Tips for a Financial Institution Leader - Lead with Legacy

Bank, credit union and leaders of all financial institutions, it’s time to stop all the problem-solving and let your team shine.

It’s time to look in the mirror and decide whether we are helping or hindering with our leadership style. Think about how you respond to the statement above:

• If you are always telling your team what to do, you may feel needed, but you could be setting the team up for future failure. If you win the lottery and leave (or retire or have an emergency), the team can’t keep meeting goals without you. It’s dangerous if you want your legacy to live on in your institution.
• If you always show your team what to do, you are showing them your way, and this begs the question, are you really honoring diversity on your team? You may be thinking that with all your expertise, you know best. You could even be thinking, “We have always done it that way, and it’s worked fine.” Is “fine” good enough in an industry that is quickly evolving?
• If you teach them, you could still be interfering with the very best your team can give. Depending on the method, you could be teaching them one way — your way.

Instead, what if you asked them to:

• Tell you how they would solve the problem
• Show you multiples ways the problem could be fixed
• Teach the team (and maybe even you) how to solve the problem

What would happen if we led by asking versus telling, showing or even teaching? We can always coach, suggest and share our knowledge. We can’t continue to do it for our teams. If we do, we are failing them as leaders.

Wishing you a great day, and remember: Lead with legacy.