Leadership

Employees respond to leadership that meets them on their turf

“One of the most important features is people who flex to their team,” says Jessica Nollett, discussing effective leadership. Nollett, vice president, business banking team lead at the Overland Park, Kan., office of Clayton, Mo.-headquartered Enterprise Bank & Trust, feels strongly that leadership is about authenticity, pragmatism and helping team members discover their individual strengths, which will enhance the group as a whole. [Continue]

Are you a leader in the making?

Some people may think that being a leader is an easy task and it’s not. They only focus on the outside, perceived benefits of leaders such as the big titles, having people reporting to them, making the big decisions for the companies they lead, and usually having a high salary. [Continue]

Find your platform and find a way to promote it

Writers looking for a book deal or agent representation learn rather quickly that success hinges on two things: Name recognition and a marketable platform. Most bankers don’t have name recognition outside of their communities or institutions, but a platform is clearly within reach and building one can be good for business. Not only can a platform position you as a thought leader, it can raise the visibility of your institution. [Continue]

Recruiting at rural banks requires holistic approach

Many aspects of industry consolidation are lamentable: Reduced access to services in sparsely populated areas and the diseconomies of scale (i.e., lack of personal service) are two that come to mind quickly. But what should we make of a changing landscape where there are fewer and fewer family-owned institutions? I sure hope family banks aren’t going the way of the family farm. [Continue]

Airline pioneer proves the power of simplicity

We lost a giant in the business world when Herb Kelleher died on Jan. 3 at the age of 87. Long before innovation and disruption were industry buzzwords, Kelleher was revolutionizing air travel with the late-1960s launch of Southwest Airlines. He opened up air travel to penny-wise consumers who previously had to rely on ground transportation for long distance trips. We can learn a few things from Kelleher. [Continue]