With the 2014 AFP Annual Conference in Washington, D.C., just a little more than a month away, we're bringing you exclusive content from some of our pre-conference presenters. In our lead-off story, Bryan Lapidus of Clarent Ventures explains why having a weak financial modeling culture in place can cost you your job. Next, Treasury Management Solutions' Peter Biglin, CTP, and Cash America International's Steven Phillips, CTP, FP&A, weigh in on a nonfinancial skill that all financial professionals must have—project management. Also this month, John Sanchez of The FPA Group provides three key ways that practitioners can improve their communication skills, Thomas W. Smith of Legrand discusses the experience of holding management positions in FP&A and accounting simultaneously, and more.

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