leadership skills
Tough Conversations of Leadership
Leadership requires mutual trust but also the courage to talk the truth. I am surprised when I learn a “leader” is hesitant to have tough conversations about attitude or performance. It is even more shocking when I discover they keep performance files on direct reports discussed at annual or semi-annual performance reviews. Employees have expectations…
Read MoreTrigger Points = Leadership Fails
Trigger points are those moments when our brain turns off, and our actions and reactions become “instinctive.” You know them, and you have them. Something happens that “sets you off.” It is a response that comes from deep inside, and it happens without you even thinking about what is happening. It is very visceral. Your…
Read MoreCareer Change is about the Reinvention of Self
Career change is about re-invention of self…
Read MoreAre You Running To, From, For or Against?
We’re all running 1000 miles an hour, but are we running in the right direction for the right reason? Running to – this is goal-driven running. It is having a valid endpoint and a commitment to get there. If you are training for a half marathon, your goal is distinct and specific. “I am going…
Read MoreThree Must Haves in your Strategic Plan
As you move into our strategic planning and budgeting cycles, there are three must-haves when crafting a prosperous future for your credit union: A Plan for Transformation: Strategic Plans should be designed to transform the organization. If the culture is, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” then don’t waste your time and money doing…
Read MoreLeadership Begins and Ends with Honesty
When you look back at past bosses you respected, bosses that were okay and bosses, how can I say it, needing a significant reboot, what made them different? I liked a boss that was honest with me. It seemed they knew when I messed up, it was unintentional. That doesn’t mean they overlooked my failures,…
Read MoreMarketing Must Know These Key Ratios
The primary Business Model for credit unions is straightforward. It is Money in Money out. Credit unions buy money ( deposits) from members (Cost of Funds) and then loans out those deposits to Members (Interest Income) at a higher interest rate (Margin). Of course, there are multitudes of nuance to this model, that’s why credit…
Read MoreTo Be a Great Leader Requires You to Be Wrong
Have you worked for a boss with all the answers and didn’t need new ideas or recommendations? In your humble opinion, was he/she that smart? Would the department, project, or organization have benefited from a boss that was not a “know it all”? As you start to add leadership to your job description, remember the…
Read More3 Steps to Team Alignment
How often have you worked with a team that isn’t on the same page? This familiar work situation of being misaligned is not the team’s fault, but the leader/manager’s responsibility. What Elements are required for Team Alignment? 1. Purpose 2. Culture 3. Values When any of these three elements are out of alignment, the result…
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