Behind the Numbers: The Energy of Community Banking
Community banking is about more than numbers on a balance sheet. It’s about the embodied energy—the trust, relationships and local expertise—that fuels every decision and action you take. Think about something as simple as a can of soda. While it may cost just a few dollars, its true value lies
The Crisis Paradox in Community Banking
In the world of community banking, a fascinating paradox often emerges: we tend to celebrate those who excel in crisis management while overlooking the quiet effectiveness of those who prevent crises from arising. This insight, inspired by Keith Grint, brings to light a significant issue in our leadership and operational
The Resistance and Immunity to Change
In Steven Pressfield’s book, “The War of Art,” he talks about ‘Resistance’ as the collective term for the internal psychological barriers we all face—fear, self-doubt, complacency and old habits that once served us but now hold us back. This concept is critical when coaching community banks, where transforming into a
The Small Things: A Key to Community Bank Success
As community bank CEOs, you know that the small things really do matter. Overlooking the importance of details in preparation or planning can significantly impact our success. Admiral Hyman Rickover, the father of the Nuclear Navy, famously said: "The devil is in the details." Rickover's legacy is a testament to the power of
The Value of Proactive Leadership in Preventing Crises
In the fast-paced world of finance and business, we often celebrate the heroes who step in during crises—the ones who put out fires, stabilize operations, and restore order when everything seems to be falling apart. But as Seth Godin wisely points out in one of his blogs, while running into
Thoughts on Complaints
In his book, The No Complaining Rule, Jon Gordon emphasizes the power of turning complaints into opportunities. At first glance, complaints can seem like nothing more than whining—a sign of impatience from someone disconnected from the real world. But dismissing complaints outright misses an opportunity. When we don’t hear complaints,
Instilling Leadership with JCW Creative
Partnering with JCW Creative has provided their company with the necessary tools to grow and transform its leadership team. Through coaching, activities and guidance, JCW has established an environment that embodies its values and goals, as well as an aligned leadership team that understands how to achieve these goals. https://youtu.be/CNLhfmzdwqw
Redefining Company Leadership with Dexcomm
Many companies implement a top-down management style. Though this is a common leadership approach, it can often cause employees to disengage from the company and weaken organizational objectives. With my guidance, Dexcomm implemented leadership tools and resources that allowed it to realign its focus on the company and reengage employees.
Managing the Conflict Continuum
https://youtu.be/KinukzmY0NE Executives’ meetings often go one of two ways: nothing is said at all, or it’s “open combat.” One is peaceful and harmonious. The other is hostile and executives openly attack each other. Both ways are completely unproductive. As a leader, it is important to push yourself every day by being direct
Is Your Executive Team Aligned?
A common problem executive teams face is that they forget—or never even knew—the ultimate purpose of their role, which is to advocate and plan for the company. Executives often make the mistake of acting as representatives of their constituents. This means since each member of an executive team works with a