Why Finance Always Ends Up Owning What No One Else Claimed
Lindsay Ramirez
Finance didn’t volunteer to own half the transformation work. It just… happened.
Somewhere between “this is cross-functional” and “we’ll figure it out as we go,” ownership quietly disappeared. And when ownership disappears, the work doesn’t. It just slides downhill — straight into Finance’s lap.
Because Finance is reliable. Because Finance closes things. Because Finance is already every meeting anyway.
So now Finance owns:
- Reconciliations no one scoped
- Data issues no one designed for
- Decisions no one wanted to make
- And timelines no one agreed to
Not because it makes sense — but because someone has to.
This is how Finance becomes the accidental program manager of ERP projects, integrations, and “quick initiatives” that were never quick. And the worst part? Everyone thinks this is normal.
Ownership Theater
On paper, ownership exists. There are RACI charts. Steering committees. Slide decks with neat little boxes.
In reality:
- Ownership is implied, not explicit
- Decision rights are “collaborative” (which means unclear)
- Escalations replace accountability
So when something stalls, the question isn’t: “Who owns this?”
It’s: "Why is Finance involved now?” Because Finance didn’t step in — Finance filled a vacuum.
Why This Explodes in Q1
Q1 is where ownership myths go to die. Close, audits, ERP work, integrations, asset onboarding — all at once. Everyone is busy. No one wants another thing.
So decisions get delayed. Ownership gets fuzzy. And Finance absorbs the fallout because misalignment shows up first in the numbers.
By the time leadership notices, Finance is already cleaning it up.
The Truth Finance Leaders Know (But Rarely Say)
Finance doesn’t need more responsibility.
It needs:
- Clear ownership
- Clear decision rights
- Fewer “we all own this” conversations
Because when everyone owns it… Finance ends up doing it. And no spreadsheet on earth can reconcile that.
