Is Your Credit Union Listening? Or Shooting?
by: James Robert Lay, Grower of Relationships, PTP NEW MEDIA & CU*SWAG
Last month I asked the question, Is Your Credit Union Growing or Dying?
There were some really good comments and dialogue that transpired as people shared their feelings. However, one comment concerned me in particular.
It was posted by Anon (aka Anonymous) as they shared the following thoughts?
“I am sure you can understand my desire [for] anonymity after you read this post. Like any other credit union marketing exec, I want to grow the CU. Unfortunately my innovation is stifled by the CEO. I bring innovative ideas to the table and because “nobody else is doing it” I am not allowed to spend my budget on the item. It gets very frustrating and has forced me to look elsewhere for work.”
I know it can be tough to look at yourself and your credit union in the mirror and ask the hard questions. But those hard questions must be asked so that you may destroy the box and grow. It truly disheartens me to hear someone share their thoughts, feelings and frustrations like this. Even more so, they feel they have to remain anonymous for fear of backlash or discipline.
At the end of the day their intentions are in the right place. Their desire is to grow the credit union and from their comments bring new thoughts, ideas and a fresh perspective to the table.
However when ideas are shot down time and time again by the CEO, the leader, because “nobody else is doing it”, one can only take so much before they feel they have no value to continue and begin looking to leave.
I am not one for anonymous posts and comments but would welcome them for one time only simply to start an honest dialogue and conversation.
If you are moved to share your thoughts and feelings, don’t hold back.
At the end of the day, it would be amazing to openly share what we feel without fear of backlash or discipline so we can destroy the box, build trust and grow together.
Do you know the anonymous credit union face? Is it you?
Is your credit union listening or is it shooting ideas down because “nobody else is doing it”?
In February of 2002, during his sophomore year at San Jacinto College, James Robert founded PTP NEW MEDIA from his bedroom. Since then, PTP NEW MEDIA has helped credit unions build relationships with members with the help of offline, online, internal and external marketing channels. Their work has won many state and national marketing awards. He is also behind the movement to help make credit unions fashionably cool with CU*SWAG and was named the first “CU Times Trailblazer 40 Below” of 2012. James Robert completed his MBA in 2006 and has enjoyed speaking at many different credit union conferences and events. www.ptpnewmedia.com www.cuswag.com
