Musings from the CU Suite

Written by Anthony Demangone

I think all of us can get into a groove.

Grooves are good, and grooves are bad.

Grooves mean we've found a rhythm. We're a bit more efficient. I remember a two-week stretch in high school baseball when I was in a groove. I stroked double after double into the left-center gap. Until someone started throwing me curve balls. 

But grooves can mean that we repeat what we did yesterday over and over again. When you're in a groove, you can slip into "going through the motions."

All of us slip into that phase sometimes.

But here are a few questions that can bring focus.

1. What? Just what are you doing right now. This answer should be fairly obvious.
2. Why? Why are you doing it? Why are you writing that loan advertisement? Or updating the policy? Or giving a talk in the all-staff meeting? What outcome do you want? What problem do you want to fix? What is the goal?
3. How? Hopefully, what you are doing it, and how you are doing it, should align with the "why." So you want to bring in loans. And you are drafting the loan ad. How is that ad going to achieve the goal? Why did you choose that photo? That language? The placement of the ad? 
4. Finally, how is it working? So, you are performing a task. You know why. And you know the how. Did it work? Did the ad bring in loans? If yes, great! If no, well, great! At least you know that you have to try something different in the future. But only if you measure results.

These questions can be really useful. Try them for anything. Your Facebook page. Your monthly member newsletter. The decision to offer traveler's checks. 

Why do you do what you do? What are the tactics? And are there any tangible results? 

At the end of the day, time and resources are scarce. If you find that can't answer these questions confidently, your time might be better spent elsewhere. 

Have a great Thursday everyone!