Lean into Your Strengths

What is your credit union really good at? I mean the one thing you really can slay the competition at?

I find that credit unions often look toward their weaknesses first in the planning process in order to make improvements and shore up areas they may not be doing effectively and this is a mistaken approach. I’m not saying ignore weaknesses, but be careful if you find yourself making them your main focus for your planning process.

We should be spending our time focusing on what we do well, and work on making it even better. For example, I’ll talk with executives about member service training and I hear the response, “Our member service is great, we don’t need to worry about doing that type training anymore.” The Ritz Carlton also has great guest service; in fact, it is one of their defining strengths in the hospitality industry, which is why they spend an inordinate amount of training dollars to maintain that strength and look for ways to make it even better. They are leaning into their strength, not taking it for granted until it disappears and needs refreshing. That’s waiting for your strength to turn into a weakness, and that’s too late.

Let’s assume your greatest strength as defined by you and your board is member service.

• What standards of excellence do you hold every employee to when delivering member service?
• What are the measurements you use month to month to monitor your strength in this area?
• Do you have employee turn over? If so, what is the training process every new employee receives to achieve those standards of excellence before being exposed to the member?
• When asking members what they like best about doing business with you is the first response always your member service?
• What ways can it become even better in order to stay in front of competition trying to match your service level?
• Are you the buzz of the industry as the standard for member service?
• Are you the buzz in your market?
• If people within your market both members and non-members were asked who offers the best customer service in the finance industry in your area, would you be the name on everyone’s lips?

Southwest Airlines is routinely the standard in airline customer service, Ritz Carlton is the standard for guest service. These are names known throughout the industry for their strengths and they are constantly looking for ways to improve on their strength as you want to do with your strengths.

This is leaning into your strength. Taking what you do well and making it even better. Making your strength your defining factor in the minds of competitors and the members and prospects you can serve. The planning process is the best time to make the steps and objectives to keep the main thing the main thing.

-- Russell