Open for business?

Member Business Lending (MBL) is a topic that continues to generate a lot of buzz. Considering our current economic state, why are MBLs getting so much attention? Because they are one of the fastest-growing segments of credit union loan portfolios,  with an average loan growth rate of 4%*. Some credit unions are reporting even higher rates. CUNA’s News Now recently reported that in 2011, Michigan credit unions increased their MBLs  by 21.7%!

Other statistics to note:

• The number of credit unions offering MBLs: 2,233
• Average size of  credit union MBLs: $219,120

“While we know that MBLs may not be for every credit union, CUNA’s goal is to provide the most comprehensive information possible to help credit unions make an educated decision on whether to offer these services,” says Doug Benzine, Vice President of CUNA’s Advisory Services. To that end, we present a number of resources for credit unions currently offering or considering adding MBLs to their portfolio including (but not limited to):

1. Member Business Lending Resources;

2. CUNA’s Business Lending Institutes: Fundamentals, Credit Analysis and Advanced Credit Analysis; and

3. Consulting services.

Currently the cap on MBLs is 12.25% of a credit union’s total assets. As the national trade association, CUNA is advocating Congress to enact legislation which would  increase the  cap to 27.5% for well-capitalized credit unions.

Participate NOW in our Call to Action to increase the MBL cap, by contacting your  state representatives and urging them to include Small Business Lending Enhancement Act in the small business jobs bill.

*Source: FDIC, NCUA and CUNA E&S

To us ‘credit union folk’, the value of membership is rooted in our core. We know that membership to a cooperative means ownership. It means we are a part of something greater, a community of shared interest, we’re among friends. To those who are new to cooperatives, or are just now discovering the value of membership and ask us to define it– we sometimes struggle to share the warm and fuzzy feeling that we get just thinking of words to describe it!

I’ve started reading the book “Tribes” by bestselling author (and also past CUNA’s ACUC speaker), Seth Godin.  On the book-flap, Godin describes a tribe as, “any group of people, large or small, who are connected to one another, a leader, and an idea.” The book’s concept is to focus on leadership with a different spin, tribe leadership.

Win this book by sharing your examples below

As I page through the book, I am flooded with the Credit Union and cooperative parallels to tribes.  I’m amazed at the interchangeability between ‘organization’ and ‘tribe’ and ‘membership’.  However, on page 30 it really started getting sticky. Godin defines the difference between crowds and tribes.

Crowds and Tribes, he outlines, are…

“Two different things:

• A crowd is a tribe without a leader.
• A crowd is a tribe without communication.

Most organizations spend their time marketing to the crowd. Smart organizations assemble the tribe.”

How are credit unions ‘assembling the tribe’ versus ‘managing a crowd’?  How are we showing potential tribe members we’re exactly what they’re looking for?  On paper, it’s apparent that credit union membership trumps taking your money to any other financial institution. The 7 cooperative principles alone should convince any person off the street to move their money to a CU on the spot. To find out how credit unions are assembling their tribes, I started my search with ‘credit union principles’.

To my delight, I found a variety of great examples of doing it right:

Be Engaging – My favorite example of ‘assembling the tribe’ is how the crew at Seattle Metropolitan Credit Union   uses the principles as the foundation for their credit union’s blog – http://www.7principles.coop/ . The blog seems to serve as a primary communication valet for the CU’s tribe. This crowd has turned tribe with a widespread communication hub (I can also see they’re ‘liked’ by 895 Facebook friends). Also, their new ‘tribe leader’ is also featured in a recent blog post! 

Be Entertaining – One of my favorite CU videos by gira{ph}. This video spells out our CU Principles clearly in black and white (with a little red, too).

Be Fun – A great way to bring together your CU staff ‘tribe’ is to create an enjoyable work environment.  Have you seen this debut video from The Summit FCU last week? It must be gratifying to work for CU that can crack a joke, make fun videos, and capitalize on the latest craze!  With nearly 4,000 views in less than a week, the fun is definitely far-reaching.  Another fine example of assembling the tribe.

What is your CU doing to change your membership from crowd to tribe? 2012 is the International Year of cooperatives, what better opportunity to shout from the rooftops the benefits of credit union membership. Is your credit union taking this unique opportunity to engage your membership? We would love to showcase how your credit union is assembling the tribe (of membership, of staff, of potential membership).  Please share your best practices below and be automatically entered to win a copy of “Tribes” by Seth Godin. 

CONTEST NOTES: Contest begins today and ends on Wed., Feb. 15th at 11:59PM (ct). Winners will be chosen by a random number generator. Make sure you leave an email address where you can be contacted.  The winner will be notified via e-mail and will also be announced on the blog.  The odds of winning depend on the number of entrants received.  No purchase necessary to win. Void where prohibited.      This competition is offered by Credit Union National Association (CUNA) and is open to anyone who comments on this post and is at least 18 years of age. Employees of CUNA and family members of such employees are not eligible to enter.   CUNA shall not have any liability for any malfunction of or damage to the prize. The award winner may be responsible for applicable state or federal taxes on the value of the contest prize

Ann Peterson

From Ann Peterson: 

I recently purchased my husband’s birthday gift: a ticket to fly on a World War II B-17 bomber, which makes a tour stop at the EAA AirVenture Convention in Wisconsin later this month. The convention is an international gathering of aviation enthusiasts. This plane is definitely a military treasure: Of the more than 14,000 B-17s built, fewer than a dozen are airworthy today.

With the price of that ticket, he could have flown round trip to San Francisco instead of 40 minutes on this 66-year-old aircraft, dripping oil from its engines (affectionately known as “bomber’s blood” by the crew). And I’m expecting it will be Indy-car loud inside the “Aluminum Overcast,” but he’ll be fine, ear plugs securely in place. If he’s bold enough, he’ll experience part of it from the bombardier’s seat, in the transparent nose of the plane.

Life is about experiences, after all. Sit back and enjoy the flight, I told him.

He’s pumped. It’s an exciting step back in time and a tribute to our heritage, he said. And I understand that. Because as he’s anticipating the flight of his lifetime, I’m anticipating my own adventure: Next week I begin my first year in CUNA Management School, a credit union movement tradition entering its 57th year.

After more than 20 years serving credit unions through CUNA’s training, public relations, and now–for 16 years–publications departments, I’m going back to school.

I’ve attended numerous educational events with so many of you over the years. But our focus clearly was different: You may have been listening for advice on how to boost loans, deal with the effects of corporate assessments, or design a sales culture. Chances are I was on deadline–zeroing in on succinct quotes for my articles, brainstorming a headline, or writing the lead. 

I’ve heard it said that journalists know a little bit about a lot of subjects. I’m no exception. I’ve written a lot of articles on topics critical to credit union operations–risk-based lending, ATM security, board development, data processing, succession planning, legislation and compliance, loan participations, debit interchange. Yet, did I really have a complete understanding of the leadership skills and knowledge necessary to manage a credit union today? And wouldn’t I be a better writer and editor if I did?

So I’m excited for classes to begin, to meet my fellow students, and to honor the school’s tradition. We’ll finally have a shared focus—and the same deadlines. 

But, I admit, I’m also a little anxious. As a writer, I can always come up with questions: What if I miscalculate my ratios? What if I can’t speak the ALM language? What if I fail?

 Then again, what if I just sit back and enjoy the flight?

Ann Peterson is the Managing Editor for the Credit Union National Association.

This past week, CUNA launched a new membership opportunity for credit union board and committee members.  I was fortunate to be working with this network for the past months as it was developed, but CUNA Governmental Affairs Conference (GAC) attendees had the opportunity to see the members-only website as its launch was celebrated on Sunday night in the exhibit hall.

Kevin Smith, CUNA Instructional Design Manager

I took some time to sit down with Kevin Smith, CUNA Instructional Design Manager, who worked with developing and launching the membership to get his perspective on its usefulness and value for credit unions.  Read on to find out what he had to say as he prepared for the launch last week.

What inspired the creation of the CUNA Volunteer Network?

The job of credit union directors is getting increasingly complex, more demanding of time and attention, as well as requiring more expertise. It’s incumbent upon CUNA to provide products and services  to help directors keep up  with demand and to do their jobs effectively and efficiently. We see that directors get a great value from networking opportunities at our schools and conferences.  However, networking is challenging for them to continue outside of a conference environment. We also hear from directors who are traveling to conferences less often for a variety of reasons and they want a way to stay connected. There are a surprising number of directors at conference events using cutting-edge technology to try to keep up with everything (iPhones, laptops, Blackberries, etc.).

This all suggests that volunteers are very busy and need a community of resources to help them excel in their roles as directors.  Therefore, the CUNA Volunteer Network was “born” out of the necessity for board and committee members to keep up with credit union issues and connected with each other.

Is the CUNA Volunteer Network fulfilling a need that CUNA identified or was it driven by members?

CUNA identified a number of trends that inspired the idea of a network of volunteers.  Through focus groups of credit union volunteers, we fine-tuned the specifics of how that network would be delivered and what it would include to provide value.  We make a concerted effort to pay close attention to our directors to ensure we give them the tools they need, so this membership is an example of just that.

Due to recent regulatory changes affecting board members, CUNA sees the need for volunteers to stay up-to-date and connected becoming even more important given the additional expectations being placed on board members.  Volunteers are looking for more online resources, so a membership-based website was very well received by our focus groups and we thank them for their input.

What have you found is the most attractive value to credit unions to want to join?

By far the access to leading industry training, tools and peer advice anytime and from anywhere has been a big interest point for credit unions.  Specifically, the list serve, 20 online training courses, and Director’s Newsletter have been getting a lot of interest because of the value on a variety of potential topics each provides.

How are membership benefits different than the benefits of being a member of CUNA?

You have to be a volunteer or CEO of a CUNA and league-affiliated credit union to be a member of the CUNA Volunteer Network. The network provides opportunities that are focused specifically on the roles of credit union board and supervisory committee members. The membership benefits include additional discounts and access to tools and information CUNA offers, plus some exclusive options for just the CUNA Volunteer Network members at an affordable value.  Basically, if a board or board member takes advantage of even half of the tools available to them through the network, they’ve more than paid for their membership and it’s all served up on an easy-to-use and access website.

Learn more about the network at training.cuna.org/volnet.

Cool Faded Stop Sign by doortoriver

Are you like me – do you have a to-do list that never seems to get any shorter?  This time of year it seems like the list is never ending.  My blackberry is loaded up with task reminders, appointments, and  meeting after meeting.  My desk is wallpapered with post-it note lists of things to do, phone calls to return and I have a huge whiteboard detailing the many projects I need to tackle.  On top of all of that, now there is yearend wrap-up and 2011 planning.  So when I heard the following statement from Jim Colllins’ Good to Great it was a game changer for me:

 ”STOP doing lists are more important than to-do lists”!

According to Collins, one of the things that all great leaders do is create “pockets of quietude” to disconnect from their hectic schedule and focus on thinking.  Imagine that - taking planned time to sit back and think about your next big idea.  But how in the world can we fit that quiet time into our busy lives?  We can take a good look at our to-do lists and pick things that we are going to commit to stop doing. 

A few weeks ago my department watched a video of Jim Collins’ presentation at The 1 Credit Union Conference.   I had the pleasure of watching him speak live back in July, but getting to watch it with my team was even more impactful.  A group of us were so fired up afterwards that we’ve decided to start a discussion group to take the concepts and turn them into actionable items that will help take our team from good to great. 

Our first group assignment was to take one of the concepts and apply it to our personal roles here at CUNA.  We eventually plan on tackling some bigger group challenges, but we needed to start somewhere, so we’re starting with our own little realm of control.  I decided to try out the stop doing concept.   Somewhere along the line it seems like all of my tasks started to feel urgent, and I wanted to figure out what tasks truly were important.  For this first week’s exercise I found one thing that was getting in my way to really focus on big ideas was my e-mail notification.  Every time it would pop up I’d get distracted from the projects that were most important. 

So the first action on my stop doing list: I am going to stop allowing every single e-mail to pull my attention away from the bigger tasks at hand.  I’ve turned off the e-mail notification alert on both my blackberry and computer and have set up scheduled time to address my e-mail inbox.  It’s a really small first application of the stop doing concept, but for me it’s been a huge help.  In just one week I’m already feeling much more focused and am having a lot of  fun tackling the bigger projects on my to do list.

I urge you to do the same, sit back and determine activities to work on that are really contributing to your own personal success and the success of the goals of your credit union.  It’s a really eye opening exercise.  Those tasks that are blocking you from those key activities – add them to your stop doing list!

So, what’s one thing you can stop doing in 2011 (or now if you’re so inclined)?  It can be small or huge – you’ve just got to start with something.  

Answer that question in a comment below and we’ll do a random drawing on December 20th to give away a signed copy of Collins’ most recent book – How The Mighty Fall: And Why Some Companies Never Give In!

CONTEST DETAILS: Contest begins today and ends on Monday, December 20th at 11:59PM (CT). No purchase necessary to win.  Make sure you leave an email address where you can be contacted.  The winner will be notified via e-mail and will also be announced on the blog.  Multiple comments are allowed as long as you have a valid idea in each comment. (No duplicate comments) The odds of winning depend on the number of entrants received.  Void where prohibited.

UPDATE (12/21): THIS CONTEST HAS ENDED – CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR WINNER, BILL CLANCY, WHO WON A SIGNED COPY OF JIM COLLINS’ BOOK HOW THE MIGHTY FALL.  THANKS TO ALL WHO PARTICIPATED!

Gratitude by kateausburn

“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it. ”                           ~William Arthur Ward

Like you, I look forward to the delicious food and the many festivities of the season, to the gatherings and the rituals that signal the holidays are upon us. I look forward to seeing aunts and uncles, cousins and their children; to catching up with everyone, even if just for a few hours.

One of the things I look forward to the most is a tradition started by my mother many years back. Before settling down to the main feast, we go around the room and answer the question “What are you grateful for?”  I will admit there were times (during my ungrateful teens) when I didn’t find this exercise very endearing. As I grow older, it is one of the things I look forward to, and ponder, the most.

We are often so busy with life that we don’t spend much time considering what, or who, we are grateful for. The fourth Thursday of November is the one day of the year dedicated to giving thanks for the many blessings in our lives, (despite the peaks and valleys we all experience).  To find gratitude in our lives, we consider our basic needs:  Do we have our health?  Shelter?  Food?  Transportation?  A job?  Friends and family members (perhaps even coworkers) who love us?  These are just a few of the things on our list. The rest is just gravy…

Although Thanksgiving offers a perfect opportunity to express our gratitude, perhaps it could be a more frequent activity in our lives? After all, gratitude seems to be a self-fulfilling prophecy: the more grateful we are, the more we find to be grateful for.

A few ideas for capturing gratitude throughout the year:

• A Gratitude  Journal :  A few times a week, jot down the things you are grateful for (or capture it on your iPhone via the Gratitude Journal App). When times get tough, referring to this journal can be extremely beneficial.
• A Gratitude Box: This is one of the most meaningful gifts Oprah ever received. Inexpensive to create, the gratitude box can be given to a friend on a special occasion or duplicated for a special event (such as Thanksgiving).
• A Family Thank Bank: Instead of coins, deposit small notes of gratitude into the slot of a piggy bank.  Similar to the gratitude journal, the thank bank allows the whole family to participate.

As warriors of the credit union movement, I think we witness gratitude more frequently than most people do. We get to see the looks on the faces of the members whose loans we approve, when other financial institutions have turned them down. We hear gratitude in the voices of the members whose problems we have listened to, and then helped solve.

One of the things I am most grateful for this year is being a part of this movement and of being surrounded, on a daily basis, by “people helping people”.  Thank you for all that you do!

ELL Advisory Committee members from left to right: Mark Stetzer (First Florida CU), Don Vaughnn (Sioux Falls FCU), Tara Whitmire (ELGA CU), Tiffanie Walls (Seattle Metropolitan CU), Autumn Tarquinio (Community Choice CU) and Marlo Foltz (Credit Union National Association)

Reflecting back on my trip home from San Diego after spending time with credit union HR and training professionals at CUNA’s Experience Learning Live (ELL), I made note of my top insights from the conference and the value of credit union training.  Here’s my top 5, but boy – credit union trainers never stop amazing me!

The All Mighty Trainer
As I spoke to attendees, attended sessions and experienced the ELLy award presentation (see who won), I was amazed at the awe-inspiring efforts of credit union training and HR, and of course the results they were helping their credit unions achieve.  From management know-how to loan growth in a down economy, the trainers and HR departments represented at ELL were unrelenting in their commitment to their employees and credit union.  In fact, many of their programs have been attributed to helping the credit union weather the economic storm of recent years.

Feel the Love
I attended ELL to spend some time with our credit union training and HR attendees talking about their use of CUNA’s training products and services.  There is nothing better for a marketer than hearing how much someone loves the product he or she markets.  I heard great stories from CUNA’s CPDOnline and Creating Member Loyalty™ (CML) credit unions about how much their staff enjoyed these services while their credit union gained better financial performance as a result.

Win Big with Scavenger Hunts & BINGO
Trainers want to win big, and did CUNA put them to the test throughout ELL to win thousands of dollars in goodies.  The excitement across the Hard Rock Hotel in San Diego went up a notch or two when training and HR gurus were grouped to discover the hotel area during the opening mixer.  In addition, throughout the week the stakes got higher as attendees competed for BINGO prizes consisting of a CUNA’s CPDOnline membership, CML Product Knowledge, CUNA Pressing Economic Issues Series, Training Bundle and more.  Admittedly, I had my doubts if attendees would be up for some out-of-the –box mixers and knowledge tests, but those doubts were put to shame by attendees that competed fiercely and embraced an idea with unparalleled enthusiasm. Credit union training is in great hands!

The Credit Union Difference
Not that credit unions have to be told about this difference, but there is something great about sitting amongst credit union trainers and hearing them whole-heartedly believe and practice their ideals that credit union training does not equal bank training.  If you dare think so, or possibly believe that bank training can be passed off or slightly changed to accomplish credit union training, watch out!  When ELL trainers start talking about building their courses, service backed by credit union ideals is where it all begins.

Appreciation & Recognition
As I listened to the acceptance talks from the credit union trainers recognized with ELLy awards (see who won), it was truly inspiring hear the recognition the award winners gave to their credit union team, leaders and employees as well as fellow ELL attendees and CUNA as a part of their recognition.  Even while basking in the recognition given to them, the award recipients could not forgot those who helped them.

Summed up, all this inspiration, hard work and enthusiasm can only mean one action we should take.  And, so I ask…have you thanked a trainer today?

Treated Like Royalty...

Recently I had the pleasure of attending the Technology Council Conference.  The Technology Council and the OpSS Council combined forces this year to present two amazing events in one amazing venue: Las Vegas. This format allowed participants to listen to keynote speakers in a communal space, while giving them the option to choose  breakout sessions from either the Technology or OpSS tracks.   It was my first CUNA Council event in over ten years and I was not disappointed.

During a break between sessions, I had the opportunity to visit Zappos, the mecca of customer satisfaction. If you have read any of my previous posts, you will know I have a soft spot in my heart for Zappos. I had signed up for the free tour  as soon as I learned I would be going to Vegas for the conference. A little before 10:00am on Wednesday morning I got a call from Andrea, “can-do coordinator” at Zappos and my chauffeur for the morning. She was calling to let me know she was a little early for pick-up (sweet), but when I was ready, she would be waiting for me out front. I was impressed by the fact that Zappos sends its employees (rather than a car service) to pick up their tour-goers.  I knew I was in for quite ”an experience.”

On our short ride out to Zappos, Andrea told me about her experience working for Zappos and how lucky she was to work there. Not only had she done the customary four week call center training program that every employee is required to do, she had passed up the $2000 they offered her at the end of that period, to quit. By month’s end, she was already enamored with the Zappos culture, and no amount of money would entice her to resign. In the three years she had been employed since, her passion for her employer had grown even stronger. I could tell by the way she looked me in the eye  (through the rear-view mirror) when she spoke, by the way she smiled, and the pride in her voice when she told me about her various tasks.

We arrived at Zappos HQ and Andrea escorted me to the lobby. There I ran into some of the OpSS Council Executives who were just commencing their tour. They were blown away by what they had seen. “It was so amazing!” Said one. ”It was worth the entire trip!” Said another. The conference hadn’t even started yet so they were in for quite a week!

After bidding them farewell,  I checked in with the receptionist, a tough looking guy who surprised me by calling everyone, including me, ”friend”. I spent the next twenty minutes drinking from my complimentary water bottle (thanks Zappos), quietly observing my surroundings. It was nearing lunchtime by then and people were milling in and out of the front door. Every single one of them either nodded at me or said hello to me, and not in a fake, “I should be nice to that lady because she is on the tour” kind of way. Every single one of them was genuine and… happy. And they were sharing that happiness, with me.

The tour itself was, as promised, absolutely fabulous. I don’t have time to go into details but I can tell you that the next time you go to Vegas, you MUST do the tour. Even if you don’t love shoes (like I do), you will get something out of the experience.  Like Zappos, the credit union movement is “powered by service.” Every day, we are “serving our members” and every day we have countless opportunities to WOW them. Are we taking those opportunities?

At Zappos there are no limits on call times and no “cue cards” to follow. Each employee is trained to treat each customer as an individual. They listen to the caller. They find out what the caller needs. And then they do whatever it takes to make that caller HAPPY. This has led to some interesting, and memorable experiences. It has also led to more than 8000 customer testimonials!! Zappos lets their customers due most of their marketing for them. Happy customers (or happy members in our case) do tell their friends about their experiences.

The following day, as I sat listening to keynoter Jackie Freiberg talk about 7 Choices for Blowing the Doors off Business-as-Usual, I thought “Jackie is talking about what Tony Hseih is doing with his employees at Zappos.” True leaders, according to Jackie,  ”Inspire, model and teach other team members to: Do Whatever it Takes!”

Is your credit union doing whatever it takes to grow membership? Are you asking existing members to tell their friends (and family) how awesome your credit union is? Are you encouraging them to open “starter” accounts for their kids (the future of the credit union movement)? Are you delivering happiness to your members and if so, are you asking them for testimonials? If you do get their testimonials, are you sharing them with the world?

The time is right to “Do Whatever it Takes” to spread the credit union difference, and to deliver more happiness to the world, and our members.

Working in the archives can sometimes be overwhelming.  I’m sure working anywhere can be overwhelming.  So, we all have outside interests to keep us going.  When I was in grad school, our professors would often stress how participating in professional organizations can keep one intellectually interested in their profession.  Moreover, professional associations help to increase and maintain one’s social network.  I’ve stayed active in professional associations in an attempt to grow professionally.  I’m a member of the Society of American Archivists (SAA) and Academy of Certified Archivists (ACA).  These organizations offer archivists the chance to exchange ideas, learn new techniques, and socialize with each other.

As a member of the SAA, I’ve been fortunate enough to present a paper, present several posters, chair a session at the annual meeting, be the editor for the Business Archives Section, and participate on both the Committee on Ethics and Professional Conduct and the Task Force to Develop a Values Statement.  I’ve been very fortunate to have these opportunities, but they didn’t come without effort, and a little luck.

My job makes me a member of the credit union movement, but my profession has little to do with credit unions.  As a result, when I look for growth opportunities, I’m often looking outside of my organization and the credit union movement.  Credit unions, leagues, and CUNA all offer great professional development opportunities.  Heck, CUNA even has the Center for Professional Development!  Whether you’re looking in your credit union, the league, CUNA or outside the credit union movement, there are some basic things to consider as you seek professional development.  Below are my 6 tips for professional development:

1.  Don’t be afraid to look outside your organization. 

Our organizations can limit professional growth for numerous reasons, and none of which may be intentional.  But, that doesn’t mean your organization doesn’t want you to learn and grow, and couldn’t benefit from your development.  In my case, looking to my profession offers many more chances for professional growth.  It might be the same for you.  Accountants, marketers, graphic designers, etc., all have professional organizations they can join.  Or, there are organizations which can use those skills to enhance their organization.  The point is these other organizations can help you improve your techniques, learn new practices, and meet others doing work similar to you.

2.  Volunteer and answer calls for participants.

When an organization asks for volunteers, they mean it.  This is your opportunity to get in the door.  And, we all know getting in the door is half the battle.  Sometimes we get intimated by other members’ credentials or experience.  We can feel like we don’t have the necessary experience to participate.  I’m telling you to place those fears into Al Gore’s lock-box!  Rather take up Rosie the Riveter’s motto, ‘cause, “Yes You Can!”  Take that chance and respond.  The worst thing that can happen is that you don’t get selected…this time.

3.  Be persistent and don’t take rejection personally.

If you don’t get selected for an opportunity, don’t take the rejection personally.  Most opportunities have limited openings.  You might not have been selected this time, but next time you might be needed.  In fact, the more chances you take the more often you are to be rejected.  Remember that a numbers game is always being played.  Keep on working to develop your skill with the existing opportunities.  Eventually, you’ll find you have a skill that is critically needed, and/or you’ve meet someone that can “put in a good word for you.”

4.  Look for social networks. 

Develop and maintain professional and personal relationships with different people.  One never knows when a person in your social network will help you out.  In my case, I was recommended for the SAA Values Task Force because of my youth and inexperience in the profession by a professor I had during library school.  Without this connection, my name likely wouldn’t have come up.  We all know the saying, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.”  Sometimes this is the case, so try to know as many people as possible.

5.  Participate with pride, conviction, and honesty.

When it comes down to what you know, doing things with pride, conviction, and honesty will help out.  While my name was in the mix for the SAA Values Task Force based on who I knew, it was the “what I knew” that really got me into the group.  I had taken a course on archival ethics with the professor that offered my name.  He knew that I have the ability to critically examine important ethical value positions without being overly impressed by convention or other people’s convictions.  I can argue with the best, but try not to belittle or demean any other position.  I simply go on the facts as presented.  But, you must do your homework and be ready to offer your honest critiques.  Do this, and respect will follow.  Then people will come to you because they can trust you to be a positive member and to do good work. 

6.  Know your limits; or know when to say “no.” 

Once you get your foot in the door, it will quickly become apparent that more help is always needed.  In professional associations, there is often a snowball effect.  This happens in organizations too.  One committee leads to two committees – leads to a task force – leads to a presentation – leads to a paper – leads to another committee.  I’m sure you’ve seen this before.  Knowing how and when to say, “no” can be a very critical step in our development.  And, knowing when to step away can help too.  The point here is to say “no” before you start something that feels “off” or you feel yourself being too drained.  In my opinion, it is better to say “no” beforehand then it is to quit in the middle because you “burned out.”  Once you gain a good reputation, people will understand if you can’t help them every now and again.  They know when you are ready or interested they’ll be able to count on you.

I’m sure you have some other points which are helpful as well.

I’m sure something like this has happened to you – a negative experience with a company that could have been saved so easily.

Last week my daughter developed pink eye after our normal pharmacy was already closed so I was sent to the other pharmacy in our area.  The pharmacist mistakenly declared there was no co-pay for the purchase and sent us on our way.  A few days later, I received an angry phone call from someone else at the pharmacy who was shocked that this mistake had happened. They went on to slam the poor guy that made the mistake, and demanded I come in immediately to pay for the prescription.  So back to the pharmacy I went.  I had to explain the situation to four different employees and wait for 45 minutes while they discussed how to proceed right in front of me.  Turns out their system couldn’t accept my $10.00 at this point due to how the initial mistake was entered. Again, they mentioned how stupid the first guy must have been and now the person that called me was an idiot in their eyes too.  Eventually, they agreed that I had waited long enough and it was time to let the $10.00 go.  They apologized for the inconvenience and sent me on my way. 

There were a few opportunities throughout this whole ordeal that the negative experience could have been turned around, but those opportunities were wasted.  Finally, waiving the co-pay could be viewed as a last ditch effort to save the interaction, but it was too late – the amount of time I ended up wasting with this pharmacy and how negative they made me feel certainly won’t be forgotten. 

Parts of this experience could have possibly been blamed on just one of the employees or even attributed randomly to the circumstances – but the whole experience had me really questioning this particular company and even more specifically their lack in arming their front-line staff with the training and tools necessary for recovery.   Studies show that some of the strongest customer loyalty comes not from smooth customer service experiences but from those times when something went wrong and the company did a stellar job in making things right.  

According to Celeste Cook, President/CEO of cuSrategies and opening keynoter for this year’s CUNA FUSE “Frontline staff is the face of your institution.  They have mega influence on whether you prosper, earn client loyalty, and develop new relationships.  Everything frontline employees do and say or don’t do and say impacts growth and retention.”  Cook shared these insights about the connection between employees and growth and retention in a recent article for Branch Manager’s Letter.  She goes on to state that “The touch points and opportunities afforded frontline staff to build and strengthen client relationships are far greater and have a far greater impact on growth and retention than any other delivery channel.”

With frontline staff at credit unions playing such an important role it is imperative that they be ready to handle all member interactions, even the really negative ones, as an opportunity for growth.  What about the frontline staff at your credit union?

•  Do they see the importance of the job they are doing and how strongly that can impact the success of your credit union? 
•  Have they been provided with adequate training? 
•  Are they rewarded for exemplary service to members? 
•  Are they empowered to do what is necessary to turn a negative member experience into a positive opportunity for the credit union?

I’m hoping that the answer is yes to most of the above questions, if not, what are you doing to ensure a simple $10.00 transaction doesn’t turn in to the loss of a loyal member?