By Kristie Wimmer
Brave New World author Aldous Huxley is credited with saying: “I wanted to change the world. But I have found that the only thing one can be sure of is changing oneself.”
Michael Hudson, Ph.D., used this quote to open his presentation to April's Rocky Mountain Council spring conference and annual meeting, held in Santa Fe, N.M.
President of Credit Union Strategy in Rehoboth Beach, Del., Hudson presented key ideas from the "lead yourself first" model. To his way of thinking, successful leaders take care of themselves first. The model's seven areas of focus are mind, body, emotion, spirit, relationships, career and finance. Hudson asked attendees to reflect on which of the seven areas they should address to realize the biggest impact. (Please comment below on which area you've selected and why.)
After leading themselves, executives can take on two additional leadership endeavors: leading their team and leading their credit unions, Hudson said.
When leading a team, eliminate the negatives, ask more questions, communicate your expectations, be honest, and catch someone doing something right every day! During the presentation. attendees had a lot of discussion on the work ethics, behaviors and characteristics of various generations.
Don’t stereotype and generalize, Hudson advised. Rather, accept the differences and utilize the differences to become better. Be honest and direct, he noted, as it's the only approach that will work with any generation.
When leading the credit union, he recommended discovering what needs to be done by generating ideas, sorting them and refining them before deciding what to do. After an action decision is made, define what will be done, develop a plan, take action, evaluate and re-direct, he said.
To close his session, Hudson asked attendees to do an exercise to apply what had been discussed. Try this youself: Take out a sheet of paper and write "My personal action plan" at the top. Think about the lead yourself first model and ways you can improve your everyday leadership of yourself, your team and your credit union. Take action on what you write down!
Kristie Wimmer is member relations and council coordinator for CUES.
Read two other posts on this credit union blog based on Hudson's knowledge: "To Get Strategic, Be Wishful" and "The CU Director's Prescription for Strategic Planning Success."
Also read "What Are You NOT Going to Do?" a free article from Credit Union Management magazine based on Hudson's session at January's CUES Symposium: A CEO/Chairman Exchange. CUES Symposium will be held in Hawaii in 2013.
Learn more about the CUES Council in your area.
