We were sitting virtually across from one another in our ZOOM conference. I was talking with a humble man who grew up as an only child on a farm and makes personal decisio
ns based on his values and not based on money. Not only that, but his title does not determine who he is, but is an explanation of what he does. This was evident in the fact that when he started at FORUM Credit Union he took the lowest paying of multiple offers because of the culture fit.
That decision seemed to pay off as now many years later he serves as the CEO of FORUM. I would suggest he arrived in that position partly because of demonstrating early on the ability to solve problems.
Early in his tenure at FORUM he saw a need to speed up the processing of loans to stay competitive in the marketplace. After realizing that, he gathered a team to help him create a software that eventually led to a new entity within the organization and helped in sustaining them during an economic downturn. During our conversation I learned three of his key leadership principles.
Transparency
In banking, as well as in many industries, it can be easy for the front lines to feel disconnected from top level leadership. Doug has a system in place to help close that gap. An internal blog for the organization to summarize the key points from the executive team meetings. This enables the organization to understand what and why decisions are being made and can open communication in real time.
I asked Doug how he determines his level of transparency. Many leaders want to be transparent, but need wisdom on what and when to share so they prevent creating unneeded challenges from too much transparency too soon. With this system Doug slows himself down by drafting some of his posts and sharing them with his executive team before posting. This prevents him from sharing information before his team can share with those they lead.
Manage Differently
Maybe you are familiar with Ken Blanchard’s Situational Leadership model. I won’t go into detail on that model here. It provides a framework for leaders to adjust their leadership approach based on the situation and the individual. Effective leaders have the same standards for all team members, but how we lead them to the goals varies by person and situation.
Doug adapts by striving to know each person and what they need. Outside of regular formal and informal communication the Credit Union has created an expectation of quarterly reviews. This is not to give more work to staff, but to increase feedback. Pre-set questions in the quarterly reviews for both the employee and supervisor provide a vehicle for creating beneficial feedback conversations.
Invest in People
An additional benefit of the regular blog is the ability for those who want to learn and grow within the organization to experience “Just-in-time learning.” If an up-and-coming leader comments on the blog with a question Doug can reply or connect individually with the person and create a real-time learning opportunity. This is one example of investing in people along with promotion opportunities, customized training, and opportunities to grow in knowledge.
Why invest in your people? When his people are satisfied this sentiment flows to the Credit Union members experience and loyalty to the company. Think of Southwest Airlines, they have happy, engaged employees which makes our flight experience the same. This is no different in any other industry.
As we wrapped up our time I asked for Doug’s biggest leadership lesson and he said:
“Choose words wisely. Be prudent in when you talk. Listen more, talk less, and ask questions.”
Ultimately, he recommends leaders to simply be themselves. As leaders at work, home, or in our communities we all lead at our highest level if we stay true and authentic to who we are and not try to lead like someone else. How does that occur, by constantly learning about ourselves, others, and what we lead.
Which of these principles do you need to learn and grow in? Do you want to think into how to invest in your people? Contact me and let’s discover any way I can help you grow the leaders around you. Lead Well.
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