather than across lagging and scattered spreadsheets.

All of which gives you the confidence to stand behind the plot of your story. It also shortens the distance from insight to decision, because your stakeholders can trace every claim to a shared system rather than a personal workbook.

Make it real in your next executive review. Try this outline.

• Start with purpose. Name the decision and the time frame up front.
• Use the hook to anchor attention. “We are 90 days from contract renewal with our largest supplier, and the choice we make will shape margins for two years.”
• Name the tension and be precise about risk. “The top three vendors now represent 62% of volume, and we have single jurisdiction exposure.”
• Deliver the insight. “We can reduce risk and free £10 million in working capital by splitting the share of wallet and moving renewals to more favourable terms. Our unified data shows three viable options and their impact on margin and continuity.”
• Close with resolution: “Approve the two-vendor strategy this week. We will complete diligence within 14 days and return with final terms and a go-live plan.”

You’re not looking for a standing ovation, after all, but you do need a clear yes, and a strong narrative will help you get there.

And beyond the boardroom?

The same skill applies to investor days, all hands, and sales kickoffs. Tell the story of how your team/work will create value. Respect both intelligence and emotion, and make the path forward unmistakable. When you do, you’ll accelerate your alignment, getting people invested in something that moves or changes.

Where this leaves us in August

AI will only get faster and more accurate, but your edge as a leader is the ability to read the room and make the story matter.

As we race through August, planning cycles are spinning up and budget season is peeking over the horizon. We have more technology than ever, which is good news. It strips away the routine and leaves you with the work only you can do. Build the story. Guard the truth. Choose the next chapter.

AI will keep getting better at telling you what happened. But the leaders who matter most will be the ones who tell us why it matters, then make it happen together.

Want to learn more about the role of AI in your Finance Forward strategy? Explore our AI agents.