Credit Union Magazine - January 2009 - (Page 12)

uLEADERSHIP uIDEAS uINSPIRATION LEAD STORY Play to Win “Leadership is not for the faint of heart,” says Kevin Freiberg, author and president/CEO of Freibergs.com, leadership and corporate culture consultants in San Diego. “It takes guts to move an organization in bold, new directions,” he notes, “and to continue to create a place where impassioned people show up for work every day fully engaged and firing on full cylinders because they know they’re part of an incredibly special movement. “World-class credit unions are made up of players, not bystanders,” notes Freiberg at CUNA Lending Council’s recent conference in Orlando, Fla. He explains players: u Have a competitive focus and mindset. “If I talked to your employees, would I get a sense they believe this is a movement worth fighting for—and because of that, they’ll take on competitors who want to get into the game, and they’ll win?” u Are passionate about making the play. They want to be the cause of something rather than the effect. Leaders who play to win make it safe for people to test new ideas, try new things, and step out of the comfort zone. u Stand out. “Make the credit union experience fun,” Freiberg says. “People today aren’t having much fun. They’re stressed, nervous, and ridden with anxiety. “You have the opportunity to pop some of the pressure,” he says. “You have friendly staff who are outgoing and care. It’s the credit union culture’s DNA, and it’s a strength. Use it.” Freiberg’s most recent book, co-authored with his wife, Jackie, is “BOOM! 7 Choices for Blowing the Doors Off Business as Usual.” Read Freiberg’s advice on how CUs can be radically different at Fun Pays Off “People like to do business with people who have fun,” says Kevin Freiberg, leadership and corporate culture consultant. He adds fun also: u Fosters vulnerability and authenticity. “Don’t take each other too seriously.” u Stimulates creativity and innovation. “People become mentally ﬂexible.” u Lowers attrition and absenteeism. “People stay longer when they’re having fun.” MANAGEMENT Make Staff Reviews Count Ban performance reviews? Absolutely not, says Quint Studer, author of “Results That Last: Hardwiring Behaviors That Will Take Your Company to the Top.” Performance reviews themselves aren’t the problem, but the way organizations conduct them can be. When managers conduct reviews properly, people actually like them, Studer says. “Employees want to know how they’re doing. They want to connect with their managers. And reviews give leaders an opportunity to measure performance results, reward great employees, and move not-so-great ones up or out.” How can managers make reviews count? Studer’s advice: u Consider performance reviews a process, not an event. Lay the groundwork for performance reviews all year. Notable Quotable ‘Doing everything in-house is so 2005.’ Bob Hoel, a fellow with the Filene Research Institute, Madison, Wis., on why CUs should consider sharing or outsourcing functions to improve margins and lending performance. He spoke during the CUNA Lending Council’s recent conference in Orlando, Fla. Learn successful strategies from the council’s Excellence in Lending Award winners on p. 36. Studer recommends leaders practice weekly or even daily “rounding” for outcomes. Just as doctors make rounds to check on patients, managers make rounds to connect with employees, recognize success, find out what’s going well, and determine how to improve. u Meet with employees quarterly. Although they’re more work, quarterly reviews are more effective. Annual reviews too often reflect an employee’s performance during the previous month. u Link reviews to organizational goals. Few leaders do this, Studer says. When employees know they’ll be graded on their progress toward company goals, they’ll alter behavior accordingly. Obtaining employee input up front helps employees “connect the dots” regarding their impact in the organization. Visit studergroup.com. For more performance review tips, visit 12 CREDIT UNION MAGAZINE uJANUARY 2009 ucuna.org http://www.Freibergs.com http://www.creditunionmagazine.com http://www.studergroup.com http://www.creditunionmagazine.com http://www.cuna.org

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Credit Union Magazine - January 2009

Credit Union Magazine - January 2009 Contents On My Way Leading Edge Spotlight President's Perspective Game Plan Washington Insider Wright Stuff Executive Suite Reverse Mortgages Come of Age Six Merger Myths Leading-Edge Lenders TwentyFour/Seven Bankruptcy Compliance Tools of the Trade Trendlines Rates & Ratios Council Corner Shoptalk System Scan Marketplace Branching Out Advertiser Index

Credit Union Magazine - January 2009

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