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?

Hello CUNAverse!

I, along with some other team members, just got back from a whirlwind of excitement at CUNA’s Experience Learning Live (ELL) conference. We had some marvelous speakers, workshops, and breakout sessions that provided trainers and HR professionals with great information and materials. Being a first-timer to the conference (as staff and a part-time attendee) I was blown away by the enthusiasm trainers have for their profession, and what consideration they take for the employees they train.

Kicking off the conference we played the ELL version of ‘Amazing Race, San Diego’ where we sent attendees on an exploratory expedition of the Gaslamp Quarter of San Diego to get them familiar with our ‘home-base’ neighborhood where the event was held. I thought this was a brilliant take on the game, and felt honored to give teams ‘Journey’ and ‘Kid Rock’ their clues as they flew through the checkpoints.  After our photo-finish race had ended we held a networking reception so attendees could mingle and get geared up for the fun ahead.

The conference was full of useful information. Kirk Weisler kicked it off with a great opening act about creating a culture of high engagement, love, and strong connections. He brought home the idea of keeping a fun work environment where people are involved and a part of the organization, not just cogs in the machine.  He later led us in bringing story-telling into the trainer toolbox, another great way to keep your audience engaged.

In Paul Wesselmann’s session we learned how to improve our training outlines by establishing key objectives of training to present a direct cohesive message, which is essential in a learner’s retention rate. Keeping it new, interesting and lively are key to keeping the attention of the training audience. Paul had great best practice pieces that I will apply to my future training endeavors. It’s amazing how a new perspective can shed some light on a training session you’ve been giving for years .

CUNA’s own experts got to share their tried and true methods as well. Courtney Cantwell presented her Trainer’s Treasure Chest of free resources to help make training resonate with today’s learners. Marlo Foltz and Angela Prestil brought toys into the training realm and showed how training can have a playtime element to it as well as an educational one. Carla Schrinner helped trainers improve their skills and techniques with elements within CUNA’s CML program while her co-part Jayne Hitman provided the keys of achieving peak performance. This lineup of content reminded me of the plethora of knowledge I can get from my co-workers. It’s so nice to know that I can walk down the hall and get expert advice from my peers.

The ELLY awards were an experience in themselves! I’ve heard such spectacular stories of the awards, I was psyched to put on my frilly dress and see the “best of the best “earn their deserved accolades. Serving as the ‘Vanna’ of ceremony, I got to hand off the awards to the recipient, giving an earnest ‘congratulations’ to each and every one of them. I was surprised when on more than one occasion; my eyes welled up while listening to their sincere acceptance speeches. It was very touching to see yet another display of enthusiasm for their chosen careers.

Throughout the conference, I felt a sense of community.  I could hear fellow attendees creating their own roundtables (at literal round tables) during our mingling sessions!  As I mentioned, their passion for training is apparent and contagious; it gave me a warm fuzzy feeling inside.

It’s so refreshing to speak (face-to-face!) with the trainers I often communicate with via e-mail and phone. Putting faces to names, and making meaningful connections was a key take-home element for me. There’s something very special about physically meeting, shaking hands with, or even hugging someone you regularly work with. In a movement where people helping people is our main philosophy, it was great seeing and speaking to those people whom we help, who help us, and who help others.

The CUNAverse team has been discussing the impact of the recession on our business, our lives, credit unions and organizations in general. The new views of how we do things, increased workload, uncertainty of markets and the future have been a part of our conversation as well as the silver lining and a new appreciation for camaraderie, stability and new ideas at work.

One question I wanted to research more thoroughly was about the professional future for the survivors of the downsizing and “doing more with less” environment many work places have experienced since 2008.  What is the professional fate of those who have spent so much of their last two years weathering the economic storm?  And specifically, what will this mean to credit unions?

I didn’t have to look far to find the employee retention rate at credit unions has increased over the last two years to 88% according to CUNA’s 2010-2011 Complete Credit Union Staff Salary Survey Report.  Nationally, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the number of quits continues to hover around its lowest point in the last 10 years.  Quits tend to rise when there is a perception of another job being available and vice versa.  So, what’s a credit union to do as we approach the rebound of the economy and the potential for turnover to rise even amongst your most star employees?

Here are some tips to consider when preparing for the very high likelihood of a turnover increase at your credit union in the near future:

• Invest in Supervisor Training

A study by the Gallup Organization found that the top reason employees quit their job was not due to compensation, benefits or the type of work, but due to a poor working relationship with their supervisor.  Given the costs of turnover to your credit union in recruiting, training and retention, review the investment your credit union makes in supervisor or management training to ensure your managers have the talent and know-how to maximize the employee relationship and understand each employee’s desires and goals.

• Support Ongoing Learning & Recognition

Working with credit unions that use CUNA’s training programs, I hear firsthand the difference our programs make in credit union careers.  Whether it’s attending a conference and earning a national certification or taking an online course to earn a certificate of knowledge, ongoing learning and recognition can lead to higher job satisfaction and development of skills that benefit the credit union.

• Understand Compensation & Benefits

While dollars and insurance aren’t the only factors of whether an employee stays with or leaves your organization, be sure your credit union is competitively positioned in your marketplace.  Using resources online or CUNA’s staff research resources are a couple ways to make sure this isn’t the missing part of your employee equation.

• Create a Positive Work Environment

No one wants to go to work each day dreading the decisions they have to make or the people’s actions and behaviors he or she comes across.  So, what have you done lately to improve the work environment of your credit union?  This doesn’t take a management position, but it does take a leader to initiate the expectation of being genuinely concerned for those around you.  A positive work environment and positive relations with co-workers can be two of the most powerful retention tools, so do your part to start a company initiative or just send a personal note of appreciation.  Small and large actions can get you far in this category of increasing job satisfaction and making people enjoy coming to work.

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?

CUNA Management School Class of 2008

After spending almost three years working at CUNA and marketing CUNA Management School, I was asked to go through the program as an attendee in 2006.  I remember arriving on a hot, steamy July Sunday to gather my materials and check in to my dorm room.  That wasn’t a typo, I stayed in a dorm room for two weeks, and actually enjoyed it.  Unlike my college days at the same UW-Madison, this school offered a completely different experience.

After attending the evening mixer, I began to notice quickly the diversity amongst the group.  Though we were all from the credit union movement, there were CEOs, marketers, branch managers, lending officers, business development managers, compliance officers and many others.  Plus, there were veterans of the movement, new hires, young parents, grandparents, and even one woman who was pregnant.  All in different stages of our careers and lives, we embarked on this experience to…? That was the question I wanted to answer.  After all, I promote this program to credit union professionals each year.  What were they hoping to gain or learn during these two weeks, and what would bring them back for the following two summers?

Needless to say, I certainly got an education at CUNA Management School.  Not only was I educated about what people gained and learned at the program, I experienced it.

I learned about and experienced idea sharing.  Unbeknownst to me at the time, I sat next to 3 other marketers during my first day of class, and sat next to the same 3 my last day.  We loved learning from each other, and discussing the concepts presented in class as they related to marketing.

I learned about and experienced leadership and teamwork.  Sure, at first I thought it was hokey to have a class motto and chant.  But sure enough, after serving as our class treasurer, fundraising for the scholarship fund, assisting with the welcome committee and planning our class celebration, I felt the credit union philosophy come alive along with a camaraderie that continued long after the day we headed home.

I learned about and experienced credit unions.  I knew business concepts before I attended CUNA Management School.  In fact, many of my class members already had masters in business.  However, we learned about the credit union way of doing business as we sifted through ALM, ratios, human resources, marketing, innovation and crisis management.  Not just how to do it, but how a credit union should do it.

As the day approaches that a whole new CUNA Management School class begins, I remember my last day of the program.  I was the pregnant woman (with only two weeks until my due date, now that’s dedication) and others were now CEOs and COOs. We all took something a little different away from the program, yet we were all taking away something just the same: We learned about and experienced people helping people.

Credit Union Center in Madison - In this picture, CUNA is in the front & CUNA Mutual is the building in the back.

A few weeks ago, I did a post on using social media in your credit union training, where I linked to the following video and then realized, “You know, I’m sure more people could benefit from watching it.” So I’m sharing it with you.

Sure, I’m sure you industry veterans are scoffing right now because you know that CUNA (Credit Union National Association) is different from CUNA Mutual.  Same industry, different roles. But I’m always surprised by the reaction sometimes at credit union events or conferences when I introduce myself and where I work and get “Oh cool, so you sell insurance?”

So for those new to the credit union system or for those who want to learn more – this video is for you. Some background: It was borne out of a presentation I did on CUNA at the National Credit Union Foundation’s DE Training program last year. A new friend from CUNA Mutual was presenting right after me (Jennifer Kuhn) so we thought it would be fun to do a little take-off on the PC/MAC ads highlighting the similarities and differences between the two organizations  to open them (“You support credit unions too? You are in Madison?” And so on).

It was a big hit so when we got back, we polished it up and CUNA Mutual filmed it for their internal training.  Naturally, they’ve since put it up on YouTube too to help educate others. It’s also played in the common areas too of the campus, which is funny because more than once someone has stopped me in the cafeteria with a “Hey, where do I know you? Oh, you’re CUNA!”

Anyway, enjoy (yes, it’s cheesy):

>Christopher here again with another self serving and redundant post.

Recently, Credit Union Magazine asked members of Filene’s 30 under 30 group for their thoughts on keeping talented young adult employees. I was one of the members who responded and my thoughts were subsequently published online.

> Click here to read the interview

Fellow members Robin Hickey and Megan Primeau are featured as well. Thanks to Bill Merrick for the opportunity and hope you find the responses useful.

What are your thoughts on keeping talented young adult employees? Are credit unions doing a good job?

>This is RecruiterGuy again to give you another quick preview of coming attractions.

You work too hard to find great talent. Failing to retain them is a shame – and not very cost effective.

In order for you to retain high impact talent, it is very important that you have your retention fundamentals down.

The first and certainly one of the most important rules is the Golden Rule – “Treat others as you would like them to treat you.” The stories that I hear from candidates make me shake my head. If managers simply followed the Golden Rule, retention would be much higher. The concept is not magic. The execution is everything.

Have you taken the time to develop a retention process? If so, have you documented it? Are all employees aware of it? Are you focused on retention? Have you developed a leadership development plan? Succession planning is very important today as our Baby Boomer generation is beginning to move into retirement. Therefore retaining Impact Performers is more important than ever.

You certainly have developed a member retention plan. It probably focuses on great member service and great member communication. Shouldn’t that be the basis of your employee retention plan?

As we spoke in a previous blog, the young adult is used to immediate gratification. Is that expectation always possible in the business world? Of course not. However you may be creative and give them the perception of immediate gratification. Here’s a suggestion – use the CUNA courses/certification completion as incentives. Most importantly, listen to their ideas and talk in terms of their interests.

We have much to discuss. See you next week!

RecruiterGuy is Bill Humbert, Principal of The Humbert Group, LLC and VP/President-elect of the Iowa Senior Human Resource Association. Check out his Web site at www.recruiterguy.com.

>Happy Thanksgiving YES CU bloggers and YES Summit Enthusiasts!

This is RecruiterGuy again just to give you a quick preview of coming attractions. Great news! My presentation is now down to 40 slides and dropping. However, coffee or Mountain Dew consumption is recommended so you can listen fast.

We spoke of the instant gratification that young adults expect today. In order for you to give them that experience on the recruiting side, it is very important that you have your recruitment fundamentals down.

Have you taken the time to document your recruitment process? If so, are there any extra steps that may be removed?

Generally businesses do a good to great job branding their service or products and really do not brand themselves as an employer. Would you prefer to brand yourself as an employer – or do you want public perception to do so? How do young adults in your area perceive you as an employer?

How quickly do you respond to candidate inquiries for employment? When you interview candidates, do you sell the services of your credit union and discuss the reason(s) you are passionate about working there? Remember that Every candidate is a potential member! How many candidates, who do not become employees, become members? That may be an interesting metric to watch.

Is your recruitment process smooth and efficient? Have you trained your hiring managers how to interview? If they haven’t been trained how to interview, how do you expect them to select the best candidate – and not the least threatening? Do you make hiring decisions quickly? Do you do reference checks? You better!

Recruitment is one of the most important areas of the credit union. With one hire you may be able to greatly expand your business – or a poor hire can wreck your reputation.

RecruiterGuy is Bill Humbert, Principal of The Humbert Group, LLC and VP/President-elect of the Iowa Senior Human Resource Association. Check out his Web site at www.recruiterguy.com.