What’s holding you back during your community bank or credit union strategic planning session? Not strategically (although that’s important, of course). Personally.
Are you sharing everything you’re thinking? Probably not. Fear of humiliation, anxiety about looking dumb or flat out fatigue often keep participants from sharing their completely honest thoughts. In other words, leaders offer only 90% of their views.
It’s time to break free of whatever restrains you from sharing ideas. Offer your hidden 10% during community bank or credit union planning sessions.
Here are some benefits to speaking up:
- It Builds Trust – Trust is vital. Without trust between leaders, you’re unlikely to accomplish all you want to do. Community bank and credit union strategic planning participants withhold thoughts because some level of distrust exists. Somewhere deep inside, you fear your colleagues will laugh at you. Sharing your views, good or bad, enhances trust among leaders by giving you a chance to experience their (presumably non-judgmental) reactions.
- It Unburies Treasure – Your 10% is like buried treasure. Brilliant, shimmering ideas lay hidden in your mind because you don’t voice them. A community bank or credit union strategic planning session is the perfect time to bring these ideas to the surface and change the course of your institution’s future. Don’t just assume your idea is coal…it may very well be a diamond.
- It Stimulates Healthy Conflict – In a healthy work environment, conflict is a positive thing. But healthy conflict is easier said than done. It takes work. It takes sharing your 10%. Expose your ideas to potential blowback and defend them without getting overly defensive. Practicing respectful discussion around contentious topics ultimately forges stronger solutions once the smoke clears.
- It’s Good Practice – If you can’t share your 10% with fellow community bank and credit union strategic planning participants, how will you share it with those outside your circle? Consumers, vendors and more all deserve your 10% too. Patrick Lencioni discusses “telling the kind truth” and “entering the danger” as keys to business success. Use these principles in your session with people you know, and it will become a habit to use them outside the session with others.
- It Moves the Needle – Most importantly, sharing your 10% moves your community financial institution closer to success. Once everyone delivers 100% of what they think, you can mine the best ideas and produce a golden future direction. So, be fearless. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain from speaking your mind. And that 10% idea probably isn’t as dumb as you think it is.
Despite these benefits, offering your 10% is still a major challenge for many people. And that’s alright! The best community bank and credit union strategic planning facilitators pull 100% from everyone to help you discover the right initiatives. On The Mark Strategies facilitators are experts in this area, with plenty of experience helping all participants share their ideas.
Book a free consultation request now, and schedule a session that engages everyone.
