Posted by Felicia Hudson
In the
March 9 issue of Business Week, Jerry
S. Wilson, senior vice president of the Coca-Cola Co., posed the question,
“When was the last time you were truly inspired by a leader?”
to be a lot circulating these days about leadership in the way of articles,
blog posts and tweets. In the aftermath of the economic crisis, employees are
looking for leaders who inspire trust and excel in inspiring others. In his
article, “Wanted: Inspirational Leaders,”
Wilson writes, “Now more than ever, employees are starving for a sense
of feeling connected to a higher purpose than just meeting this month's sales
and profit figures. An inspirational leader can really make the difference in
improving the confidence of people, who will in turn enhance the organization's
performance.”
Nowhere is
that more true than in the credit union industry. The philosophy of
people-helping-people is really a truism that becomes more evident once you
talk to those who work for credit unions. These are people who have discovered
for themselves the personal value in working daily for members, educating them
and helping them realize their dreams. Sure, it can be deflating to maintain
your commitment when you’re constantly bombarded with changes to legislation that
prevent you from always doing your best work, but credit union people are
warriors—and inspirational leaders.
I’ve
learned this first hand from working on CUES’ current marketing campaign, “I am
CUES.” Last year, at the peak of the
financial crisis, we at CUES found ourselves hearing stories daily from CEOs
who were looking to motivate staff, amidst dismal circumstances. We heard from CUES members who, despite everything,
were trying to remain positive by looking forward to the opportunities the
situation presented instead of becoming mired in the negative. This, in part, led
to the “I am CUES” campaign.
CEO in the corporate world who was taking home a six-figure bonus while their
employees were being laid off, there were at least two CEOs in the credit union
industry struggling to protect the interest of their credit union and protect
their members’ money. What better way to
honor these individuals than to tell their stories? Now, these are inspirational leaders!
To date,
I’ve interviewed seven of our CUES members, two CUES Director members and one
CUES Supplier member. A common thread among all of them is that they all credit
their success to leaders who inspired and mentored them. Some I’ve spoken to have
said they were fortunate to have had people who recognized their potential—even
when they didn’t.
In his
article,
states that inspirational leadership is not a “cheerleading exercise,” but
rather “an effort to activate the inner passion of your people.” He writes:
“During these rocky times you can truly differentiate your brand of leadership
by choosing to be a leader who brings out the best in your people. This is the
perfect time to bring more personal meaning to your team's work and inspire
your department to shine, despite difficult business conditions. This effort
doesn't cost your company money and will certainly lead to better long-term
results.”
pose the same question to you, “When was the last time you were truly inspired
by a leader?” It’s not only leaders who inspire—it can be peers as well.
Respond and let me know your thoughts on leadership and how you keep your team motivated. Better yet, visit cues.org/iamcues/ if you’d like to share your story and
motivate others--or you want to read stories of your peers and be inspired.
