ABA Banking Journal - April 2008 - (Page 10)

briefing ABA NATIONAL CONFERENCE FOR COMMUNITY BANKERS REPORT Take-away value Ideas and insights from ABA’s National Conference for Community Bankers H undreds of bankers converged on Orlando, Fla. For the 2008 ABA National Conference for Community Bankers, the first edition of this longtime ABA event since the association’s merger with America’s Community Bankers in late 2007. Besides the usual hallway chatter among old acquaintances, bankers were taking the opportunity to meet savings bankers who in some cases were attending the meeting for the first time. A special session was offered to show all present how to better make use of ABA membership, and the Entire Report by Steve Cocheo, executive editor exhibit hall, in addition to showing an array of new and proven products from vendors, devoted more space than ever to ABA’s own offerings, which now include products, services, special deals, and additional specialized staff muscle from the “legacy” ACB. Two authors of current financial and business books spoke to the gathered bankers and numerous bankers, consultants, and other experts spoke in more-specialized gatherings about hot topics. The articles in this report offer some of the highlights of the conference. Additional coverage can be found in the Community Banking department, on page 24, and online at www.ababj.com. Headliners, authors draw banker crowds P atrick Lencioni has made a name for him1. “You have all the money that you need. self in business writing with a novelist’s What would you do with it? How would you approach to common problems, typically live?” capsulized in titles involving an odd number. So 2. “You have an incurable disease. You have the author of The Five Temptations of a CEO five-to-ten years left. How would you live and The Three Signs of a Miserable Job spoke on them? What would you do?” The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, another one of 3. “What did you miss in life? Who did you not his books. Some points: get to be?” • “If you wait for consensus, you’ll have a deciEisenberg says the common answers to these sion that’s too late and equally dissatisfying to all questions are: the people around the table.” • Regarding having enough money, many said • People don’t actually always have to get their Patrick Lencioni they would take the opportunity to do someway for them to go along. Often they merely thing creative—art or music. need to see that their ideas were heard and con• Regarding limited time, many would spend sidered. that time “giving back.” • “The primary source of accountability on a team should be • Regarding missed opportunities, many expressed the wish to your peers, not your leader.” fix past broken relationships, with parents, friends, and others. • Avoidance of accountability is the most common dysfunction Only one of these questions deals with money, directly, but of a team. Eisenberg told listeners that until a client knows the answers, • Many leaders hesitate to call subordinates on the carpet until they and their financial planner of choice will never be able to they have conclusive proof of something. Lencioni believes come up with a meaningful financial plan. leaders, if they are doing their jobs, must make these kinds of calls without always having the body of proof. Lencioni sug- Tony Snow’s take on “the race” gested an opening gambit such as, “I could be wrong about this, Tony Snow, former White House Press Secretary for George W. Bush, gave a wide-ranging presentation about presidential elecFrank, but…” tion politics and more, and along the way gave banker nuggets Three questions shape retirement of advice and inside-baseball-type observations. Lee Eisenberg, author of The Number, a bestseller about Overall, Snow thinks both political parties are out of sync rethinking retirement, wrapped up his presentation with three with Americans. Citing hundreds of judgeships standing thought-provoking questions to ask. He credited these to unfilled because the Democratic Congress won’t work with the George Kinder, head of the Kinder Institute of Life Planning. Republican administration, he declared, “This is not what we They are: elect people to do. It has become silly, insular, and childish, and 10 APRIL 2008/ABA BANKING JOURNAL Subscribe at www.ababj.com http://www.ababj.com http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0787944335/002-8304618-1920833?ie=UTF8&tag=ababankingjou-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=0787944335 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0787995312?ie=UTF8&tag=ababankingjou20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0787995312 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0787960756?ie=UTF8&tag=ababankingjou20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0787960756 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000WPPUWG?ie=UTF8&tag=ababankingjou20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000WPPUWG http://www.ababj.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of ABA Banking Journal - April 2008

ABA Banking Journal - April 2008 Contents Editor's Column You Can't Beat Wal-Mart: Or Can You? Snapshot: Non-Interest Income Shoulders More Weight ABA National Conference for Community Bankers Report 100th Anniversary: Then & Now ABA Resources ABA Chairman's Position Banks Plus Insurance: How to Make It Work Pass the Aspirin 2008: Year of Rich Internet Apps? Tough Time For That IPO Your Audience Needs to Know Who You Are Telepresence: Costly But Very Cool Webnotes Better Websites Mean Tougher Compliance Mailbox Banker's Mart To Advertise/Index of Advertisers The Economy

ABA Banking Journal - April 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.