We're so excited about our upcoming June Credit Union Management cover story that we couldn't wait to share an excerpt with you. And give you one more chance to sign up for an amazing course--it starts May 7--that will help you explore all of these ideas. Read on.
By Jamie Swedberg
Every business executive’s leadership has a far-reaching effect on the organization. The way employees do their jobs is greatly influenced by the cues they receive from above—whether those cues are intentional or unintentional, articulated or implied. That’s why it’s important for a credit union leader to take a hard look at his or her management style, vision, goals and values. It all trickles down. If a CU’s leadership isn’t clear and coherent and in keeping with the institution’s mission, there’s no way the members will be happy. In the CUES Elite Access executive education series, CUES offers a remote learning course called Leadership Brand and Shadow in partnership with Cornell University. The course examines two facets of well-thought-out leadership. The first, leadership brand, is a reflection of how you as a leader are perceived by peers and employees. It’s a brief statement about who you are that can help you to capitalize on your strengths, prioritize your work, lead more clearly, and maximize your effectiveness. The second, leadership shadow, is the way a leader’s behavior affects the behavior of other staff members and the culture of the organization as a whole. Whether they realize it or not, employees look to management for clues as to how to behave. That’s the shadow your leadership style casts. The stakes are high. To really know what effect you’re having on employees and members, you have to find out how people perceive you, then put some real thought into whether that’s the way you want to be perceived. What shadow are you casting? And what brand would you like to represent? What’s the best way to be an authentic leader and bring the greatest possible value to the credit union?
Jamie Swedberg is a freelance writer based in Georgia. Watch for the complete Credit Union Management article coming in June. And sign up for CUES Elite Access: Leadership Brand and Shadow.
