In many ways, the Covid-19 pandemic and global economic turmoil have forced all of us to re-examine the way we work. Like many of my fellow CFOs, I spent the initial days of the crisis refocusing on working closely with my organization's board, my management committee peers, and my team to ensure the firm's financial stability and to manage risk so that we could continue supporting our clients.

As time went on, however, I recognized the need to adjust how I approach my role to fit this unprecedented moment in time. Although the crisis is not fully behind us, enough time has passed to cull four key lessons that will shape my leadership going forward.

1. Invest even more heavily in relationships.

While CFOs tend to be numbers-oriented, logical problem-solvers, the pandemic has put a spotlight on the importance of having a finely tuned emotional antenna as well. More than at any other time I can recall, throughout the second half of 2020, I worked closely with my leadership team and HR to help our colleagues see the bigger picture and make sense of the chaos that seemed to unfold daily.