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180-Second Exercise: Generational Shifts

Every generation is different, and businesses must constantly evolve to meet changing customer preferences.  Millennials and older Gen Zs have been using financial services for a while.  For this 180-second thinking exercise, consider Gen Alpha.  Born between 2010 and the present, they will be the next big generational topic.  As a reminder, 180-second exercises are … Continued

10 Things That Stifle Critical Thinking + 5 Ways To Help It Flourish

Dictionary.com defines critical thinking as disciplined thinking that is clear, rational, open-minded, and informed by evidence.  It is foundational for good decision-making.  What organization couldn’t use plenty of critical thinkers?  But there are some common stumbling blocks and some key practices to avoid them.  10 Things that Stifle Critical Thinking:  Unclear objectives – lack of … Continued

Vendor Relationships: Signs You Should Be More Strategic

Vendor and partner relationships are essential to financial institutions, therefore we are reposting this blog in light of recent conversations with our clients.  Taking a strategic approach to these important relationships can better position the organization for future moves, boost performance, save resources, and maybe even lessen the total number of relationships required.  Optimizing these … Continued

Strategic Planning: Board Approach

We have spent thousands of hours working with Boards and Leadership teams on strategic planning and we regularly get asked, “How can a Board, made up of individuals who often are only able to focus on the financial institution during monthly meetings or annual planning sessions, be more strategic in their thinking?”  Most of the … Continued

To Grow or Not to Grow? That is NOT the Right Question

In the continually evolving landscape of finance, growth is not just a goal, but a necessity for survival and prosperity.  Financial institutions operate in highly competitive environments where growth not only helps to ensure but also signifies relevance and progress.  Not all growth strategies are created equal, and some may prove harmful if not guided … Continued

Shifting Finance From a Function to a Strategic Driver

Today’s high-performing finance teams are seeing a need to shift their mindsets and their internal reputations in order to enhance the integral role they play in the strategic progress of their organization.  They are being intentional in their efforts and actions to change the way they are viewed in the organization.  Specifically, their focus is … Continued

5 Ways to Prepare for Tough Conversations

It seems like there are innumerable tough conversations to be had in the workplace for situations like mediocre performance reviews, cancelled projects, peer feedback…  These 5 tips will help you prepare ahead of time, so you’re positioned for better outcomes more often. Before getting into the tips, there’s a type of tough conversation that deserves … Continued

Strategic Planning: Areas of Focus for the Senior Leadership Team

In a previous blog, we discussed shifting from the traditional approach to strategic planning toward a more continuous approach in order to help your team be better prepared for the unpredictability of tomorrow.  If you haven’t read that blog, we recommend starting there.  This blog outlines some of the important topics that have come out … Continued

Balancing Downward Pressure on Earnings With Strategic Progress

Robust earnings eliminate a potential impediment on the road toward progress with strategic objectives.  The current environment, however, is placing pressure on earnings in a variety of ways.  Net interest margin compression, increasing operating expense ratios, higher projected reserves for loan losses, and potential decreases in non-interest income sources all seem to be impacting financial … Continued