coaching
Words Matter in Leadership
“Words Matter,” I did not create this phrase, the first time I heard it was from a great CEO I worked for, Gerry Agnes, at Elevations Credit Union. He used this short statement often. However, these two words take on a lot of nuanced meanings. When used in grammar and spelling, words say a lot…
Read MoreLeadership – “Its Lonely at the Top”
This saying strikes a chord and gets especially real when we are fond of the people you lead. It is difficult to keep business and friendship separated, and when we fail, the consequences are painful for all parties involved. So, how do you create a work environment that leverages the power of people who enjoy…
Read MorePreparing Your Culture Ready for Data Analytics
When most of us think about data, we think about numbers, charts, graphs, and reports. However, we need to talk about CULTURE. Collecting, aggregating, normalizing, manipulating, and presenting data seems to consume the conversation. However, here is the question we need to ask ourselves, “Is our culture ready to become truly data-driven?” Too often organizations…
Read More5 Reasons to Define Leadership
Leadership is often seen as the job of the chosen few dictated by the org chart. Let’s move past this arcane concept and change our paradigm. Leadership isn’t for the few; leadership is for the masses. Here is why I know this to be true: Marine Corps boot camp taught me that even though there…
Read MoreHow to Create a High Performing Team
The most extensive expense line on the income statement is compensation and benefits, and this expense must be maximized and leveraged. To get the most from your comp and benefits expenses, starts with performance management. Unfortunately, performance management has become an annual or semi-annual exercise in futility for too many organizations. When performance management becomes…
Read MoreSuccession Planning 2.0
It was noted recently that the cause of most of the 117 mergers the credit union movement has experienced in 2021, most were the result of a missing Succession Plan. Yes, Succession Planning can be daunting and laden with risk. This risk may be illuminated because of the “great resignation.” Companies worried about or experiencing…
Read MoreCulture = Rules of Engagement
It seems companies either overcomplicate or ignore their Culture. The reality is, your company’s Culture can, and should be, a way you can differentiate yourself from your competition, especially in the financial services world. Think of Culture as a pathway to creating a “competition of one.” A “competition of one” means you have no other…
Read MoreData-Driven Marketing – A Primer
For marketers today, it was essential to bring to light how the Marketing team will provide offers to members as it’s a significant change to our traditional methodology. The new approach is designed to provide improved, more consistent and more relevant product offers using the wealth of data from our core and your ancillary systems…
Read MoreCareer Decision – Stay or Leave
One of the most important decisions a leader can make in their role is “stay or leave.” Still, it is amazing how many otherwise very competent, seemingly successful people make a terrible decision. Be strategic with this decision. Is the feeling of career crisis due to a: Struggling business model? Bad boss? Acknowledge bosses change?…
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