Generations, Connections, Stories

A co-worker was seeking a speaker to fill a conference slot. The names she was considering were new to me. I did a Google search to see what their footprint would tell me about them. (What would a Google search say about you? I digress, that’s a different story.) In addition to seeing how active the individuals were in the credit union movement, I found Twitter and LinkedIn profiles. Connections were made.

Josh Allison, CUDE, was selected to fill the presentation slot. I looked forward to meeting him and having a chance to visit at the conference. Our Twitter connection already “broke the ice”.

Based on our conversations, Josh recommended a book he thought I'd be interested in. He was spot on. We discussed the book. We communicate via Facebook, Twitter, email, list serves, talk on the phone, and in person when we have the opportunity. With each connection, our relationship grows. With different knowledge, experience, and passions, we have opportunities to mentor each other.

Different Generations/Perspectives + Shared Passions = Opportunities to Make a Difference

Fast Forward…Clearing out the inbox on a Friday afternoon, I came across an email Josh sent out through the Credit Union Development Educator (CUDE) list serve. With his permission, I’m sharing his story with you:

Good afternoon DE network.

This week, I was watching a variety of www.Bizkids.com videos for an educational project we are working on. I was watching the episode on Social Entrepreneurship. As I watched, the video clips would highlight young adults who had started community nonprofits. They would share why they started their respective nonprofit organization, their socially minded business, or the cause they chose to champion. Causes that included TayBear, Richards Rwanda and Room to Read .

A reoccurring theme ran through all of these videos.

They told a story.

Not any story. Their story. They explained why they took up this cause, and what moved and impacted them. They didn’t tell me about the tax write off I would receive if I donated, who I make the check payable to, or ask how much I could spare? They simply asked for me to listen…and then passionately shared… Recently, I re-watched the powerful story from Jessica Jackley, the founder of Kiva.

Same thing.

She didn’t ask for donations, for people to join her, or to support her and Kiva…she simply shared her experience working with poverty. She shared the need she saw, the emotion she felt and the compassion that compelled her to found Kiva. And it compelled me, too. Then, I jumped on my favorite social site: Facebook. At the end of each page, Facebook politely asks me if I want to see more “stories”.

And I do.

I scan for stories, not sales pitches. Not ads. Not organizations or individuals interested in useless self-promotion. I scan and read, looking for the stories of people I know, hoping to better understand and know them deeper. We crave authenticity…

So, here’s my question: do we have an authentic story to share? I believe we do. When our members come into our credit unions, do they understand who we are, what wedid and what we do? Do they know our story?

More importantly, do we?

Are we sharing authentic stories or selling? Have we resigned ourselves to simply compete on product, price, promotion and place? I wonder, what if we stopped selling with the four P’s and started first with sharing just one: Purpose.

If you’re successfully sharing your authentic story, I’d love to hear from you!

Josh Allison, CUDE

Well said Josh!

Connecting the Dots! Innovative Email Marketing Rock Star Keynotes Marketing & Business Development Conference

What do the following have in common?

• Finalist in 2010 Maryland Small Business of the Year Awards
• Inc. 5000 List of America’s Fastest Growing Private Companies 
• Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® Award Finalist 
• Email Marketing Integration with Facebook Connect 
• Bridging the Gap Between Email Marketing and Social Media 
• Marketing and New Media Leader Chris Penn 

Greg Cangialosi, President & CEO of Blue Sky Factory! 

You might ask how Greg was identified and booked as a keynote speaker for our event. It was a matter of connecting the dots! We connected through new media (Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, blogs), old media (reading a book, phone, email), and personal referral. 

The relationship journey began when I started following @cspenn on Twitter. Liking what Chris wrote, I began to follow his blogs. He caught my attention with his edgy, professional style. One day Chris posted a general tweet asking if we should be connected on LinkedIn? Appreciating the insights Chris provides, believing the one with the most contacts (relationships) wins at the end of the day, I connected to Chris. From there I checked Chris out on YouTube to see if he might also be a skilled presenter. Bingo! Now I wanted to know if Chris would be interested in keynoting our Marketing & Business Development Conference. 

While all of this was developing, I was reading Chris Brogan’s book Trust Agents: Using the Web to Build Influence, Improve Reputation, and Earn Trust. His description of Blue Sky Factory and how they handle business was the icing on the cake. I was sold and wanted to find a way to work with Blue Sky Factory. And yes, the book was a great read! And yes, I also follow Chris on Twitter @ChrisBrogan. 

Chris Penn treasures family relationships. His brother was getting married the same time as our event. He thought it best he join the family for the ceremony, a most excellent choice I might add. Instead of ending the conversation, Chris asked if I might be interested in their CEO, Greg Cangialosi. I cyber stalked Greg to see what information I could find about him, his blogs, and again going to YouTube to check out Greg’s presentation skills. 

The journey continues. I follow a number of the Blue Sky Factory team on Twitter now. Love the passion and energy they bring to their world.

To connect with credit union professionals and hear Greg live, plan to attend the 2010 Marketing & Business Development Conference, October 6-8, at the Hyatt Regency in San Antonio, Texas. 

Greg will cover: 

The relationship between business and consumer has fundamentally changed due to key shifts in communication tools and the interactions that are now taking place between businesses and their customers and prospects. This new landscape presents both challenges and opportunities to marketers and businesses of every size. 

It can be hard to know where to focus and to find meaning when the newest “shiny object” becomes mainstream or is the all of the buzz. Whether it’s social media, email marketing or mobile, marketers are asking themselves, how can these tools be useful to me? What works and what doesn’t? How do I implement and more importantly measure the effectiveness of my marketing? 

In this session, Greg Cangialosi will discuss how to take a broader, holistic view of this new era of marketing communications. Focusing on the core themes of the shifting consumer mindset and what is important to them when it comes to interacting with a business or brand online. 

Gain knowledge and insight by as Greg shares information about: 

• current market statistics on consumer behavior. 
• examples and case studies of companies who do it right and wrong. 
• how you can implement new strategies to grow your business a glimpse into the future of marketing – what’s coming next?

Greg will also present a breakout session on email marketing.

If you’re looking for fresh ideas on ways to grow you business, come hang out with us in San Antonio. Act fast. Early bird conference and special hotel sleeping room rate end September 9.

Hoping to see you there!

I Heard That!

Guest Post by Jack McAdoo, President & CEO, Beacon FCU 

I recently had the privilege to sit in with and listen to the very insightful dialogue during the Southwest CUNA Management School  c2c (Connect to Collaborate) Casual Chat this year after the Student Alumni Dinner and Auction in Fort Worth.  What I heard was a strong reminder of many of my frustrations in the early years of my career.  I wish there had been more of my peers there to listen to the words of our future leaders.  I thought I would write some of this down to share, but understand, my words are not what is important here.  The words, feelings, passions and emotions of this group are what is important.

First of all, the c2c group is a group of 30 year-old and under students, professionals in our industry...the credit union industry.  The group was lead by 30ish credit union and supplier representatives. In this particular session, there were approximately 40 men and women joined in a circle to discuss topics of interest and concern.  It was open forum. I was allowed to sit on the outside of the circle with one strict rule; I was not allowed to speak.  I was allowed to submit a written comment, but with no obligation from the group to discuss it.

This group of extremely bright and creative professionals spoke for over an hour about things that were important in their professional worlds.  The discussion was sincere; it was candid; and it was very informative.  Here are a couple of bullets of what was said:

• My CU is slow to incorporate technology;
• Budget cuts!
• Slow to incorporate change!

What I heard was not as important as what I learned.  I learned that by and large, that group of young professionals, the group that will someday lead our industry, is frustrated!  They are frustrated because you and I as managers, as CEO's, are not listening to them.  Or, I guess more precisely, we may be listening, but we are not hearing them.  At least, the perception is that we are not hearing them.  And you know what is said about perception?  Perception is reality!

Is there anything more frustrating in our world than the feeling that no one is listening?  We must take note and learn to communicate, or we risk losing this wonderful talent base to others and other industries that have learned to communicate with them.  Communication is not just talking.  That's obviously important and based on my experience with other CEO's, we have that part down!  It is also about listening and actually hearing what is being said.  The important part is to make sure everyone understands!  That means goals and objectives both short term and long term.  How many times have we heard great ideas, but for one reason or another they didn't fit into our current strategic vision?  The great ideas were discussed, but nothing was ever done, and the idea gets lost, leaving the one who thought of it feeling as if no one listened thus becoming frustrated.

The other thing that is important, or I viewed it as important, is that we as CEO's need to quit blaming delays and inaction/no action on our Boards.  Don't get me wrong.  Boards are important, but let's quit kidding one another.  They look to us for direction.  We as CEO's can make or break a decision on an idea or proposal.  Let's not blame or hide behind the Board.

I guess what I learned is that it is important to listen to and actually hear our staff.  Communicate with them!  Make sure everyone understands strategic goals and objectives and how ideas, suggestions, proposals, etc. fit with or do not fit with the goals and objectives and why.  We must put ourselves in their position, and we will understand how frustrated they can become.  Communication is key!  Focus on communication and stress it at all levels of the organization.  Then, work on your listening skills!

Does Social Media Work for CUs? Let’s find out

A lot of credit unions are wrestling with the business case for social media. Others are adventuring out into the social media arena, looking to see what makes best sense for their business strategies.

Filene Research Institute has launched "groundbreaking research regarding the quantifiable impact of social media marketing strategies."

Can you make a commitment of about two hours over the next year to complete one survey per quarter regarding your marketing activities?

"The results of the year-long research will produce a statistically tested way to predict changes in membership and products per member (or, member share) based on social media activities."

"In plain English: If you keep wondering whether social media is just hype or an effective marketing tactic, this is your chance to find out. We want you and many other credit unions to participate because more responses make for better analysis. In return for your participation, we will provide you with the results of the research. Even if you are not using social media, we would like you to participate."

Credit unions have been built around people helping people. Working together is the best way for us to position credit unions forward. Hoping you make the commitment to be part of this timely project!

Bright Lights & Shining Stars – Finding Encouragement by Taking Time to Reach Out and Getting to Know Each Other

It all started when I was working on the 2010 Marketing & Business Development Conference. Greg Cangialosi, CEO of Blue Sky Factory is the closing keynote speaker. I came across a series of questions in the “about us – our team section”. Taking lead from Blue Sky, I recently posted a mix of fun and professional questions for Southwest CUNA Management School first year students, in their online class group site, to help “break the ice” before they arrive on campus. You know the kinds of questions:

• What’s your favorite _______?
• What would you do if you could _______?
• Name your top 3 favorite _______?
• Where would you like to __________?

The list goes on. From time to time someone will post a list on Facebook or send an email to see if you’re willing to play along. They may seem silly or even a waste of time. Yet for those who choose to play along, insights are gained and relationships start to form or strengthen. A benefit I did not expect, was finding breaths of fresh air and encouragement.

When asked “what is your favorite thing about working at a credit union?” answers included:

• I love that we are empowered to help people without all of the hindrances everyone faces at a bank.
• “People helping people" is what it's all about!
• I like being able to help people, especially when we can help someone that no one else will even talk to.
• It's a REAL, honest to goodness, not-for-greed credit union.
• Helping my members.
• Building relationships and making dreams come true for members!
• Helping members get out of dept, permanently.
• Giving atmosphere.

The final item was a request to “give one valuable piece of advice to credit union professionals”:

• All of your past experiences and education are worthless if you feel they are your qualifying factor. Use them to make the rubber meet the road and move forward.
• Get in the game and never, never stop learning!
• Set high standards for yourself and work hard to meet them.
• Don't lose sight of our purpose (what makes us better). This, for me, takes a lot of practice and swallowing of pride, but: my most valuable tool has become examining what I think I want and why, my motivations, my actions and the outcomes. This exercise is applied to ALL aspects of my life). A great (important!) question is "how will this affect the people (family, friends, co-workers) around me?" I must admit, it's not always been "pretty".
• Ask for help from the credit union people around you and give it back. COOPERATE and COLLABARATE. It is the single best way to get done all the things you have to accomplish.
• Keep a good balance between "best for the credit union" and "best for the member".
• Work is just a small portion of your life- it is a means to an end (Retirement)". Keep God first, Family second, and Work last in your life.
• Be a servant with a servant’s heart – serve those who report to you, don’t make them serve you.

And yes, I did ask about favorite movies, flavor of ice cream, where’d they like to go other than Fort Worth in July with 100 degree temperatures, and more. I can’t wait to get to know this group of credit union professionals better!

A special thank you shout out goes to the SCMS Class of 2011 for setting the Class of 2012 group site up before they even arrive on campus!

Why do you like to work where you do? What advice would you give?

Your Brand Speaks Volumes – Who Does It Say That You Are?

Marketing To Do List:

☑ Update logo
☑ New, slick, promotional pieces
☑ Marketing campaign approved and ready to launch

But wait, there’s more. When it comes to branding and image, ask yourself:

• Does the campaign support your credit union vision? Mission?
• Is your message consistent?
• Will your member experience match your message?
• Have you let your credit union staff know about you’re about to launch?
• Are the employees trained on the essential skills? Up to date on the featured product or service?

Branding goes well beyond marketing. As Mark Arnold passionately puts it, “branding is more than just changing a few brochures or the look of a newsletter. Much more. A true comprehensive branding program takes years to develop and impacts the entire organization. Your credit union doesn’t just “do” branding one year and mark it off its “to do” list. Your credit union must “live” the brand every day.”

Mark Arnold is teaching a full day course this summer at Southwest CUNA Management School on Advanced Branding. Limited seats available to help you further explore and expand your knowledge about branding.

Building a Lasting Brand: Advanced Branding for Credit Unions
Mark Arnold, CCUE July 20 (8:30 am – 4:30 pm)

Mark speaks from first-hand experience when he covers:

• Maintaining Brand Consistency
• Lovemarks & Emotional Branding
• Gaining Staff Buy-In
• Brand Leadership in the 21st Century

Having led his credit union through a name change and ongoing branding efforts, Mark provides practical information on what to and not to do with your credit union’s brand.

If you’re looking to develop your team or enhance your skills, plan to spend July 20 (8:30 am - 4:30 pm) on the TCU campus (Lupton-Brown University Union) with Mark and the SCMS Class of 2011. Limited seating available on a day rate. For more details, visit www.scms.coop or contact Janine McBee, SCMS Synergist & Director.

You do not have to be an alumnus or have a student currently enrolled to take advantage of the opportunity to attend individual classes.

Be Strategic About Social Media: Find Your People, Join the Conversation

Social media, however you define it, is a changing environment. Regardless of what you call it, think about it, or the tools you use, it’s out there. And yes, the tools change. It’s not about the tools. It is about the people, relationships, value, authenticity, and conversation. It’s about growing your business and serving your community.

Make a strategic decision.

• If customers/members and potential customers/members are having a conversation which relates to your products and services, it’s in your best interest to be part of the conversation. Find out where the conversations are occurring. If they are at the local business club monthly meeting, show up. If they are on Facebook or Twitter, listen, share, and interact.
• If they are not talking about your credit union, products, or services online, no worries. Or not? Have you provided products and services worth bragging about? Has your competitor? Have your service levels slipped? Your products fallen behind the times? Do you want to know what people think? Look, listen, and learn. Be strategic about whether or not social media makes sense for your credit union and market.

If you make the strategic decision to incorporate social media into your marketing and business development plan, be strategic about what you do.

• Don’t set up a credit union Facebook page just because someone else did.
• Twitter is not a 140 character commercial. It’s a place to help people find connections, learn about cool stuff/resources, and know more about your credit union and what you have to offer. Select the tool or tools best suited for your team and your members.

Southwest CUNA Management School has two courses this summer with limited seats available to help you further explore and expand your knowledge about social media.

Social Media I: Getting Acquainted
Dr. George Low - Texas Christian University (TCU)
July 20 (1-4:30 pm) with 1st Year Students

Social-networking websites such as MySpace, Facebook, and LinkedIn have seen unprecedented growth in recent years. Consumers are creating their own content on blogs, YouTube, and are rating products and services on message boards and other sites, presenting unique challenges and opportunities for marketers to use these social media to communicate with current and potential customers, and to build lasting relationships with them. The objective of this course is to give students valuable knowledge and skills needed to take advantage of these powerful social marketing tools. Teaching/learning methods will include class discussions of current trends and issues, mini case studies, and the sharing of experiences, ideas, and best practices in using social media as part of a broader strategic, integrated, marketing communications effort in the credit union industry.

Social Media: Let’s Get Strategic
Amanda Vega – Amanda Vega Consulting
July 19 (1-4:30 pm) with 2nd Year Students

You’ve heard about social media, have been dabbling on your own, or have incorporated elements of social media at the credit union. How do you advance to the next level? It’s time to get strategic with Amanda Vega, Amanda Vega Consulting. In this open discussion that is part information and part hands-on learning, plan to explore and discuss:

• What are the challenges and successes associated with social media in the credit union industry and who ultimately owns it?
• Advanced uses and tools in social media to help you get to the next level (comment marketing anyone?).
• The executive team isn’t buying into this marketing activity or simply doesn’t “get it.” – now what? How to and ensure buy-in from the decision makers
• New research on tracking, monetization and the like (a Facebook fan is worth more than $138) and the new tools that are out there to help quantify these efforts.
• Social media compliance, regulation, and policy tips
• Taking your social media to the next level, communication as a whole, arming you with real information and engagement suggestions.

If you’re looking to develop your team or enhance your skills, plan to join us on the TCU campus (Lupton-Brown University Union). Limited seating available on a day rate. For more details, visit www.scms.coop or contact Janine McBee, SCMS Synergist & Director.

Credit Union Lending Trends, Challenges & Innovations

It’s tough out there!

“Overall loan demand softened during the reporting period. There is more commercial and industrial loan activity in the pipeline but consumer loan demand outside of credit cards remains sluggish. Contacts report that they are turning down many potential mortgage borrowers due to poor credit. Credit standards remain tight and loan pricing is unchanged. Some contacts reported an increased inflow of deposits, which they attributed to the unease arising from recent stock market volatility. Although contacts are relieved that the Federal Reserve will retain regulatory oversight over state member banks, there continues to be concern regarding other impending regulation changes. The outlook is slightly optimistic with some concern about the impact of the Greek credit crisis.”
Source: The Beige Book, Federal Reserve Districts, Eleventh District – Dallas, June 9, 2010

According to CUNA’s 2010-2011 E-scan, “Credit union members demonstrated little appetite for additional debt in 2009, resulting in a meager 1% rise in credit union loan balances – the smallest gain since 1943.” Loans are out there for the financial service providers who are positioned to capture the business. Are you and your team on top of lending trends? Is your credit union ready and positioned to put new loans on the books? Have you considered various scenarios and mapped out plans to position forward? On July 14, Larry Biernacki, President & CEO, Arkansas FCU, will share with Southwest CUNA Management School students and guests from his extensive lending background, discussing such areas as:

• What’s Going on in Lending Land?
• Challenges in Current Rate Environment
  • Production Concerns
  • Margin Issues
  • What If/Can You Run Out of Money?

Strategic Products for Building & Deepening Member Relationships

Manufactured Housing

If you’re looking to develop your team or enhance your skills, plan to spend July 14 (1:00 pm – 4:30 pm) on the TCU campus (Lupton-Brown University Union) with Larry and the SCMS Class of 2011. Limited seating available on a day rate. For more details, visit www.scms.coop or contact Janine McBee, SCMS Synergist & Director.

What’s a Leader to Do ... When You Are Paid to Think?

In any organization it's leadership who's responsible for setting the strategy, developing the tactics, and following through on the execution. The challenge for leadership is that not all plans go as planned. With capital markets changing, politicians in Washington changing the rules daily, the economy on life support, personal finances in turmoil and unemployment in double digits, what is a leader supposed to do to increase their membership, create a stable Credit Union, and continually deliver products and services that meet the needs of the membership? It is to follow the basic principles of Paid to Think:

• Learn to Slow Down
• Use Your Organization as Your Eyes and Ears
• Add Tools to Your Toolbox
• Marinate

 1^st year students and enrolled guests are in for a treat as they spend a full day on campus with David Goldsmith, MetaMatrix Consulting Group, LLC, exploring the concepts around “Paid to Think”, learning:

• A new road map for those in leadership that outlines 12 specific activities every leader should be skilled at to:
  - create rapid growth
  - increase customer and employee satisfaction, and overall value to the credit union
• What assumptions are preventing you from making rapid progress towards your overall desired outcomes and what changes you can make to easily overcome these obstacles
• How to rethink the current strategic and tactical model in such a way that brings clarity to every activity you do every day
• What leadership is responsible for delivering to insure that there are no fires, and progress is made every day, and
• The rationale behind the phrase, "All management exists in the future." and what you can do to bring even greater leadership to those you manage.

This course, while only a day long, will immediately change you and your Credit Union forever.

If you’re looking to develop your team or enhance your skills, plan to spend July 21 (8:30 am – 3:30 pm) on the TCU campus (Lupton-Brown University Union) with international business forecaster and management strategist, David Goldsmith and the SCMS Class of 2012. Limited seating available on a day rate. For more details, visit www.scms.coop or contact Janine McBee, SCMS Synergist & Director.

David will also be our commencement speaker for the 38th SCMS Graduation.

Big or Little, Rich or Poor, Creativity is Key when it comes to Business Development

When you hear someone say “business development” what comes to mind?

• If only we could hire someone?
• Sounds good, but we don’t have the money to spend right now.
• It’s someone else’s job!
• So busy right now, good idea but don’t have time.

Seth Godin wrote, "The thing that makes business development fascinating is that the best deals have never been done before. There's no template, no cookie cutter grind it out approach to making it work. This is why most organizations are so astonishingly bad at it. They don't have the confidence to make decisions or believe they have the ability to make mistakes."

With some creative thought, many options exist that don’t involve additional staff or expenditures. It’s time to get strategic and bring growing your credit union into focus:

• Educate, energize and involve your entire staff
• Set goals
  - community outreach
  - retention
  - overall membership growth
  - other metrics appropriate for your credit union
• Track results
• Communicate

If you’re looking for training for yourself or your team to help with business development strategies, plan to spend a day on the TCU campus (Lupton-Brown University Union) with Julie Ferguson, owner of JRF Consulting Services, LLC. With 16 years at First Tech CU, Julie knows credit unions. She brings real life experience and practical tips to SCMS Grad School, July 21, on the TCU Campus. For more details, visit www.scms.coop or contact Janine McBee, SCMS Synergist & Director.

Passion, Purpose & Performance: How Strategic Leadership Works in Today's Credit Union

When it comes to your career path and leadership development, as well as succession planning for your credit union, the first person you look to is yourself! No one cares more about your future than you and those who depend on you. If you're looking for insight and guidance to help you on your journey, check out this first year SCMS course:

 

Passion, Purpose & Performance: How Strategic Leadership Works in Today's Credit Union.

 

First year Southwest CUNA Management School (SCMS) students hit the ground running on day one with Dr. Robert Smith. During his high energy presentation, he takes students on an experiential journey, sharing insights into fundamental leadership requirements guiding strategic change within their credit unions. In 2010 and beyond, success will be defined by the ability of credit unions to innovate. This course is a unique hands-on experience in the emerging discipline of leadership innovation. Because successful innovation is ultimately measured by execution and accountability, this course is fully anchored in pragmatic applications including numerous case studies to illustrate different leadership skills. The final segment the revolves around a discussion of who needs to be on your support team for advancing your leadership career as a leader of innovation in your credit union.

Dr. Smith covers:

• Assessing your skills for leadership
• Understanding how vision actually shapes strategic change
• Developing an accountability matrix to track leadership and coaching behavior necessary to get results

Limited spaces are available first year enrollment. Students starting this year will graduate during “The International Year of the Cooperative”. How cool would that be!

On a space available basis, most SCMS classes are also available on a audit basis.

TCUL Annual Meeting - Financial Eduation Breakout

While at the Texas Credit Union League's 2010 Annual Meeting in Grapevine, Texas, the CU GROW Team attended the financial education breakout session entitled "Connecting to Your Community Through Financial Education."  Connecting to your community through financial education will not only strengthen relationships with your local non-profit organizations and schools, but will ultimately create successful money managers within your membership.  Check out the video below to learn more about some of the financial education tools and programs that are out there to serve your community and don't forget to shout back at us!

TCUL Annual Meeting - Red Carpet

While at the Texas Credit Union League's 2010 Annual Meeting in Grapevine, Texas, the CU GROW Team caught up with all of the credit union celebrities on the red carpet.  Check out the video below and see who walked away with an award!

TCUL Annual Meeting - Lois Kitsch Interview

While at the Texas Credit Union League's 2010 Annual Meeting in Grapevine, Texas, the CU GROW Team caught up Lois Kitsch following her session entitled, "Making the REAL Member Connection."  As consumers become more frustrated and angry with their banks they are turning to credit unions. Yet, many credit unions are not prepared to meet their needs - nor do they recognize the opportunity in serving families of lesser incomes.  Lois Kitsch joined the National Credit Union Foundation as the National Program Manager of the REAL Solutions program in December of 2006. In her prior role as the Director of Field Projects with the Filene Research Institute, Lois piloted the REAL Solutions program in three leagues which implemented and tested new business models designed to serve new target markets, including young adults, immigrants and modest income households.  Check out our interview with Lois below and give us a shout back on the ways your credit union is working to meet families of lesser incomes. 

TCUL Annual Meeting - Stacey Hanke Interview

While at the Texas Credit Union League's 2010 Annual Meeting in Grapevine, Texas, the CU GROW Team caught up Stacey Hanke (on Twitter: @staceyhanke) following her session entitled, "Catch the Energy! Inspire the Fire!"  As a decision maker you know that motivating others is an ongoing task. Employees rely on their leaders for structure and direction. A leader can positively impact an employee's performance only when they take care of their development first.  Stacey helps individuals eliminate the static that plagues communicative delivery - to persuade, sell, influence or simply effectively communicate face-to-face with a clear message.  Stacey is the founder of 1st Impressions Consulting, Inc. where she reveals how to develop verbal skills to influence and persuade others.  Check out the interview with Stacey below and give us a shout back on how your credit union is working to effectively communicate with it's employees and members!

TCUL Annual Meeting - Kristine Mansour Interview

While at the Texas Credit Union League's 2010 Annual Meeting, the CU GROW Team caught up Kristine Mansour after attending her session entitled, "Network, Connect, Sell."  During this difficult economy, true human-to-human connections and relationships are what will give salespeople the competitive edge to increase sales.  Kristine is a Sports & Entertainment Consultant at Mansour Advantage Consulting.  Check out our interview with Kristine below and give us a shout back!

Time to Vote for Next Read - Book Club for Professional & Personal Development

When it comes to reading for both professional and personal development, do you have good intentions but don't get anywhere? Is your schedule so crazy that meeting at the same time and day of the week is a commitment you're not ready to make? Do you need deadlines to get you started? Do you work for or love a credit union? Answer yes to any of these questions, and we're the group for you!

Our book club launched March 15, 2010 starting with Patrick Lencioni's "Getting Naked: A Business Fable." We are currently reading our second book, Seth Godin's "Linchpin: Are You Indispensable?" Please feel free to join in at anytime. That's the method to the madness for connecting on LinkedIn. If you missed the start or we are on another book, you can still jump in and add to the discussion on any book active in the group discussion site, sharing with the community.

We are about 1/3 of the way through Linchpin. It's time to start thinking about what the group will read next. On the list are:

Blink by Malcolm Gladwell
Everyone Communicates Few Connect by John C. Maxwell
Hot, Flat, and Crowded by Thomas L. Friedman
Rework by Jason Fried & David Heinemeir Hansson

Vote here. When you vote, please feel free to recommend books for future consideration.

Voting closes on June 16. Simple majority rules. The book with the most votes will be our third book.

TCUL Annual Meeting - Nancy Barry Interview 2

While at the Texas Credit Union League's 2010 Annual Meeting in Grapevine, Texas, the CU GROW Team caught up Nancy Barry again following her other breakout session entitled, "Gen Y - Are They Ready for the Real World?"  Nancy Barry is a Gen Y expert and passionate about connecting people and generation gaps.  Many employers across the country say recent college graduates are not prepared for the real world.  With her expertise, Nancy covered the top 5 things that an employer needs to know when managing Gen Y employees. Check out our interview with Nancy and don't forget to shout back at us on all the ways your credit union is learning to connect generations!

TCUL Annual Meeting - Bob Prosen Interview

While at the Texas Credit Union League's Annual Meeting, the CU GROW Team caught up with Bob Prosen  following his breakout session on "Locking in Customer Loyalty." Bob is a visionary leader with a pragmatic grip on the reality of what it takes to deliver extraordinary bottom-line results. He is the president and CEO of The Prosen Center for Business Advancement, whose mission is to help business leaders execute and achieve results that count. Check out our interview with Bob below and give us a shout back on how your credit union is collaborating on ideas and unique ways to drive member loyalty.

TCUL Annual Meeting - Nancy Barry Interview

While at the Texas Credit Union League's 2010 Annual Meeting in Grapevine, Texas, the CU GROW Team caught up Nancy Barry following her breakout session entitled, "Closing the Generation Gap."  Who are these people and why can't they all get along?! For the first time in history, there are four generations in the workplace.  Nancy Barry is a Gen Y expert and author of "When Reality Hits: What Employers Want Recent College Graduates to Know."  Nancy's contagious enthusiasm, positive energy and humor make her a dynamic presenter. Check out our interview below with Nancy and don't forget to shout back at us!

TCUL Annual Meeting - Amanda Vega Interview

While at the Texas Credit Union League's 2010 Annual Meeting in Grapevine, Texas, the CU GROW Team caught up Amanda Vega following her breakout session entitled, "Comment Marketing: Where Social Media Gets Social."  Comment marketing is the most undervalued and most powerful part of any social media strategy. In this session, we will show you how easy it is to participate in all of the conversations happening on the web in your areas of interest - whether they are blogs, news sites, posts to open social networks or forums.  Check out our interview with Amanda and don't forget to shout back at us!

TCUL Annual Meeting - Bob Prosen Keynote

While at the Texas Credit Union League's Annual Meeting, the CU GROW Team caught up with Bob Prosen following his key note session on "How to Connect with your Team & Win During Tough Economic Times."  Bob provides a unique combination of inspiration and practical advice that you can use immediately to rapidly increase performance and profit.  He is a visionary leader with a pragmatic grip on the reality of what it takes to deliver extraordinary bottom-line results. Bob is president and CEO of The Prosen Center for Business Advancement, whose mission is to help business leaders execute and achieve results that count. Check out our interview with Bob below and give us a shout back on how your credit union team is working to connect and push toward your goals as a financial institution.

TCUL Annual Meeting - Amanda Vega Keynote

While at the Texas Credit Union League's 2010 Annual Meeting, the CU GROW Team caught up with Amanda Vega (on Twitter:@AmandaVega) following her key note session on "Social Media: How the Web Connects People."  Amanda is the CEO of Amanda Vega Consulting, technically the oldest social media management company with engagements in the industry dating 10 years, a published author of “PR in a Jar” and contributor to the bestselling book “The Social Media Bible.” Check out our interview with Amanda below and give us a shout back on how your credit union is connect with members via social media. 

VIdeo - TCUL Annual Meeting Day 2 Recap

The CU GROW Team attended the Texas Credit Union League Annual Meeting, in Grapevine, Texas.  Check out the video below of Day 2!

Image Provides Insight into Ideal Candidates

Click the image to enlarge.

If you are planning a career in the credit union movement, professional development and networking are key to your success. As a leader, it is also important to have a plan to ensure that your team has a clear plan for developing their skills and network. Southwest CUNA Management School is designed to challenge you, your team, and your credit union forward.

 

If your find yourself or members of your team identified in the word picture to the left, you have a match for the profile of a future leader and SCMS student…enroll today!

 

Visit www.wordle.net to create your own "word cloud". It's a great tool to see if something you're writing has the emphasis where you want it to be.

Heads Up! FTC Guides & Some Risk Factors to Look Out For

Guest post by Nadine Boisnier, Compliance Officer, Amanda Vega Consulting

The recent revisions to the FTC guides concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials has posed some questions as to what people can expect from the changes and how this affects active participants in social media. As you begin to build deeper relationships with your Credit Union customers online, here are some guidelines on what the new FTC guidelines mean for you.

 

The basic FTC changes came into effect due to the emergence, popularity and increased growth of social media. (The guidelines were last updated in 1980). The regulations were updated due to the notion that the lines have been blurred between what an advertisement is and the motives behind the use of social media. There were instances of non-disclosure from companies using bloggers to post positive reviews while receiving cash or gifts as incentives. Regulators do not agree that these types of postings are unbiased reviews. Their goal is to inform the public to understand the difference and to make sure there is full transparency.

 

Some important points to remember: Any conflicts of interest must be disclosed in postings including Twitter tweets and profiles. Be upfront with any connections or relationships you have with the company or Credit Union branch you are writing on behalf of. Other updates to the regulations include the disclosure of any company-sponsored research, stricter liability for celebrity endorsements, no more ³safe harbor² for testimonials; meaning, the term ³results may vary² is no longer sufficient when making broad claims, and disclosing results that consumers can generally expect. Remember most importantly to be straightforward and transparent.

 

In addition to these guidelines, Credit Unions should be cognizant of additional risks that can affect their outreach to the public. Make sure your employees do not improperly use social media tools. For example, impulse messaging can be dangerous, so stop and think about the repercussions of your post or tweet. From a Credit Union perspective, employees can be a threat if they post information that could impact negatively on their brand.

 

As you are building a sense of community online, make sure to include customer care in the process. You must be careful how you do this since you may deal with disgruntled customers who use Twitter to discuss a negative experience. You should avoid a back and forth match with an unhappy customer and take the conversation offline. Be sure to offer them traditional customer care channels. Other basic rules include, accessing the urls in tweets with care. Do not click on links from people you are unfamiliar with.

Also, look out for people who use stalking techniques to try to social engineering information. Most importantly, make sure proprietary business and customer information is protected. Having a strong policy in place for employees to follow is key. Every organization should have a strong policy in place that clearly states the guidelines of how it should be used by employees.

Credit Union Twitter Risks

Guest post by Amanda Vega, Amanda Vega Consulting

So what are the risks and what can organizations and users do to limit such risk?

• Data leaks of confidential or proprietary information: The information that could be leaked includes identity theft, credit card fraud, business plans, confidential data, information about internal operations of the company and availability of personnel or their schedules.

• Malware and viruses: The use of abbreviated URLs makes it easy for the bad guys to mask links to infected sites and to redirect users to websites that they would think twice about visiting. The setting up of fake services could be used to collect credentials and information from that user.

• Improper use: From a corporate perspective, employees can be a threat if they post information that could impact negatively on the business and hurt its integrity. A wrong post picked up by such a wide audience could become a PR nightmare for that business.

• Impulse messaging can be dangerous especially if the user is irate and doesn’t stop to think about the repercussions of his or her tweet. Sending inappropriate tweets is not recommended.

• It is what the end-user does with Twitter that counts. Tweeters need to pay attention to what they are doing, listen carefully and do not trust every single follower who sends them a message. Humans are the weakest link the security chain.

• Customer care: Businesses need to be careful how they deal with disgruntled customers who may use Twitter to discuss a negative experience they had. With only 140 characters at its disposal, a business should avoid getting into a back and forth match with an unhappy customer on Twitter and encourage the client to use traditional customer care channels. Take the conversation offline.

How to counter risk:

• Every business that uses Twitter or any other social media or networking site should have a strong policy in place (and enforced) that clearly states how it should be used by employees. Warn about possible disciplinary action if the policy is violated.

• Emphasize that online conduct must not violate the anti-discrimination policy or other codes of conduct. Warn that the policy must be read in conjunction with the existing Employee Handbook.

• Include a provision prohibiting any conduct that violates federal, state, or local law.

• Direct employees to bring all questions related to the policy or permissible conduct to management.

• Off Duty Conduct - Employers may have broad discretion in disciplining employees where the employer can show that the off-duty conduct has damaged the business, hurt the employer's interests, or is otherwise inconsistent with the employer's business needs.

Some basic rules:

• Think twice before posting. Employees need to think compliance, integrity, security, then post.

• Access URLs in tweets with care. If there is no real need to check out the site, leave it.

• Show employees what to look out for. How to notice when someone is stalking or attempting to social engineer information.

• Avoid confrontation on Twitter. It is a great tool for customer feedback but may not be appropriate for resolving complex issues.

FTC FINAL GUIDES GOVERNING ENDORSEMENTS, TESTIMONIALS

• Definition of an advertisement has been blurred by the use of social media.

• Advertisements that feature a consumer and convey his or her experience with a product or service as typical when that is not the case will be required to clearly disclose the results that consumers can generally expect. No more safe harbor – disclosure “results not typical.”

• Material Connections – sometimes payments or free products between advertisers and endorsers, connections that consumers would not expect, must be disclosed. The post of a blogger who received cash or in-kind payment to review a product is considered an endorsement.

• To limit liability look for authenticity – real experiences from real customers/consumers.

• Any endorsement, like any other advertisement, is deceptive if it makes false or misleading claims.

• Company sponsored research – if company refers to findings of research organization, the advertisement must disclose connection between the advertiser and the research organization.

Amanda recently presented for TCUL Annual Meeting& Expo (Grapevine, Texas). She is teaching a new course this summer for Southwest CUNA Management School (Fort Worth, Texas) – “Social Media II: Let’s Be Strategic”.

Southwest CUNA Management School Bulletin: Wanted Credit Union Professionals Fitting this Profile!

The secret’s out. Southwest CUNA Management School Students have been profiled. The PTP New Media & CU*Swag team caught one of this year’s third year students, Jason Duplant (Neches FCU) on tape. Look and listen closely to get an insiders’ perspective on the value of the school.

Careful analysis of this year’s 1^st year enrollees reveals what a typical students looks like:

Who

Students come from credit unions ranging in size from under $1 million to nearly $1 billion. It’s exciting to see mutually beneficial relationships develop when Davy and Goliath are side by side in the classroom.

Students range in age from 23 to 62. Oh the lessons the generations learn from each other when they spend eight days on a college campus for three years. New for 2010 we have a special scholarship, networking, and mentoring C2C initiative for students under the age of 30 by August 1, 2010.

Experience levels cover a wide range.

• Years on the Job: 1 to 26, averaging just under 6 years.

• Years in Credit Unions: 2 to 31, averaging 11 years

• Years in the Financial Services Industry: 2 to 33, averaging just over 13 years.

As for job titles, you name it and we probably have someone enrolled. The school is designed for everyone from management trainees to mid and senior level management to CEOs.

When       July 11-21, 2010

Where    Classes are held at TCU (Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas)

Students may be coming from as far as Africa. The majority of the students are coming from Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.

What

Intensive classroom training, world class faculty, unique networking opportunities, and developing a detailed two year strategic business plan for your credit union. Specialists gain an appreciation for how the various pieces of the credit union come together to complete/affect the entire company. Smaller credit unions get the opportunity to dream and think about how to strategically position their credit union forward. All students build a strong network of friends and experts to help them face challenges down the road.

Developing News

Strategic alumni have been collaborating and brainstorming about providing additional value. As a result of numerous discussions, new opportunities are available for credit union folks to take advantage of what SCMS has to offer.

• Day Students: Any league affiliated credit union may attend ½ to a full day, or even a couple of days on a day rate basis - $275 per day, lunch included, on own for accommodations. No homework. Click here for the full schedule.

• Full Year Option: CUNA Management School alumni are invited back for a full year experience, living on campus, learning and networking with the class of their choice. This is offered as either entire 1^st, 2^nd or 3^rd year options. Same price as a full time student, though no scholarship opportunities at this point. No homework.

If you, or one of your credit union’s talented up and coming stars, specialists, or seasoned vets are looking for challenges, fresh perspectives, innovative ideas and aha moments, the time to enroll in the school is now!

Contact Janine McBee for further information if interested: jmcbee@scms.coop or tweet @SCMSJanine

Business Development: A Team Sport

 

Guest Post by Julie Ferguson, JRF Consulting Services

 

Business Development is not a department. In a financial cooperative it has to be everyone’s job; from the Board of Directors to the front line employees. Credit unions who have limited or no dedicated business development staff often struggle with how to achieve growth goals. Each year the executive team determines that magical percentage for membership growth and it is shared with staff. What can sometimes be neglected are conversations about how the credit union will achieve that goal.

 

The first step is an evaluation of existing strategies in the areas of community outreach, SEG relationships, membership growth, and retention efforts. Part of the evaluation process should encompass reviewing the results and determining if they are indicative of the actual strategy or if the strategy was not properly executed. Once you complete your comprehensive evaluation you can move forward and create a business development business plan that includes new and enhanced strategies with implementation guidelines to position your credit union to meet its goals.

 

When business development becomes a priority for all staff, even those whose primary responsibilities are back office or operational, the growth goal becomes more attainable.  For obvious reasons, responsibilities for growth need to be scaled and realistic for each staff member. Opening up a dialog between business development and other departments will enable the exploration of increased involvement and ownership in the growth of the organization.  Setting specific, achievable goals for each employee and holding them accountable is an important component to the success of this structure. In addition, employees need to be trained on the skills necessary for effective participation in business development activities.

 

Creating a business development business plan and making growth a priority for all staff does not necessarily translate to an increase in budget. In fact, you will be amazed at what you can achieve when you focus on creativity and building valued partnerships in your community.  There are infinite possibilities!

 

Business follows relationships. Make business development everyone’s job.

 

Julie R Ferguson is the owner of JRF Consulting Services, LLC and helps credit unions create and execute results oriented business development strategies. She’s been in the credit union movement for over 17 years and spent 16 years working at First Tech Credit Union, currently a $2 billion organization, based in the state of Oregon. Julie speaks and consults nationwide. www.jrfconsultingservices.com.

 

Catch up with Julie live and in person during Southwest CUNA Management School’s Grad School sessions, July 21 at TCU (Fort Worth, Texas). You do not have to be an alumnus to attend.

SCMS New Faculty On Board for Summer 2010 Session

Fresh faces are on board to join the Southwest CUNA Management School faculty team and challenge students forward:

· Matt Davis  (AKA "The Credit Union Warrior") partnered with Filene Research Institute, Matt joins Denise Gabel for the 1 1/2 days of Innovation classes with 2nd & 3rd year students.

· Julie Ferguson, JRF Consulting Services brings a wealth of credit union and business development background to Grad School.

· David Goldsmith, MetaMatrix Consulting Group, Inc., is about to have a book published on strategic planning. He’s the final class for 1st year students, charged with sending them out challenged and future focused.

· Mike Petrone, CFE, CFSA joins us from CUNA Mutual Group (CMG) for the 1st year Risk Management course. In 2002, Mike was honored with the 2nd annual Michael G. Hallinan Risk Management Choice Award.

· Shawn Temple (one of last year’s Award of Excellence recipients), Bossier FCU, joins the team to work with students on the project (a two-year strategic business plan) requirements.

· Amanda Vega,  Amanda Vega Consulting brings real world experience to help second year students make strategic decisions related to social media and their  credit unions.

 

For a complete faculty team and course listing, scholarship information (deadline this week), and school application, visit www.scms.coop.

Excitement mounts as registrations come in for this year's first year class. To give you an idea of what students looks like:

• They are coming from Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Texas and possibly Africa.

• They hold titles ranging from President, Manager, Director, COO, VP, Accounting, Business Services Representative, Branch Manager, to E-Branch Manager and more.

• The credit union asset sizes range from under $20 million to around $1 billion

• The students range in age from early 20's to 50's. They have 2 to 28 years service in credit unions, with 2 to 33 years in the financial services industry.

• Education backgrounds range from Masters Degrees to High School Grads.

Thank you Bossier FCU for enrolling three in the first year class and to numerous credit unions who continue to enroll credit unions year after year!

 

LinkedIn Group - Credit Union Leaders Book Club Begins New Book - Seth Godin's Linchpin: Are You Indispensable?

This week we are wrapping up discussions on Patrick Lencioni's book, "Getting Naked: A Business Fable...about shedding the three fears that sabotage client loyalty." Even if you did not read along with us, I'm encouraging the read and joining in the discussion threads. It's a great book for folks involved in sales and customer service. It can provide insights for large organizations with multiple departments/branches (when you substitute departments/branches for companies as you read). It also gives perspectives for organizations involved in mergers, as well as those simply looking to gain perspectives about their competitors.

It's no secret that I'm a Seth Godin fan. Next up, beginning April 26, we'll start discussions on Godin's "Linchpin: Are You Indispensible?".  Join us in our adventure as we explore Godin's thoughts about ourselves - our choices, our future, and our potential to make a huge difference. Whether you work for a credit union, serve a credit union, or just love your credit union, feel free to read along with us. Discussions and comments are encouraged.

Our approach is simple. We'll cover a chapter a week. Feel free at any time to add to the discussions and share your challenges and insights. Let's learn from and challenge each other.

For my credit union friends, I also recommend reading Godin's book "Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us".

Video - TCUL Annual Meeting Opening Session

We kicked off the day in Grapevine with a special video featuring Dick Ensweiler and Co.  This video was a collaborative effort with the Texas Credit Union League and the CUGROW Team!  Check it out and make sure to leave your comments below!

Live: 2010 Texas Credit Union League Annual Meeting

Follow along with the credit union blog gang as we are at the 2010 Texas Credit Union League Annual Meeting in Grapevine, TX. Tweeps to follow: @jrwlay @mrjlay @scmsjanine @mrsjlay @cuconference@acm1985

Plus, we would love for you to follow along and join the conversation below or on Twitter using #TCUL10. As always, we will be tweeting from the sessions and getting interviews to post to keep you in the know. 

How SCMS Changed My Credit Union Life

When I was introduced to SCMS, my first thoughts were:

• I have a degree – no more school for me – “CompSci til the day I die”.
• I have friends – I do not need more.
• I am not good at networking – what would I say?
• How will this help me and my credit union?

My first summer day of SCMS:

• I met great people – yes, the first day.
• I now had lots of instant friends who were in the same world as me – credit union.
• We had fun while we were acclimated to more credit union business.

What I learned:

• Time definitely does fly.
• You are never too old to learn.
• You know more than you think you know.
• Your questions can help others.
• Sharing is still a wonderful feeling.
• You are never too old to meet new friends.

How SCMS helped me:

• I was new to the credit union industry and SCMS was the orientation I needed.
• I learned more than I thought was possible.
• We are a small credit union but I have made contacts and never feel isolated or alone.
• I know where to go for help when we need it.
• And I never have to re-invent the wheel. Resources are there waiting for me.

What happened to me after SCMS:

• Those instant friends are now my BFFs.
• I started out as Technical Operations Administrator and am now Manager of the credit union and now confident in this new role.
• When our staff turned over 75%, leaving me as the sole leader, I had no need to panic because I knew at least 10 people who had gone through this before and they became my mentors. I had and still have a great support system of people who supported me through SCMS and continue to support me in anything I need. Without my SCMS support, I would have had a major meltdown, but I did not because I knew where to go.

Guest Post - Iris R. Netters, Class of 2008
One of the "Great 08" Class Members
Manager, New Mount Zion Baptist Church CU

Show us Your Leadership and We’ll Show You The Money!

Do you have talented staff under the age of 30? Are you looking for opportunities to hone and develop their leadership skills? The Texas Credit Union Foundation (TCUF) and Southwest CUNA Management School (SCMS) have joined forces to invest in the future of the credit union system through the SCMS C2C Scholarship – Connect to Collaborate!

The Scholarship? Up to $2,899 (tuition for 2010 SCMS summer session) – The full amount of tuition paid by the student’s credit union will be reimbursed for one student. Odds are better than 1 in 34 to win! At the end of the 1st year session of SCMS, the student’s classmates will vote on who among the under 30 group exhibited the most leadership on campus. Simple majority wins. In the event of a tie, the scholarship will be split. We will announce the winner during the July 21 graduation ceremonies.

Who is eligible? Credit union professionals under the age of 30 as of August 1, 2010 who are enrolled in the July 2010 first year SCMS session. The credit union must be affiliated with their state league. Enrollment closes at 55 students.

What’s in it for the student?

• Connect - opportunity to network and learn side by side with current and future credit union leaders and the school's highly acclaimed faculty.
• Collaborate - peer to peer mentoring.
• Added value for the 1st year students under the age of 30 
  - a special leadership packet – top secret contents!
  - additional bonus opportunities are in the works, like an invite to join 2nd year faculty member, marketing and branding expert, Mark Arnold, for lunch on campus.
  - VIP seating with industry leaders during graduation.

What’s in it for the credit union?

• Connect your rising leaders to a phenomenal credit union network.
• Collaborate with your student(s) as work is done to create a strategic business plan for your credit union.

To encourage and mentor up and coming credit union leaders, SCMS C2C will also hold a casual chat for all SCMS students and alumni under the age of 30 on July 20, after the annual alumni/student auction dinner. Watch www.scms.coop additional details. Wait until you see who is coming to campus to spend time with this group!

A huge thank you goes out to Brent Dixon, Mark Arnold, and PTP New Media for helping me get C2C from concept to reality!

Have questions about SCMS? Contact Director and Synergist, Janine McBee at 800.442.5762x6634, jmcbee@scms.coop or tweet @SCMSJanine.

(No scholarship application is required!)

Credit Union Leaders Book Club Launched

I don't know about you, but I am surrounded by books I plan to read. Great books sit waiting to provide aha moments, challenge my thinking, or to provide much needed escapes. Gifts waiting to be opened and explored, they look at me wide-eyed as if to ask which book will I devour next?

 

I have collected a number of business books in the last year that all seem more than worthy to spend quality time with. Yet, before I open any of the books, another one lands on my radar and finds it way home. My list of recommended books continues to grow. I trust the sources. They must be good reads. Right?

 

And yes, I must confess, I’m a cycler. No, Lance Armstrong doesn’t need to be worried that I might be a hidden threat. For as long as I can remember, I’ve cycled between fiction and non-fiction reading. Lately I’ve been reading historical fiction. The books have taken me on great adventures back in time and broadened my perspectives.

 

Was my recent escape to fiction driven by guilt that when I got bogged down reading “Einstein”? A trusted friend recommended the book. I know she would not do that lightly. Yet half way through I laid it down and it sits by my chair. I can’t completely let it go. It sits starring at me. Einstein and I will reunite somewhere down the road.

 

During a recent CUChatUp blog talk, the participants started chatting about business books. Book recommendations started flying. Inspiration! Around the same time, I had received one of those delightful Amazon emails about new books. I'm so weak and they know me so well. This one mentioned "Getting Naked: A Business Fable...about shedding the three fears that sabotage client loyalty" by Patrick Lencioni. I'm a fan of his "Five Dysfunctions of a Team".

 

It hit. The perfect storm - energy sparked by a community of friends who like to read and make a difference and a new book by an author I like It’s time to cycle back to business reading.

The call to action. The call to community. The LinkedIn Group “Credit Union Leaders Book Club” was born. Using the discussion feature of LinkedIn, this is a community where credit union professionals and friends committed to professional and personal development are encouraged to grow together. Being part of the community adds a sense of accountability and responsibility. We’re spread out across the country and all have busy schedules. The online discussion gives us more options to learn from and share with each other. On March 15 we start our 1st book discussion, covering one chapter a week. Our community will determine the next book.

 

Feel free to join our group and share the challenge with your team. Together we can learn from and challenge each other forward. Feel the energy. Make the commitment.

TechMecca Live Stream - Jack McDonald on Gen Y

Aaron (aka @acm1985) just wrapped up his session with Jack McDonald at TechMecca about Attracting and Retaining Generation Y Business.

It is interesting to hear struggles from attendees with getting social media initiatives started at their financial institutions. Do you have any ideas and thoughts to help them out. Share your thoughts and comments below.

Be sure to follow along and check out the latest live streams from TechMecca here.

TechMecca Live Stream - Brad Smith

Aaron (aka @acm1985) just wrapped up his session with Brad Smith at TechMecca about 5 Secrets to Successful Online Accounting Opening and Online Lending .

Be sure to follow along and check out the latest live streams from TechMecca here.

TechMecca Live Stream - Jason Marshall

Aaron (aka @acm1985) just wrapped up his session with Jason Marshall at TechMecca about mobile banking.

Be sure to follow along and check out the latest live streams from TechMecca here.

TechMecca - Opening Session Live Stream

Aaron (aka @acm1985) just wrapped up his first live stream and was having some audio issues (comes in half way through) but wanted to post this up to give you a sneak peak at what is happening at TechMecca in Austin, TX this AM.

Be sure to follow along and check out the latest live streams from TechMecca here.

Tech Mecca Conference Live Video Stream

Aaron and Jenn are kicking things off this morning at the Tech Mecca conference in Austin, TX.  They will be live streaming certain parts of the conference so be sure to check back to keep an eye (and ear) on what's going on. Be sure to follow @acm1985 and @jennbills as they will give you a heads up before they broadcast live.

Social Media, Patience & Education - Looking Back & Reflecting Forward

Following up on two recent posts by James Robert Lay about "Credit Unions, Twitter, Service and Brand Management"...

Those who know me, know I did not embrace Twitter and Facebook until this last summer. Had enough on my plate already without adding any additional distractions or diversions from the work at hand. Many conversations, yes, real conversations, diving in, listening, learning and lots of coaching later, I now champion both tools. And, yes, I'm still learning.

As director of a leadership development school for credit union professionals, reaching my target market is crucial. The ability to develop a relationship with future students before they come to campus helps us to maximize their experience. You do become vulnerable when you put yourself out there. At the same time, you also gain strength and support as you spend the time to establish relationships and learn together. All relationships take time to develop.

As senior director of training for the Texas Credit Union League, finding new speakers and topic ideas help me to better serve our membership. When I’m looking for subject matter experts, tweets and blogs help me get a better picture about the speaker, as well as topic ideas to meet the needs of our membership.

As someone who likes to use financial services, I appreciate when I see tweets alerting me to special hours of business, challenges with websites/ATMs, financial management tips, and more. Time is precious. I like it when someone cares enough to save me time.

As a member of a various communities, it's nice to know where and when there are opportunities to serve and give back.

As the mother of a freshman college student, twitter is how I get campus wide alerts.

Some of my aha moments included:

1)     Twitter provided a no cost way to set up crisis communications when we had students on campus. (Grateful the need to use did not arise.)

2)     Twitter provided a way for me to bring subject matter experts into the classroom for brief periods of time who could not have been there otherwise.

3)     After linking Twitter to Facebook, I was finding some people were more likely to respond to tweets through Facebook. Hmm. Unproven conclusion – until social media tools and applications are sanctioned in the workplace, people are more likely to respond on personal time through Facebook (unless they have cool phones).

4)     Innovation and new ideas are important as you work to position your company forward. By strategically selecting who and what topics I follow, I’ve found solid information with minimal time.

5)     Engaging with the right people through social media grows valuable relationships. It’s always been important to reach people in the manner they wish to be communicated with. I have treasured contacts who prefer Twitter or Facebook for 1^st point of contact. From there we migrate to other forms of communication as appropriate.

6)     Sometimes you just need a little laughter to break up your day or to know that there are good news stories out there.

Before writing this, I did a little research on tweet posts over the last 24 hours from folks I follow:

1)     5 Sure-Fire Ways to Operationalize Social Media by Jay Baer

“And in 2010, we’re going to move from experimentation to methodology. It will be the year that the real-time Web and social media become operationalized.”

I agree with Jay that 2010 will see a lot of social media strategic decisions made and processes refined.

2)     As someone who loved the efficiencies of RSS feeds for storing key topics in a summarized fashion, I find myself following into the same scenario that Richard MacManus describes in:

RSS Reader Market in Disarray, Continues to Decline
December 20, 2009 - ReadWriteWeb.com

“One of the interesting trends of 2009 has been the gradual decline of RSS Readers as a way for people to keep up with news and niche topics. Many of us still use them, but less than we used to. I for one still maintain a Google Reader account, however I don't check it on a daily basis. I check Twitter for news and information multiple times a day, I monitor Twitter lists, and I read a number of blogs across a set of topics of most interest to me. “

3)     @MattRhodes directed me to “Social Media as  Crisis Management Tool”
FreshNetworks - “I have a client who once said to me: “We want to use social media to attract more complaints”. This may seem an odd thing to say, all too often attracting complaints is a reason people cite for being anxious about using social media. But this client knew that one part of their service didn’t always perform as well as they might hope. They also knew that nobody ever really complained to them. They must be complaining somewhere, they thought, and we’d like them to be complaining to us.”

He goes on to note some uses for social media in context of crisis management:

·         Keep people up-to-date

·         Represent your brand

·         Engage people talking about you

·         Communicate strategically through hub and spokes format

All this to say that conversations are happening.

1)     We have to be better about telling the good stories and turning around the bad ones. Social media tools provide opportunities to do so. It’s time to hone our skills to take advantage of these dynamic, rapidly evolving forms of communication.

2)     New information is coming at us faster than we can absorb. Social media tools help us gather data and information rapidly. However, don’t let social media be your only research source.

Be deliberate. Have a strategy. Join the community. Looking forward to exciting things in years to come as we work together to innovate forward.

Twitter: a faster horse, trends, the classroom, & our future work force

My mind is racing as I think about the tremendous opportunities that lie ahead as we innovate, communicate, learn, and grow together.

Others may question the value of Twitter. It was not that long ago that I didn't even want to consider another communication channel. I was too busy and there was too much trivial communication. Now, I'm thankful for an ever-growing, thought-provoking, community of connections and viewpoints shared on Twitter.

Browsing through Twitter updates this morning, I came across @BertDecker's reference to a quote by Henry Ford:

"If I'd asked my customers what they wanted, they'd have said a faster horse."

Fortunately, Mr. Ford chose a different path, pioneering a new form of transportation. Might social media be to communication, like the Model T was to transportation, where Twitter is the higher speed evolution?

Next, I spent some time reviewing @MichaelHyatt's pointer post to the free ebook, "What Matters Now: Things to think about (and do) this year". More than 70 big thinkers collaborated to provide a picture of where we are headed, including Seth Godin, Chris Anderson, Tom Peters, Elizabeth Gilbert, Guy Kawasaki, and more.

The ebook begins with a spotlight on generosity. Logic would indicate that people start focusing on looking out for number one when the economy is tough. It turns out that the connected economy doesn't respect this natural instinct. Instead, we're rewarded for being generous.

Covering such areas as dignity, momentum, consequences, compassion, DIY, accountability, responsibility, collaboration, change, context, authenticity, and more, the ebook is worth taking the time to read. Slow down, contemplate, and give some serious thought to the concepts. Take time to ask yourself, "What does this mean to me?"

Next, @rossdawson pointed me to "A futurist's view of the 'next big thing' in social media" by @VenessaMiemis and featured on www.businessesgrow.com.

When I came across:

Many young people are not being taught how to benefit from the power of the web as a tool for building a network and for learning. I mean, anyone who uses Twitter or belongs to an online community of some sort has seen that sharing information and learning from one another is not only fun and rewarding, it's addictive. Kids need to be shown how to navigate that world too.

It's not just the kids who need to be introduced to or taught about the value of social media. All ages can benefit when they find the right focus and discover the best channels to use for their goals and interests.

I was compelled to pay it forward today, sharing insights I found valuable with others. Now will you share with me? Has someone's tweet inspired, challenged, and helped you position forward? It's your turn to pay it forward, shout out and share with others.

Strategic thoughts about Social Media Trends and Predictions

A number of business professionals I work with are still questioning the value of social media. If you are one of the doubters or naysayers, take a moment to read Jeff Bulla's blog on "45 Social Media Trends and Predictions".

He gives some great food for thought as you consider the strategic implications of social media for your organization.

For those who have already embraced social media as a strategic business tool:

1. What have you learned from your social media journey, both positive and negative experiences. As we move forward, learning from each other helps all of us position foward faster.

2. How are you leveraging your social media efforts?

3. Are you using measurements to evaluate your social media impact? If yes, please share what they are and why you chose them a metrics.

Are you still undecided about or dismissing social media?

No matter what form of social media that comes to mind, blogs, twitter, facebook, and so on, they are simply another form of communication. In a recent conversation with Amanda Vega she described social media as being similar to conversations at a cocktail party. Some conversations are more engaging than others. And yes, some conversations may send you desperately running away in search of more interesting people to be around. There are even times when you have no real interest in any conversation at the party and you flee from the event.

As with any communication medium, there are those who prefer one form or another. As you weigh the value of social media, ask yourself  “how do people I want to serve, sell to, or have relationships with, communicate?” If no one in your world tweets or spends time on Facebook, by all means, you don’t need to go there. In today's competitive market place, identifying how people prefer to communicate is a solid strategy to position your business forward.

A big part of who I am is built around developing relationships with credit union professionals, speakers, and service providers.

A younger credit union COO I know probably won’t answer a phone call unless you are already listed as “OK” when your phone number pops up, doesn’t care to read paper based mail, and prefers not to use email. I had to make a decision. Is he important enough for me to want to have a conversation with? Absolutely! Because I do value the relationship, I choose to communicate the way he prefers - via Twitter. Does that mean we don’t email, talk on the phone, or visit in person? No. However, we have established a way to stay connected and strengthen our relationship through Twitter and Facebook. Because of the relationship, many more channels of communication and business opportunities become open.

Another of our CEOS just wants a phone call. He said if I called him he'd send me a student every year. Easy enough. I'm happy to place the call to keep the relationship and build the business. And yes, I learned this through good old fashioned face to face communication and asking for the business.

As we go forward and wrestle with various forms of communication, it's not as easy as what form will I choose. It is all about strategy. No matter the form of communication, or how many channels you feel are appropriate for your business, spend some time assessing the form, style, value, and direction for each. Take a tip from Seth Goodin as he compares social media to a hammer, "The best way to find the right tool for the job is to learn to be good at switching hammers."

Ask yourself where are the conversations occurring that are important to me and my company? Be deliberate. Form the relationships and join in the conversation by both listening and speaking. Bring value to the conversation and be real.

If you have already embraced social media, what are you doing to enlighten others about the business value of the medium?

Give Galveston a Hand

The TCUL Marketing Conference in Galveston was a great success!  The CUGROW team was there to capture video of the Give Galveston a Hand project and we wanted to share the footage with you!

Check out the video below and give us a shout, we would love to hear from you!

CU Grow in Galveston for TCUL Marketing and B-Dev Conference

Surfs up from Galveston this week! 

We will be there this week for the Texas Credit Union League's Marketing and Business Development Conference. Plus we also look forward to helping "Give Galveston a Hand". 

Check back to your credit union blog as we are always posting fresh content and video interviews from the conferences we attend.  Hope to see you in Galveston for some fun in the sun. 

Credit Union Man is back. Watch his video below. 

Lessons Learned Thru Twitter - Twitter, Customer Service and Good Brand Management

- Building the Business Case for 140 Precious Characters

Checking this morning's tweets, I came across @ConversationAge Twitter, Customer Service and Good Brand Management http://ow.ly/yz2H.

She got my attention and I followed her link. For those of you serious about brand management and customer service, I recommend spending some thought time reading Valeria Maltoni's post. She addresses how those 140 character twitter messages have the potential to directly impact your brand and can function as a customer service tool.

She gives great tools about how to track tweets about your company. Maltoni goes further, nothing that "online monitoring is broader than Twitter", as she mentions additional web monitoring sites.

Keep exploring and learning as online communication channels grow and develop. Join the conversation, develop the relationships, and keep positioning forward!

Tweet on my friends.

Video - Life is Change

In September, we attended the TCUL Leadership Conference and Exploration Expo in San Antonio, Texas.  During that time we were able to catch up with Judson Laipply, the Creator of the Evolution of Dance, following his talk on "Life is Change."  Judson Laipply brings a lively and remarkably diverse set of experiences to his speaking engagements. He worked on a cruise ship and as a camp counselor. He taught college courses and aerobics classes. He's a published poet, an auctioneer, and a weekly columnist. Out of this medley of living, Laipply realized a sense of shared humanity that, at its core, is both sympathetic and filled with the feeling of a smile.  During his session, Judson asked the participants to imagine being able to create the life you want to live and enjoying it along the way. 

Check out our video below as we chat with Judson and give us shout on the ways you recognize and embrace your happiness!

Video - Credit Unions can Educate and Build Relationships with Email, Text and Twitter

We caught up with James Robert Lay (on Twitter: jrwlay) again at the TCUL Leadership Conference and Exploration Expo following his session on how credit unions can build relationships with text, Twitter and email marketing.  Most people now spend more time reading their emails than they do surfing the web. Email is one of the most powerful communication channels that credit unions can use to communicate with members.  However, email marketing has been tainted with activities such as SPAM and phishing.  A credit union can still effectively build relationships with members through email education.  Furthermore, text messaging is another growing communication channel when done properly.  Finally, James Robert discussed different ways credit unions can use Twitter to listen, learn and engage members in a real and authentic way. 

Check out the video below as we chat with James Robert and don't forget to give us a shout on the effective ways your credit union is working to communicate and connect with your members!