Fall 2008 Meeting Topics

A brief description of each topic is below. Click the link below each description for information about the facilitator.

Will your Corporate Culture support your strategic plan? How to build a high-performance culture - Cass Bettinger

In our Spring session, Cass shared 25 specific high-performance strategies and the focus of the discussion was on selecting "the critical few" for your bank; the 3-6 core competitive strategies for 2009 and beyond. In this session, the focus will be on building a strong, positive strategically supportive corporate culture to support the timely and effective execution of your core strategies. Cass and Connie will conduct a corporate culture survey for each member, at no additional change, using their new short-form survey instrument, and the report will be given to you at the session. As a result, members should be able to identify specific cultural aspects that will reinforce the bank’s core strategies and understand how the culture may be changed to be more supportive.

Cass Bettinger, Cass Bettinger & Associates

Pricing survey on bank credit and non-credit services/products - Bob Walters

Bob will survey member banks regarding pricing of credit and non-credit services and products. Results of the survey will be shared with the group at the meeting. Members will be able to identify differences in approaches to pricing and determine their relative effectiveness. 

Bob Walters, The Bank Advisory Group, LLC

New Sources of Profit - Jim Myers

Profitability is the key element in sustaining long-term shareholder value. Whether you’re planning on remaining independent or considering a sale or merger, consistent profitability is the main driver in maximizing the return on investment. This session will help you identify reoccurring and sustainable non-interest profit sources in the areas of loan and deposit operations, bank cash management and contract management.

Jim will lead an interactive discussion looking into the details of bank operations and share a proven methodology for developing a profit mind-set to achieve the best performance from your current infrastructure. case studies will be presented to demonstrate how profit ideas from less strategic and more tactical areas can be identified and implemented with examples of the profits that can be achieved. An idea is just an idea until its implemented, so Jim will outline a proven approach to successful implementation that addresses customer and employee understanding and acceptance.

Jim Myers, MCoUSA International, Inc.

Emotional Intelligence (EQ) Skills...Essential for CEO Effectiveness - Kent Stickler

Top CEOs are alike in one crucial way: they have a high degree of what has come to be known as Emotional Intelligence (EQ). It’s not that IQ and technical skills are irrelevant...they do matter, but primarily as “threshold capabilities.” A CEO can have an incisive, analytical mind, and an endless supply of smart ideas, but without EQ she/he won’t make a great leader.

It was two years ago that I introduced the subject of Emotional Intelligence at the fall Bank CEO Network meetings in Washington, DC. At that time my focus was mainly “big picture.” By now, most CEOs are familiar with the concept of EQ but in many instances don’t have an understanding of the key communication skills required for enabling Emotional Intelligence to develop. My objective this fall will be to present these skills from a CEO perspective. The “payoff” of having these skills in order is enormous...at work, home or wherever.

Kent Stickler, Stickler Learning