By Lisa Hochgraf
Yesterday, on the first afternoon of CUES Symposium: A CEO Chairman Exchange here in Bonita Springs, Fla., credit union CEOs and chairmen went in pairs on a ship, to the beach collecting shells.
Today, Lou Centini told attendees that the team-building shelling excursion was a perfect metaphor for how to handle their learning at the conference.
A professor in the business school at the University of Virginia and a member of the faculty for CUES' CEO Insitute III: Strategic Leadership Development, Centini recalled his own experience “shelling” years ago when his son was about six years old. Centini and his son each had a bucket and walked down the beach.
Centini said he was a “snob” and was on the hunt for the perfect sand dollar. At the end, Centini had just two perfect sand dollars in his pail.
His son, in contrast, picked up everything—broken shells, a piece of a crab, and seaweed. When the two got back to where they were staying, the son dumped everything out and started sorting. He had a ball.
“I’m inviting you all to collect as many seashells as you can” here at the conference, Centini said. Then worry about which ones are most relevant to you and your credit union—and do something with those—later on.
Lisa Hochgraf is a CUES editor.
For more from CUES Symposium, read the blog post "To Get Strategic, Be Wishful" and "What Are you NOT Going to Do?" from Credit Union Management magazine.
