Are you denting the universe?
Inspiration is at a premium for most of us in todayâs fast-paced world. When youâre responsible for bottom-line results, itâs easy to lose sight of what (or who) inspired you to get to where you are today.
I just finished âRework,â an unconventional and refreshing business book by the founders of 37Signals, a trailblazing software company. Their message is ultimately written for the budding entrepreneur, but speaks to anyone who is up against the challenges faced by most business professionals. One of the many pithy chapters that resonated with me is entitled âMake a dent in the universe.â The authors write, âTo do great work, you need to feel that youâre making a difference. That youâre putting a meaningful dent in the universe. That youâre part of something important.â
Itâs a lofty statement, but it appeals to my idealist tendencies. I want to know that what I do each day will have a positive impact on our members and the industry, not just the bottom-line. And without a passion for my work at NAFCU and for the credit union movement, would it be possible for me to have that positive impact?
Itâs possible â but not likely.
I am constantly working to improve my leadership skills, and below are the top five things that I have found make a difference when it comes to getting results and building a team that is inspired to make tomorrowâs contributions even better than todayâs.
Be passionate about your brand.
You canât inspire others to care about your organization if you donât show a passion and enthusiasm for your brand. Ensure your team understands what makes your business unique, but then have conviction when it comes to getting things accomplished. Be passionate about what you do, and others will be more likely follow. Colin Powellâs lesson number 12 in his leadership brief is worth keeping visible on your desktop: "Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier." If you do nothing else each day, wake up believing what you will accomplish will make a difference and youâll be amazed how contagious that energy can be. Your staff will feel it and it will show in their work.
Donât let innovation have a negative connotation.
If one of your employees has an idea to increase membership or lending â how would that idea get integrated or considered for execution â even if that employee didnât work in the marketing division? Is your staff rewarded for bringing new ideas to the table or are they discouraged because change might increase the workload or alter the way things have always been done? Create a safe place to innovate. Set aside time for your staff to brainstorm freely around a project or process. It doesnât take a lot of time (and shouldnât) and the rewards of getting them energized and out from behind their desks to hear their input not only shows them you value their ideas, perspectives and experiences, but it helps to generate a collaborative work environment and move your organization forward. Check out this great resource to learn more about different brainstorming techniques and strategies: www.mindtools.com/brainstm.html
Recognize accomplishments, no matter how small.
A project, e-mail or initiative may be low on the totem pole for you to get to today, but it is probably the result of exclusive focus and energy of one or more of your staff. Recognize how their contributions impact the strategic initiatives of your organization, even if itâs something they do every day. Thank them for completing the work and ask them if there was anything they learned in the process. Itâs amazing how a five minute conversation can lead to new ideas and uncover perspectives that could improve your product or service. Did I mention say âthank you?â Positive reinforcement takes so little time and Iâve never had an employee tell me I thanked them too much for their time and effort. We can often be quick to criticize or correct, but be just as quick to acknowledge their accomplishments and it can work wonders to inspire them to keep up the good work.
Put them in the know.
The more your employees know about what is going on in your organization, the more engaged they will be. And the more engaged they are, the more they care about how their work impacts your brand and the bottom line. Gordon Bethune, the former president and CEO of Continental Airlines, spoke at NAFCUâs 44th Annual Conference & Exhibition this year about leading the effort to transform the unprofitable carrier into a thriving business. When Bethune took over the troubled airline in 1994, he focused on changing the culture of the organization â which started with the people. He changed the way employees related to one another and instituted internal communication vehicles, such as newsletters and voicemails, so staff could stay in the loop on operations and other matters. âSuccessful companies have people who want to work for them,â Bethune said.
According to selfgrowth.com, being âin the knowâ is second only to âfull appreciation of work doneâ when it comes to the top 10 things employees want. It may surprise you that âgood wagesâ ranks number five on the list! When you increase knowledge-share and transparency, you empower people to feel confident in their problem-solving because they can see the full picture.
Make room for improvement. Always.
Each fall, a group of credit union leaders gather at NAFCUâs Management Development Institute (MDI) to learn the intricacies of credit union management. The group is always made up of a wide range of students â from credit union branch managers and CEOs, to marketing and IT professionals. Regardless of their title, they are all there to improve themselves professionally. Maybe they are getting ready for an executive position at their credit union, or maybe theyâve already been given increased responsibility and they need the knowledge and experience from the case study group work to help them succeed in their new role. Whatever their individual situations and goals may be, they usually have one thing in common: they are life-long learners who have been inspired and encouraged to push themselves to the next level.
Thereâs always something we can be doing to improve ourselves. Whether itâs learning a new technology or gaining a new perspective from a coworker, we send an important message to those we lead when we take initiative ourselves to grow and learn. That message is simple - there is always room for improvement.
So I will end with a question for you - what do you do to bring inspiration and a sense of passion to your workplace and your team? How are you making your dent in the universe? Iâd love to know whatâs working for you. Please post a comment or drop me a line at ahosmer@nafcu.org
Post written by Alicia Hosmer, Director of Marketing, NAFCU