Hoosier Banker 15 More than 90 members of IBA’s Future Leadership Division gathered in downtown Indianapolis Sept. 12-13 for networking, professional development and axe-throwing. The annual FLD Leadership Conference is our premier event each year, promoting peer network growth, thought-sharing and new ideas. Brock Goggins of German American Bank, Jasper, kicked off the two-day event welcoming his fellow bankers to the Omni Severin Hotel as part of his role as 2023 president of the FLD Advisory Board. Alyson Von Hooser then led attendees directly into thought-provoking content, using stories from a tough early upbringing to demonstrate the power of connections made throughout her life and the difference that today’s leaders can make when they own the responsibility of making intentional connections with the people they serve. After a networking lunch, attendees participated in the first of three speed roundtables. These popular opportunities move bankers around to different tables so they interact with other attendees they haven’t met yet, and guide them through a variety of discussion topics such as adapting leadership style to match your situation and how to recruit and retain high-quality talent. Coming out of these group discussions, speaker Tisha Gierhart of Shafer Leadership Academy offered an insightful presentation on the effective use of one-onone meetings. These crucial touchpoints can facilitate opportunities for supervisors and team members to review present priorities, discuss expectations, better understand each other and ultimately build trust. Attendees held a second cycle of speed roundtable discussions with new partners before heading to dinner and an entertaining evening at Bad Axe Throwing. After a few hours of practice, I’m happy to report that the Future Leadership Division has several members who can really throw an axe! Ross Teare, IBA’s vice president of government relations, started day two with an overview of the Association’s grassroots advocacy efforts and how bankers can get involved. He then moderated a panel of FLD members including Brock Goggins, Jenilee Bransteter of First Bank of Berne and Kyle Goodwin of DeMotte State Bank. Panelists offered their own insights and experiences about how their advocacy efforts have benefited their career development while also helping their bank and customers. After a third and final speed roundtable session, Mitch Isaacs from Shafer Leadership Academy guided attendees through the nonverbal side of networking and offered clues about how to read subtle nonverbal cues that will provide an advantage in challenging social networking situations. The 2023 FLD Leadership Conference was another successful event for the Future Leadership Division, providing benefit not only to the individuals who participated but also to the banks that allowed them to attend. Thank you to all the banks that committed to engaging their employees in this year’s event. Thank you as well to the sponsors of the conference that made the event a success, including Amundsen Davis LLC, Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis, Independent Community Bankers of America, Graduate School of Banking at the University of Wisconsin, infotex and our presenting sponsor, Krieg DeVault LLP. HB Josh Myers Vice President - Member Engagement Indiana Bankers Association JMyers@indiana.bank
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTg3NDExNQ==