News•May 19, 2026
The Fifth Voice
The article uses a barbershop quartet metaphor to illustrate how senior finance leaders, especially CFOs, must maintain a steady "pitch" while tailoring the story they tell to each audience. It explains the concept of the "fifth voice"—the resonant overtones that emerge when a lead’s note is true and the other parts align. By sharing personal experiences from a barbershop chorus, the author shows how seasoned CFOs earn the authority to set direction, adjust tempo for stakeholders, and create decisive moments. The piece underscores that finance work is as much about human connection as numbers.
