Musings from the CU Suite

Compiled by Anthony Demangone, Powered by NAFCU

Bear with me.

I adore motivational speakers. The good ones don’t necessarily convince you to follow their plan. Rather, they convince you to start. Start eating better. Exercising. Listening.

I’ve always thought some organizations miss opportunities in this area. Churches, for example. The preacher/priest/rabbi/minister often has a sermon that reflects on scripture or a topical issue. The good sermons (at least for me) motivate. Not in the weeds. But they share a vision of what to achieve and share ways we can start moving in that direction.

I always think of Presidents as well. They have a bully pulpit. Why not use it to speak to us – to motivate us to become better versions of ourselves. Lay out a roadmap of what makes a successful life – a fulfilling life – and keep hammering away at it. I’m not talking Democrat or Republican. But larger than that. Work hard. Finish high school. Not to preach, but to unlock potential. Don’t leave it to policy. Make it culture-driven. Motivate Americans to improve.

And that got me thinking of credit unions.

We have members. Would it be wonderful if your members were:

• More physically fit
• Understood budgeting more
• Had healthier relationships
• Volunteered more
• Understood the value of education better

You get the idea. When people control their lives, they are happier, healthier, and more productive. And a more productive membership/community would be a wonderful thing.

Who at your credit union is the Chief Motivator of your membership?

OK. Enough of that. Now on to this week’s reading pile.

• The CFPB is now looking at data security. (NAFCU Compliance Blog)
• Americans are back to retiring later. (Forbes)
• USAA banking division job cuts number in “triple digits.” (Banking Dive)
• Five true statements we don’t hear very often. (Godin)
• Why people make dumb financial decisions on purpose. (AWOCS)
• The remote work revolution is already reshaping America. (WaPost)
• How BOA’s social media Chief drives the brand forward. (FB) Interest thought: Look to University Social Media efforts – they do a great job of focusing on brand.
• Hackers use Binance CCO’s deepfakes to scam exchange listings. (Tech Juice) Quite terrifying.