IN{ter}DEPENDENCE DAY{s}
Yes, the holiday fast approaches this Friday in 2014. How exciting! We the people celebrate our independence here, have a day off, and get back to the meaningful work ahead during our summer months.
Or do we approach the summer as another Independence Day come and gone, another cycle, and a fast moving daze in the year ~ hitting the car and home loan/equity months, seeing the tax refunds slowly dwindle from the checking accounts and still cross selling products and commodity accounts? To branch or go mobile? Probably a little of both. Upcoming retirements? A few resignations. Maybe a bank or retail hire, or two. Throw in a few timely audits, some department projects and maybe some digital training and we’re good to go until back-to-school begins in late summer.
INDEPENDENCE…Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Hope not, at least for the ones who are truly preparing and celebrating…. INTERDEPENDENCE DAYs.
You know the smart ones. The companies and teams who have been steadily and readily preparing for the digital transformation and collaborative economy over the last several years. It’s here, or beginning to go mainstream and crest. Are you ready for it?
Ask yourself and do a “give my company” credit check on these 3 areas of interdependency in our new knowledge environment.
Your Company’s internal organization and culture.
Your team and ‘known’ company vibe.
* Structure moving from Hierarchy to a flatter matrix organization – egos replaced with WEgo together.
* Empowered AND responsible colleagues who courageously collaborate and initiate necessary change. They are continually developing, learning the digital/mobile skills and can readily talk …in non-lingo speak to one another.
* Silo’s dissolving and/or gone. Resource centers, rather than “departments apart”, who provide knowledge, value and perform for the entire team, not only for their area of specialization.
Your Company’s partnerships with quality vendors, service providers and suppliers. Some may call these 3rd parties. How about extended family team?
* Your current partnerships are in alignment with your vision, mission and business values. The relationship is not strained and still of value to you and your membership. Accounts Payable authorization is not a burden to bear for the results and relationship value you receive.
* Risk assessment of your company priorities, projects and work flows continues. You know where effectiveness and efficiencies can be gained through outsourced expertise, rather than current in-house talent. You’ve done your homework and have prepared your team to adopt the service fully.
* Your valued partner’s partners are growing as well and are in alignment with your needs in the future. You recognize the economies of quality scale and potential opportunities with less friction, quality integration and reasonable financial outlay.
Your clients. Your members. Your community.
Your meaningful purpose.
* Your Clients and members understand and actively utilize the solutions provided. You are retaining quality and keenly shedding the unhealthy ones. Your clients aren’t worried about paying for quality; they know the service experience and solutions you provide are of benefit and value.
* Business clients are asking how they can get full 360° relationship benefits, not only loans or lines, for their company’s success. Non-interest income opportunities are springing up. Now the business owners want to ensure they can retain their talented team by offering your individual solutions and benefits. The “select employee group” has evolved into “select financial services group” relationship.
* Your community investment is felt, seen and trusted. Not by merely stroking a check, but investing time, hiring talent and sustaining a growing community through valued community outreach, involvement and pride.
That’s the Interdependency credit checklist. Are you chanting your team name, loud and proud? Hope you’re feeling it, and smiling on July 3, 4, 5, 6 and so on.
If not, you may want to be aware of the following independence business symptoms in the new economy.
Warning on the possible side effects:
RED in a quite a few areas of your balance sheet, depleting cash flows and income statement trends.
WHITE as in ‘doe in the headlights, see the WHITE of your eyeballs, ears hissing’ glaze,
and
BLUE because you’re bruised from hitting your head against the wall repeatedly.
Make the change. You know it takes a team, a culture, great partners, businesses and a community to thrive. Start your quest for interdependence on the 5th.
