CU Jedi Episode I: What Credit Union Leaders Can Learn from Obi-Wan Kenobi
by Devin Selte
For those of you that know me, my loves in life are my family, credit unions, hockey, and Star Wars. And I love to blog about them all.
Inspired by Bo McDonald’s highly successful Credit Unions and Dr. Seuss series posted here on CU Insight, for the 2013 year I will be starting the “CU Jedi Series” where I will blog on characters from Star Wars and what credit union leaders can learn from them to become CU Jedi. Here is the first edition… hope you enjoy! And may the credit union be with you…….always.
CU Jedi Episode I: What Credit Union Leaders Can Learn from Obi-Wan Kenobi
What do we look for in our leaders of today? From my perspective, I think:
- They show interest in others
- They mentor
- They have their employees back
- They want to develop their successors
- They are humble.
- They are willing to invest in the careers and lives of others.
This is what a quintessential leader looks like. Obi-Wan Kenobi is a quintessential leader. Think about the leadership he showed young Luke Skywalker.
- Obi-Wan encouraged Luke to become a Jedi Knight
- Obi-Wan showed Luke the ways of the Force
- When Luke got into trouble at Chalmun’s Cantina on Tatooine, who was there to save Luke and cut off Ponda Baba’s arm?
- To develop Luke’s Jedi training further, Obi-Wan sent him to Yoda
- Obi-Wan knew the potential Luke had in becoming a powerful Jedi, more powerful than even he.
- Obi-Wan gave his life so that Luke could become the Jedi Master he was destined to become.
I think one of the areas where leaders fail the most is understanding the responsibility that we have in developing others. It’s not easy. It takes time and personal commitment to make it happen. Obi-Wan was willing to sacrifice his own life to help Luke reach his full potential.
Now….am I expecting you to take a light saber to the guts to do that? No.
What my expectation is for all of you great leaders out there is to understand the duty you have to develop your successors and future leaders. It is your duty to make them better leaders than what you are.
To me, this is the ultimate legacy we all can leave within our credit unions. If we create a culture that supports the continued focus on the development of our people, then credit unions will become more powerful than you could possibly imagine.
Just like Obi-Wan wanted us to be.
