What do the most successful credit unions have in common?

“What are your most successful credit unions doing, that we’re not?” I routinely get that question when I speak with credit union leaders. Sometimes it’s asked in a conference breakout session, and other times it comes up during one-on-one conversations. Either way, my answer is the same. Successful credit unions build teams of dreamers. Our most successful clients imagine what the future of their credit union could be, and then they work toward that goal every single day.

These qualities routinely become clear when I review our clients’ results from the previous year. Last year continued the trend. As I scoured our Q4 call reports and year-end numbers, all I could think was “Wow!”

• In terms of loan growth, our top five credit unions, which ranged in asset size from $20 million to $253 million, achieved increases from 18.11% to 38.02%.
• Membership growth didn’t disappoint either. With asset sizes ranging from $20 million to $180 million, our top five credit unions saw membership growth anywhere from 4.82% to 12.92%.
• In addition to these loan and membership growth numbers, many of our clients also saw remarkable year-over-year gains in net income, net worth, and ROA.

I’ll pat our team on the back. Our graphic designers, copywriters, social media experts, and relationship development specialists work hard every day. They understand that their mission isn’t to make these numbers happen. They work knowing they can make a positive impact in the lives of members, which, in turn, helps our credit unions grow. In a recent meeting, one of our creative team members shared, “It’s not just about checking boxes. It’s about creating content that stands out, gets noticed, and creates action.” They’re exactly right.

A willingness to take action—that’s one more thing our growing and thriving credit unions have in common.

They dream big. They balance risk with reward. They hold their teams accountable and take the small steps that lead to big wins. They work with a strategic mission that results in consistent improvement. They don’t just love what they do; they’re obsessed with solving problems. They challenge the status quo and stretch themselves—and everyone around them—to embrace uncomfortable situations, because that’s where growth takes place.

In the wise words of Sir-Mix-a-Lot, “Successful people jump at opportunity and take advantage of it.”