If you’ve ever read a book that you didn’t have time to finish in a single sitting, then you know the value of a bookmark.
It’s an ingenious, though simple, invention. Not only does it mark your place without harming your book, but it saves you time when you return and allows you to pick up right where you left off without missing a sentence.
So what does the bookmark have to do with leadership development in your credit union? Much more than you might think. Let me explain. (more…)
It’s that time of year again. The end of summer is rapidly approaching.
I know that because our local outlet malls are crowded with families doing their school shopping. The traffic in our resort area this week is at its highest point of the year as the peak week of family vacation time is upon us.
Worst of all, a quick look at the calendar this morning revealed that the Labor Day holiday that marks the unofficial start of fall for many is only four weeks away.
So what does all this mean for your credit union? (more…)
One of my all-time favorite leadership experts is Ken Blanchard, co-author of The One Minute Manager–a classic that is always worthy of another read.
Ken is somewhat famous for his constant reminder to leaders to “catch people doing something right and tell them about it.”
Here’s a brief video sharing an idea for making the process part of your daily routine at your credit union.
ACTION ADVICE: Whether you choose to use dimes or some other tracking method, try this approach for the next two weeks: take time day to deliver personal appreciation to at least 5 team members each day…make it specific to their performance, deliver as close as possible to that performance, and don’t worry about whether others hear it or not. You’ll be amazed at the results, and as you keep doing it you’ll become better at it and your culture will begin to focus on catching people doing something right as people follow your example!
Reminder: You can deliver the message face-to-face, you can send a handwritten note, you can leave a personal voice mail, or (as a last resort) you can send an e-mail…just make sure you make it personal and to the point, recognizing the person for something specific that they did that was in line with the goals of your credit union.
It’s Your Turn…Tell us what you do to catch people doing something right, or share an experience of the impact it had on you when someone caught you doing something right. Post your comment and help us all learn from your experiences.
Occasionally you stumble upon something that changes your thinking and gives you a whole new perspective on what it takes to build a high performance credit union culture.
This video is such a thing…
ACTION ADVICE: Watch it, learn from it, share it with everyone, and change the way your team thinks and acts. I assure you it will be time well invested.
It happens every day in every credit union. A team member approaches a colleague or a manager, shares their recent or in progress work product, and asks for some feedback.
Often the person asking for the feedback makes it clear that they want to hear both the truth. The almost beg the responder to deliver their candid and honest opinion.
But if we step back and look at the situation, we can see that this is a powerful moment. It is a moment that can make or break a relationship. It is a moment that can motivate or demoralize a team member. (more…)
Connect with Credit Union Strategy
