Leadership Brand – Supercharge Your Career

Have you ever defined your leadership brand? If you haven’t, now is the time. The process is simple but deliberate and does not happen overnight. It is a hero’s journey, so expect multiple opportunities to learn from your mistakes and to rely heavily on allies. Why is Your Brand Journey Important? It Enhances Your Credibility…

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Is Your Org Structure Shackling Strategic Success?

Credit unions need to see their organizational structure as an organism, NOT a hierarchy. Innovation and adaptability reign supreme in credit unions. Being locked into a legacy organizational structure in a cross-functional, cross-silo operating environment often stifles short and long-term success. While these structures may have served the credit union well in the past, they…

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The Empathic Leader: Investing in People Through Active Listening

Investing in people has taken center stage in the ever-evolving business and leadership landscape. As organizations recognize the importance of their most valuable and expensive asset – their employees – the focus has shifted towards fostering a workplace culture prioritizing empathy and active listening. Leaders who prioritize their teams foster a culture of belonging where…

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You Are a New Executive in a Credit Union, Onboard Yourself First!

Joining a credit union as a CEO, EVP, SVP, or VP is exciting yet challenging. As an executive leader, your role is pivotal in driving the credit union’s strategies, mission, vision, values, growth, and member satisfaction. It is rare to find a credit union with a disciplined process to onboard executives, which, by the nature…

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Feeling Pressure for a Hasty Executive Hiring Decision?

Recently, I have observed several credit unions make hiring mistakes for key executives, including CEOs. The disruption these “hasty hires” cause is palatable. In one situation, a CEO who lacked the strategic mindset the credit union needed was hired. In another, there was a significant skill gap; they hired a “finance person” when they needed…

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How to Retain Employees and Members

Fostering a Culture of Belonging Employee burnout is a pervasive issue affecting organizations across various industries, and credit unions are no exception. The financial sector demands high commitment, attention to detail, and often long working hours, making credit union employees susceptible to burnout. However, creating a culture of belonging can be a powerful antidote to…

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Managing a Hybrid Workforce – Success Strategies

Managers are now challenged to effectively manage staff remotely. The cadence of when employees must be “in the office” versus working remotely varies from credit union to credit union and even department to department. Managers and policymakers must realize that team management focuses on equity versus equality. Let’s first identify the purpose of employees meeting…

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Fragility and Resiliency – Vital Attributes of Leadership

Often, leaders see decisiveness and strength as the primary characteristics of leadership. The reality is that leadership is more complicated and nuanced than these two attributes. Among the many qualities leaders need, fragility and resilience emerge as essential and distinct yet interconnected. In today’s ever-evolving, ever-disrupting landscape of challenges, a leader must navigate uncertainty, adapt…

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A Primer – Choosing the Next CEO

Every credit union will have to survive the succession of the CEO. The reasons for this succession can be planned or unplanned. If the succession turns out to be unplanned, there has been a vital miss in the Board’s responsibilities. This article will address what needs to be done for the Board to realize a…

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