At the CUNA/Rochdale Paragon ERM Certification and Update Schools presented in April, I taught a session titled “Anecdotal Economics.” This concept holds that biases in economic thought, industry economists, and relationships in economic variables [...]
In my hometown, the Royals’ World Series victory last year has all of Kansas City buzzing about the possibilities of this year’s season. Will they be able to replicate their successes? Was last year [...]
It’s that time of year again, when many of us pledge to live a healthier lifestyle. In order to do that, we need to plan our meals according to our appetite – not for how [...]
It’s that time of year again: strategic planning season! Boards and management teams are busy analyzing, discussing and strategizing for the next three to five – hopefully even ten – years. Discussions revolving around technology, fields [...]
Exploring member business lending (MBLs) during 2016 was one recurring priority I heard during this year’s planning season. As management discussed that proposition, without fail, angst would follow as the credit unions considered such [...]
The Rochdale Group’s consultants work with a large number of credit unions of all sizes that are in a variety of stages in implementing Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) programs. One of the most common [...]
Is it the adage of the tortoise (slow and steady) wins the race or is it that mediocrity has become the acceptable norm when it comes to our credit unions? Self-rationalization can be a powerful [...]
The notion of member value is a frequent discussion topic as we meet with credit union CEOs, boards and senior management teams. Some credit unions, generally including those that most enthusiastically support the credit union [...]
In our last article in this series, we discussed relative differences in risk appetite among builders and bankers. (You will recall that by builders, we mean those leaders who can “build a hot fire from [...]
In this, our last installment in a series of articles on builders and bankers, we’ll take a look at the relative attitudes toward risk of each group (and perhaps debunk some misconceptions in the [...]
Our last article, titled “Builders and Bankers,” highlighted the difference in leadership style between builders and bankers, using the analogy of building a hot fire in a wood stove vs. banking the coals to keep [...]
Are you a builder, or a banker? No, we’re not talking about construction here. Nor would I label a credit union person with “the b-word.” About five years ago, I heard an excellent presentation [...]
Do you ever stop to consider what’s behind your walls? No, I’m not talking about spiders, bugs or ghosts… I’m talking about all of the “stuff” that has to work in order [...]
Among the emerging risks that The Rochdale Group monitors are geopolitical threats. These include things like last year’s worries over Russia’s annexation of the Crimea and its forays into Ukraine; the potential threat [...]
After several years of intently watching the Fed for clues as to the economy, the markets and interest rates, 2015 will be the year that we can finally take our eyes off the Fed, and [...]
