Credit union leaders – open your eyes
The 2020 CUNA Governmental Affairs Conference (GAC) is in the books and for me, it was by far the best in recent memory. The presenters are always high caliber. The National Credit Union Foundation’s Herb Wegner Awards are inspiring and a reminder of what makes credit unions different, and this year didn’t disappoint. Upon further […]
Where the rubber meets the road
At Your Credit Union Partner we spend most of our time on-site with credit union leaders, discussing opportunities and challenges. During 2019, we traveled more than 150,000 miles, making 56 site visits and facilitating 32 strategic planning sessions. These diverse experiences give us firsthand insight into what is top-of-mind for credit union leaders. Five critical […]
Adaptation is in our DNA
Adaptation: “the result of an evolutionary process in which individuals within populations evolve traits over time that are better suited to their environment.” Successful adaptation happens when specific traits emerge that increase a species’ chances of survival. Adaptation also applies to credit unions and the credit union movement as a whole. First, a biological example from the animal […]
In search of the ideal member
It’s December, and if you’re like most credit union leaders, your strategic plan is distributed, and the 2020 budget is approved. Before you know it, you and your team will be off and running to pursue the New Year’s goals. Another thing most of us have in common is a strategic membership growth priority. New […]
Capacity building makes mission possible
At the root of credit unionism is capacity building. Original credit union capacity-building activities included affordable access to credit, financial education, and products for promoting thrift. Mottos like “People Helping People”, and “Not for profit, not for charity but for service” accurately described our capacity-building mission. Times may have changed, but the credit union mission […]
Improve your director onboarding process
As is the case with many industries, credit union internal training and development processes aren’t always what they should be. Many people have to either sink, swim, or just tread water. It’s the treading water category that creates the greatest challenge for boards and credit unions. These directors: Have been strong enough not to drown, […]
Back to the Future… Leveraging Microenterprise Development for Growth and Social Impact
Today, a majority of credit unions offer some form of business products, many modeled on bank programs. For some, growth resulting from business products has been good, however, many have struggled to demonstrate that they can consistently compete with banks for business products. The problem is that traditional bank models overlook the low-to-moderate income consumers […]
