This blog post is part of the Next Top Credit Union Executive competition originally posted August 15, 2014.
The top 15 are writing their blogs this weekend, and here is a quick peek at the judges’ perspective. Some contestants say that they have so many thoughts and are unsure how to construct them into a few short pages, 750 words or so. Read below for helpful hints and ideas!
Write out what you have without self-editing. Step back and take a look at your flow, content, and how a judge may develop a certain perspective from what you wrote. The final product needs to be a balance of your own personal voice in a narrative blended with tangible, cogent thoughts that compel your reader to move forward and become engaged in your idea.
Judges assess your project based upon the value it creates in support of the overall credit union strategy. Years ago, I borrowed a couple of acronyms from unknown sources that help me in developing ideas into reality. The first one is SUCCESS:
Scale of economy: How does your project increase the capacity of the credit union to expand or create a product or service without increasing net expenses?
Uniqueness: What is unique about your product, service, or movement that is not already provided by another organization?
Culture: How will you positively shift the culture (of a community, organization, etc.)?
Channels of distribution: What are the various channels used to distribute this product or service? How does this channel add value to the member?
Externalities: How will you improve the external environment, such as the underserved population, youth, young adults, retirees, lobbying government, investing in industry associations, etc.?
Segmentation and differentiation: What is the value proposition, segmentation, or differentiation of your product or service from others that are similar?
Skill set: How will launching or improving this product or service leverage and/or evolve your current competency and skill set or those of your peers? What new core competencies will be developed as a result? You can include the external environment, too—for example, improving financial literacy in youth.
Another acronym you might have heard of is SMART. In your objective statement, look for these five pieces. And, by the way, your objective statement should be right up front, in one of the first couple of sentences or the first paragraph, and definitely be connected to your organization’s strategic objective.
- Specific
- Measurable
- Attributable
- Realistic
- Timely
After you’ve written your blog, go back and review to see if you can easily pick out these four items.
- The business reasons for the project/service/product
- Where the value will come from
- An obvious strategic link
- An obvious personal voice – your interest and passion
Enjoy the thought process and the writing. When you’re done writing, reflect on what you learned about yourself and what new information these formulas helped surface.
I look forward to reading your blogs next week!
Deedee Myers
This blog post is part of the Next Top Credit Union Executive competition originally posted July 8, 2014.
“Communication” may seem like an overused term, but it is important in almost every moment of our life at work and home. My hope with this blog is to give you some ideas on how to frame conversations with executives, peers, and direct reports. The most important person in this whole communication topic, however, is you. Your believability in your project and your ability to make things happen—through communication—are the foundation of this competition and, frankly, in any project or innovation you bring forth in the future.
While it is important to take a rational approach when communicating your project, the words you say, the way the words are said, and your embodiment of what you say are the most important aspects of communication to remember. In basic terms, your believability is based on the following:
- 7% on the meaning of the words that are spoken;
- 38% on the way the words are said; and
- 55% on the embodiment of congruence of thoughts, words, and actions.
The challenge for many emerging and career-minded professionals is this: communication is not learnable through PowerPoint or reading a book. Rather, it comes from practice, relevant practice that is congruent to the presence you want to embody.
A couple weeks ago, our DDJ Myers worked with a new CEO and executive team and the comments we heard over and over again can be summed up like this: No matter how communication is intellectualized or rationalized, the actual practice often does not align with how individuals want to shape their leadership selves. This was a high-performing team that understood the need to practice in order to shape one’s identity as an exemplary leader, which definitely includes effective communication. With that being said, the following tips will help you organize for success in your communication during the CUES Next Top Credit Union Exec competition:
Communicating ideas to the C Suite: This is the place to be sure of your rationality behind your CUES Next Top Credit Union Executive (NTCUE) project. If you’re one of those people who take a long time to explain or communicate an idea, this is an opportunity for you to remain focused and deliberate in the delivery of your project idea. Your first couple sentences need to be strategic or business-oriented regarding the issue to be solved or opportunity to be explored. Follow up with the metric or qualitative positive improvement that your project promises. The following couple sentences should directly address actions.
Write out your communication and give it a subject title. Start without conscious development of the subject line and the entire delivery of the project idea should be a quality elevator pitch. How long does it take to get to the eighth floor in an elevator?
That’s how long your introduction should be. Once your introduction is complete, ask your C level executive what details they want you to share. This is your opportunity to describe more of the project and its impact—but don’t go overboard!
A project overview, a one- to two-page high-level summary, is a way to embody effective communication. An executive can always tell when a presenter is not prepared because there’s a lot of “ums” and “ahs” and sentence fragments. Most executives strongly appreciate a focused delivery. It helps them organize how they will listen to you and feel their time is well valued by you. Lastly, be sure you ask how frequently they want to receive report updates along the path of the competition. Communicating your ideas to an executive is great practice for presenting your project to the voters at the end of the competition. In addition, a follow-up note reviewing highlights and expressing appreciation for their listening and acknowledgment of their input goes along way as a leadership practice.
Communicating ideas to peers: Peers are rich resources who can add value to the end result of your project. Communication with peers must also be effective, so remember that real conversations override emails and that any exploration of a new idea definitely deserves face-to-face communication. Email does not do justice to conveying your productive mood, sense of engagement, and commitment to a project that ultimately will make your peers’ lives easier, especially if the project adds ease to their workload. Peers can be very busy, so find a time that works for two to four peers together. Start with simple words and clear thoughts, and be clear on what request for support you have for each individual. Be sure to acknowledge support and provide credit when and where relevant; a project that engages peers and supports the credit union in an innovative way is a win-win for everyone. Remember to acknowledge their support whether it is tactical, task-oriented, or strategic in nature, or merely words of engagement.
Communicating ideas to direct reports: Communicating to direct reports with effective and engaged practice is the true sign of an exemplary leader. Direct reports want to be successful; they want to know how they can strategically add value to the organization and I can imagine that they will want you to succeed because it will reflect on them and the credit union. You are responsible for engaging direct reports and personally connecting the project to their talents and gifts so they can be brought forward and increase their visibility within the organization. Finalists who indicate in their blog or video how the project enhanced the self-efficacy of direct reports, and engaged peers, have a strong potential to win. Here are some tips for preparing for direct report meetings. Plan ahead, plan what to say, and most importantly, plan how you will say it. The most important value you add is anticipating reactions. Gauge your pace and align it with your listeners’ expectations. Some will want you to go faster and others will want you to go slower and be more methodical. Adapt your communication so each person feels heard.
Powerful effective communication tips: To summarize this blog, here are some helpful tips to remember. No matter who you were speaking to, presenting for, or engaging with in conversation, remember to:
- Be prepared, define your goals, prepare targeted questions, and formulate a plan for gaining buy-in of your listener.
- Manage your mood. This is an important conversation so your mood needs to be present, open, and connected. If you’re moving from a chaotic day into this meeting, take a moment to center yourself and reconnect to what is important.
- Listen for questions that are not being asked, anticipate areas of resistance, and ask each person to provide input and feedback on your project.
- Be an active listener and interpreter, which requires asking open-ended questions without anticipating the answers in advance.
- Request input, ask for what is important to them, and how this project will directly impact their work flow and value to organization while being a career-enhancing move.
The most important piece of communication is to care about the project and believe in your ability to make things happen. With self-generated engagement, you’re on your way!
Deedee Myers
This blog post is part of the Next Top Credit Union Executive competition originally posted July 2, 2014.
Credit unions are prime for the next generation of leaders who move with agility, flexibility, and a strong commitment to what they care about. The work we do with people who have been in long time leadership roles, and those who are emerging into their potential leadership, has taught me the same thing over and over.
The fundamental source of ‘power’ as a leader is the self, who you are as a person, the shape of your identity, and how you take effective action in coordination and collaboration with others. There are two other sources that inform leadership – technical skills and your intellect. Yet, without the fundamental knowledge of who you are as a leader, your technical skills and intellect are underutilized.
Understanding yourself as a leader is not easy. It is a lifelong journey that starts the day you make a commitment to uncover, reveal, and access your true potential, which can be intimidating and scary. Yet, accessing the value you are as a leader is the ultimate step to being seen as an exemplary leader. Without stepping up and taking risks to explore your potential, you will remain status quo as the world changes around you. Wouldn’t you rather be making the change in the world?
Making the commitment to be an exemplary leader means changing your behavior and adopting new practices in alignment with your personal vision. You might feel vulnerable and cause a stir amongst peers and others. And, yet, you will feel more aligned, able to manage multiple commitments with greater ease, be seen as a valued resource while you shape your identity as an exemplary leader.
Submitting your application for the Next Top Credit Union Executive might be a new phenomenon, an unfamiliar action that puts you in the spotlight. Tremendous! I see this competition, for all contestants win or lose, as a unique opportunity to reflect on how you came you be in your current leadership role and to envision what’s next in your learning. This is an opportunity for you to step out and up into your potential.
Being effective in taking risks requires:
- A personal declaration of how you want to be or be seen as a leader.
- Practices that support your leadership growth.
- Practice partners who support you on your leadership journey.
- Commitment to something you care about.
- Rigorous self-accountability to your commitment.
Look for opportunity in your credit union and step into it. Use your talents, skills, expertise, and education to make an offer that will expand your capacity as a leader. Does this feel risky? Maybe so, yet consider the alternative . . . . status quo for life!
This blog post is part of the 2015 Next Top Credit Union Executive competition originally posted October 31, 2013.
The Next Top Credit Union Executive presentations are around the corner. I look forward to meeting all of you and hearing about your experiences, as well as what you have learned about yourself throughout this process. I can only imagine what has shifted between nominations to being onstage next Monday.
Moving into the weekend, the following ideas might be helpful. I know you are well prepared and ready to go, and that several of you are meeting with your DDJ Myers coach on site. So, you are good to go and, perhaps, there is one good thought below for you to carry into the weekend and onstage.
YOUR MOST VALUED ASSET: YOUR BREATH
Our bodies know how to breathe; it is an automatic function of our bodies and we often forget the value of our breath in managing our commitments, stress, and pace throughout our busy days. Your voice is the channel to deliver your ideas and a good thing to remember is your mouth is not the source behind your voice – it is your abdomen! Practice a speaking posture two to three times a day: stand in a comfortable position, not rigid or slumped. Place your hand on your abdomen, inhale, exhale. Inhale on a count to five, and then exhale on a count to five. Start to feel your abdomen relaxing. Now, inhale and exhale on a count to 10; slow breathing will relax your diaphragm.
Physically, here is what is going on. You have muscles between your ribs that contract with each breath and your ribs swing up and out in the process. The diaphragm contracts and then descends and flattens, which causes a slight displacement of internal organs. Meanwhile, your chest cavity increases size to accommodate the incoming air. During exhalation, your muscles relax and return to their resting position and the lungs force out the air. So, imagine what is going on with short and rapid breaths versus longer, more relaxed breathing patterns. As you practice this breathing pattern over the next few days, notice what is different in your belly, chest, and voice. The breath is a valued asset that creates the sound of your voice!
PACE APPROPRIATELY
A normal conversation typically uses rapid bursts of sound. Public speaking requires a deliberate pace that may seem too slow for you, and yet is just right for the listeners. Articulate each word with individual sounds rather than a blur of indistinct sounds.
JARGON AND GENERATIONAL LANGUAGE
The audience is comprised of varying generations; be sure to explain generational terms that may not make sense to everyone and avoid jargon.
PRACTICE AND REACH
Record and play back your speech. Listen to your own voice, content, and pacing, and adjust as necessary. Expand your voice so that the last person in the furthest corner feels they are in the front row. Don’t yell – just broaden the reach of your voice and message throughout the entire room.
MAP THE CONTENT
Audiences want to know why they are listening to you from the very first moment you walk onstage. So, map it out!
- Outline the content and where you are going
- Give directional signals, such as “Next, I’ll show…
- Connect the dots and tie back concepts to earlier statements
- Count for the audience: “There are three important concepts…
- Acknowledge credit, “Our team,” or “They did,” or “I believe”
- If you have a vision, share it, ”My vision is…”
- If it is important, repeat it three times throughout the presentation
BELIEVE IN YOURSELF
You are onstage for a reason – you make a difference and will continue to do so in the future. Remember your purpose and remember what you believe in, and be clear to yourself: what your vision and message are, and what is important to you. Embodiment of your vision and message will be what makes a difference!
CHECK IN WITH THE DDJ MYERS TEAM
Susan Geear, Peter Myers, and I are on site. Reach out to us and bounce off ideas or questions. Our purpose is to support you.
See you soon!
Deedee Myers
This blog post is part of the Next Top Credit Union Executive competition originally posted October 01, 2013.
The end game is around the corner, and there is not time to reinvent yourself. In fact, you are as ready as you are right now, in this moment! These guidelines will help you prepare for the next step in the process of becoming the Next Top Credit Union Executive.
- Be clear on why you get up in the morning: What gets you out of bed each day? What is your first thought as your feet hit the ground? Whatever that thought is will organize you for the day. “I have a great day ahead of me” produces a different mood than, “Another day of the same old stress.” Moving to the end zone in this competition necessitates a mood of greatness throughout the day. Believe me, your mood enters the room before your body does, and your stakeholders, who are also your voters, feel your mood everyday.
- Be comfortable in your own skin and in your own greatness as a human being and a leader. Show us who you are during the competition. An easy and courageous practice is to ask others, “Why do you hang out with me?”; “What is a leadership attribute of mine that you appreciate?” In the next week, ask 10 people some version of these questions. Write down what they say and be aware, as you move through your day, how these attributes show up. During this competition, and after, you need to be comfortable in your own leadership attributes. This is not the time to be so humble, self-deprecating or shy that you underplay your strengths.
- As you write your blogs and produce your video and presentation, bring forth your most embodied leadership attributes. This is not the time to create or start a practice of new attributes; highlight the best you have now, and show them to the judges. We want to see you comfortable in your own skin.
- Surround yourself with people who support you, will provide generative feedback, are unconditionally in your corner, and will provide you with grounded assessments on your video, blog, and presentation.
- Work with your DDJ Myers coach so you understand your blind spots and how to best organize for the final presentation on stage. Your coach will support you in how to present to a room during a lunch session, which is, by the way, very different than having an audience with their full attention on you without a meal on the table. Your coaches just finished a program with participants of an emerging leader program who will present at a breakfast next week. During practice presentations, the presenter worked through distractions to stay on course and present. In #1, I asked you, “What gets you up in the morning?” Preparing for a presentation such as this is the perfect time to begin a daily practice being clear on why you get up in the morning.
- Be prepared for anything. You should know your presentation so well that if the video fails or the projector bulb pops in the middle of your slides, you are still able to easily move on. Leaders remain centered in the midst of chaos so practice, practice, practice.
So, what do all these tips and suggestions have to do with The Judges Perspective? How you practice now will be how you are on stage as the Next Top Credit Union Executive in November.
Be comfortable in your own skin, own your true self, and move with ease!
Deedee
