Tag: Leadership
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The Power of Two Seconds: Modeling an Ideal Client Experience in your Retail Branch
In a retail branch, the most powerful moments are rarely the loud ones. They’re the quiet, almost invisible ones. The extra two seconds it takes to smile, shake a hand, ask how someone’s day is going, or simply offer, “I’m glad you stopped in today.” Those two seconds often outperform the best marketing plan you’ll…
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How to Be a Smarter Banker in 2026 Because surviving 2025 was the warm-up lap.
FSI breaks down how to be a smarter banker in 2026 with regards to fraud, branch operational models, service delivery, and next gen leadership.
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The Power of Showing Up: Consistent Leadership in Retail Banking
Consistency is recognized as a vital element of effective leadership in retail banking and branch transformation. Greatness is understood to result from small, steady choices repeated over time rather than one big action. In the context of branch expansion and leadership development, the power of showing up with steady effort builds trust, confidence, and momentum…
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Attracting the Next Generation of Banking Customers
The financial services landscape is evolving rapidly, and so are customer expectations. Millennials, Gen Z, and even Gen Alpha are reshaping how banks and credit unions must think about their role in the marketplace. These younger generations are digital natives who approach financial decisions much like retail purchases; they want speed, convenience, and personalization. And…
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Flexibility Fuels Branch Transformation
Many new employees ask what hours they are expected to work. The answer is simple. Work when your body and brain are at their best and get your job done. This policy not only builds trust but has never failed. When treated like adults, teams show up as adults. As Standard Chartered CEO, Bill Winters,…
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Eight Reminders for High-Performance Teams in Retail Banking
Leadership in the banking and credit union world is never easy. The stakes are high, the regulatory environment shifts, and customer/member expectations are rising. Over time, many leadership teams struggle not because they lack talent or good intent, but because the leader overlooks fundamental truths about building and sustaining culture, accountability, and trust. Below are…
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Leadership Through Accountability
As leaders, we often focus on metrics like revenue, headcount, and profit margins. While these are important, they don’t always reflect the true measure of our leadership. Steven Covey shares that “accountability breeds response-ability.” In my experience, especially in the dynamic environments of retail banking and design-build projects, the real indicator of effective leadership is…
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Teamwork is a Competitive Advantage Your Branch Can’t Afford to Ignore
In today’s fast-evolving financial landscape, digital technology, regulation, and client expectations are reshaping the way banks and credit unions do business. Amid all this change, however, one principle remains timeless and more critical than ever…teamwork. Financial Institutions that invest in a collaborative culture outperform those that don’t. Their employees solve problems faster, provide better customer/member…
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Succession Planning: Navigating Identity
It is said that succession planning can be one of the most stressful and laborious processes a bank or credit union faces. In today’s society, discussions about identity politics seem inescapable. Everywhere you turn, people are declaring their affiliations: “I’m this, and you’re that,” or “I’m a Democrat; you’re a Republican,” or even, “I’m an…
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Boosting Employee Engagement
Employee retention is more than just a sentiment. It is a critical factor that can determine the success of any organization. High turnover rates can be incredibly costly, disrupt team dynamics, and hinder overall productivity and goal attainment. To address these challenges effectively, winning companies focus on boosting employee engagement. This one move plays a…