Written by Anthony Demangone
On Tuesday, I wrote about Twitter - how it had grown to nearly 1 billion users in a decade of existence.Â
Someone wrote me and raised this point. Twitter engaged in new technology and carved out a new niche or area of the marketplace. Credit unions are pigeon-holed into financial services, where the commoditization of services makes it hard to gain market share.
I immediately thought of a TED talk, and one that I wrote about last year.
It is this one: Benjamin Zander and the Transformative Power of Classical Music.
Let me set the scene.
Mr. Zander acknowledges that only 3% of America really likes classical music. While many are depressed within the classical music community with that number, do not include him among the Debbie Downers. With a smile, he says the following...Â
"Everybody loves classical music, it's just that many people haven't found out about it yet."
You need to watch the video. He proceeds to put on a show. And before he's done, an audience of executives are spellbound, listening to him play a classical piece.Â
His confidence and pure joy when talking about classical music is infectious. Â Is classical music for three percent or ten percent of the population?
And he says that his confidence is no accident.
If we want to lead people, and expand credit unions - we must exude confidence.Â
He asks the audience, if you had three percent market share, and hoped that someday you could get to 4%, how would you walk? How would you talk? The very premise that 4% is sufficient underscores the fact that you don't believe that your cause is for everyone.
Now, if you think classical music is for EVERYONE, it will affect how you walk. And how you talk. And that posture - that confidence, is very convincing.
Much of what he talks about is true about credit unions.Â
Are credit unions for 10 percent of America? 15 percent?
We should walk and talk and lead as if credit unions are right for everyone.
 I urge you to show this video at your next all-staff meeting. You won't be disappointed.