Welcome to The 6 a.m. CFO, where finance chiefs share how they jump-start their days and engage with the tasks that are in front of them.
Today, Extreme Networks’ CFO, Kevin Rhodes, shares his morning routine.
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Extreme Networks
- Empowers businesses with AI-native cloud networking solutions that simplify and secure their IT infrastructure networks.
- Year founded: 1996
- Number of employees: 2,700
- Annual revenue: $1.1B
MORNING ROUTINE
Walk us through your normal workday morning routine. Any morning pick-me-ups? I typically wake up around 6 – 6:15 a.m. I start the day by checking any emails I’ve received overnight, then head downstairs to grab some coffee. When you are going to be diving into numbers all day, coffee is a must! As you can imagine, as a CFO, understanding the major developments in the stock market, major business transactions, new tech innovations, etc., are crucial to understanding how the markets may soon ebb and flow.
After coffee and the news, I head back upstairs to jump in the shower, where I proceed to plan out my day in my mind, set priorities and think through my most critical actions. I prefer to work out later in the day, so once I’m done planning, I’m ready to hit the ground running around 7:30 a.m.
What was a recent morning that didn’t go as planned, and how did you adjust? A recent example was when the new administration announced increasing tariffs around the world.
My first step was to huddle with our operations team, and subsequently with our executive team, to discuss our strategy to gain knowledge and scenario plan. Our approach was to delve into the problem, ask a lot of questions and craft a strategy for several different scenarios; and that’s exactly what we did. We wanted to be prepared for anything.
How do you structure your first few hours after you log on at work? Like many of us, I’m in meetings for nearly 80% to 90% of my day. To stay on track, I get online early to strategize. I review the day’s schedule, decide how I want to address topics and list any questions I know I’ll have in advance.
I believe meeting agendas and pre-reading materials should be mandatory. If you’ve ever caught yourself thinking “this call could have been an email,” you’re probably right! My advice is to turn as much of the meeting into an email as possible. That way, you can focus the meeting on topics that really do require further discussion and give more time back to everyone on your team.
INSPIRATION AND LEADERSHIP
Favorite quote or mantra: American poet and educator Henry Wadsworth Longfellow once wrote, “The heights by great men [and women] reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight, but they, while their companions slept, were toiling upwards in the night.” In my opinion, nothing replaces hard work, honesty and focus.
As for my mantra, I keep it simple but consistent: don’t ever give up.
Favorite leadership lesson: The most important thing for leaders to internalize is being mindful of ripple effects when you’re trying to manage people and behaviors. Every decision has a consequence, and everything in life is a habit. Leaders must be mindful that each thought is eventually spoken; those words then become actions; those actions, over time, shape your behaviors; and those behaviors lead to habits. It’s those habits that form your character, and, in turn, your character determines your destiny. To be an effective leader, you must create good habits for yourself and within your team.
One habit that we should all adopt is positive, constructive thinking. We are all a microcosm of our thoughts. If you have good, positive thoughts that are constructive, you will likely succeed. The opposite also holds true; if you’re always focused on the negatives, you will likely not reach your potential.
Something important to know about me that you wouldn’t know from my business bio: I’m data analytics junkie! I love to find ways to improve business efficiency and drive process improvement by really digging into data and predictive analytics. These details are the foundation of our big-picture strategy and how we can effectively drive improvement. Whether it’s improving retention rates, finding ways to engage customers further, or just figuring out a way to make our decisions more efficient, I always prefer to take a data-driven approach over my best guess.
The last job you did at your company that fell outside your traditional scope of work: Though it’s not listed in many job descriptions, most executives are also part-time party hosts. Whether that’s jumping onstage during a partner conference or giving a live recap of an earnings call in the office, I am often called upon to help kick off live events with a quick welcome message to the group, before everyone starts mingling and grabbing whatever is offered on the buffet table. I enjoy connecting with customers and employees.
One way you have learned to manage work-induced stress: There can be a tremendous amount of stress in the CFO position. The best way I’ve found to deal with stress is by exercising. I enjoy jumping onto my Peloton for a quick ride, and I play tennis a couple of times per week. Our company also has a flex-first work policy, so while all of us travel a lot and workdays are busy, we can work from home if we choose and avoid time spent commuting. That’s a huge benefit and helps employees at every level, including me, improve our work/life balance and manage potential stress.
Favorite number: The number 9! September 9th is my wedding anniversary and I’m coming up on a milestone anniversary this year. My wife, Maura, has been very influential in who I am today, and we have worked together to raise three wonderful children. I am grateful for all her advice, especially when I’m driving.
Most noteworthy items in my workspace: I have pictures of my family, reminding me to stay focused on what’s most important. Something that’s on display in my office that’s probably unique to a very small group of people is a deal trophy shaped like a duck! A few years ago, when I was the CFO of Duck Creek Technologies, we were each sent a special trophy after the company was acquired — an impressive artistic undertaking by the bankers.
More recently, I was invited to visit our Extreme teams in Chennai and Bangalore, India. Besides enjoying India’s great culture and rich history, I loved the artistry and detail in this hand-cut elephant that I picked up at a small market.
Favorite phone app that is unrelated to work: I have two — Spotify and Audible. I listen to music, podcasts or books on tape when I am in the car. My favorite bands are Fleetwood Mac, the Eagles and John Mayer.
The most important thing you’ve recently read: Boy, so many. On the business front, I really love the book Atomic Habits by James Clear. As I said, everything in life is a habit, and good habits are how you shape your own destiny and achieve your goals. This book offers some great practical methods for establishing important positive habits and reward systems to support those habits.
On the leisure side, I just read two great books. Fairy Tale by Stephen King – a wild, fantastical, roller coaster ride. Also, Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir – another excellent read for the sci-fi enthusiast
Do you have a pet sitting in your office right now? I have an amazing little puppy. Even though he’s nearly seven years old, he still looks like a puppy to me! His name is Jimmy and he’s a mix between a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and a Miniature Poodle. And yes, he often visits me in the office, especially at lunchtime.
