Posts Tagged ‘Leadership’
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 More5 Reasons to Define Leadership
Leadership is too often leadership is seen as the job of the chosen few as 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…
Read MoreHow to Create a High Performing Team
The largest expense line on the income statement is compensation and benefits. This expense must be maximized and leveraged. To accomplish getting the most from your comp and benefit’s 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 a…
Read More2019 is not a year for Wimps
Are you a resolutions person? Personally, I’m not a big fan of resolutions. It seems they are just another way to procrastinate what you should have done days, weeks, months, or even, years ago. What I prefer to do to celebrate a new year is to evaluate, reinvent, and re-energize my focus and attention. How…
Read MoreMake your Strategic Plan a Hero’s Story
When doing a strategic plan, most organizations really are good at thinking with aspiration, hope, and promise. Where the “failure” happens is on the execution of the plan. If you think about engaging movies, they all seem to be stories that include a variation of the hero’s journey. “Lord of the Rings”, “Star Wars”, and…
Read MoreBranching Strategy, It Starts with the Member
Historically branches are seen as transaction channels. Today, this view of branches has changed and continues to evolve. Members and potential members like the convenience of brick and mortar, they like the demonstration of financial strength and security, but the truth is, they rely less on branches for their daily, weekly and monthly transaction business…
Read MoreAir Travel, Leading and Stress
Stress is part of our lives. Outside forces can cause us stress, and we can cause stress for others and ourselves. Air travel is a source of stress; that’s what makes it a good metaphor for stress management behaviors. Many people find air travel very stressful. The stress surrounding air travel is not unlike the…
Read MoreFive Strategic Questions for the Board and Senior Management
It’s a strange time for credit unions. Credit unions are facing unprecedented pressures from regulators and examiners, and capital pressures for net interest margins and fee income. Often they don’t have the benefit of “economies of scale” or the resources, people, and capital, to invest in the infrastructure demands of vendor due diligence, regulatory compliance…
Read MoreReport Inconsistencies are Frustrating
One of the biggest frustrations found in most credit unions is the numbers between two or more departments don’t jive. The conversation almost always leans toward trying to figure out which data set is correct, which one to believe. The ultimate goal for these organizations is to find that elusive “one source of truth.” So,…
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