management
The CEO and a Symphony Conductor: Orchestrating Success
Recently I attended the symphony and was enamored by the conductor. With a clear understanding of what the composure intended from the music, he acrobatically and with great expression inspired each section of the orchestra to deliver on this vision. A CEO role is very much the same as a symphony conductor. Both positions require…
Read MoreBecoming an effective communicator in 12 Steps
Maybe you’ve been in that meeting. A manager reports on the progress of a project; they go on and on. They are on point, then off on a tangent, back to the topic to divert to a deviation. As an executive or director on the board, these communications are frustrating. You want to say, “Just…
Read More8 Steps to a Successful Digital Transformation at a Credit Union
Digital transformation is necessary for credit unions to remain competitive in today’s rapidly evolving financial landscape. Embracing digital technologies can enhance member experiences, improve operational efficiency, and enable credit unions to meet their members’ evolving needs and expectations. All too often, we see credit unions doing much work to become digital or mobile-first, but often…
Read MoreA Case Study of Bold, Transformational Change
This article is for the CEOs and Chief Strategic Officers thinking BOLDLY and going where other organizations have not gone before. Recently I’ve observed and had the joy of working with a couple of credit unions making significant transformations and reinventing their business and service models. If you look at what these credit unions are…
Read MoreDo your employees LIVE your corporate values?
In today’s dynamic business landscape, organizations recognize that corporate values are crucial in shaping their identity, culture, and overall success. We don’t have to look very far to observe situations where the lack of core values has resulted in business failures, reputation damage, fines, legal settlements, and loss of shareholder value. However, values alone are…
Read MoreThe Strategic Org Structure?
Most organizations have stuck with a legacy org structure where the functional silos are clearly defined. The challenge this kind of structure causes is to recognize and respond more quickly to the need for cross-functional and cross-silo projects and initiatives. The re-visualization of the org structure, functions, and roles should align with strategic objectives, not…
Read MoreWithout Core Values, capitalism fails us all
A recent story on CBS’s “60 Minutes” discussed the widespread use of child labor by a company called PSSI, owned by Blackstone. This story and many more that have percolated up in the past few years tell a story about what happens when the capitalistic need for profits outweighs any alignment with corporate responsibility and…
Read MoreDrifting Into the Sunset = Credit Union Risk
Many of us have seen this from afar, some of us from close at hand. The CEO or a key executive is getting close to retirement and has set a course for the organization to drift off into the sunset. The most important job of a key executive or a CEO is to inspire continuous…
Read MoreLeading Change in Eight Steps
All teams have three participants: change agents, change neutrals, and change resistors. The key to leading change is empowering the change agents, influencing the change equivocators, and helping the change resistors understand the WIIFM (what’s in it for me). Here are the critical steps to leading change. First, identify who fits into these categories because…
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