Pub 10 2021 Issue 2

Pub. 10 2021 Issue 2 25 marketing and sales teams advice on engaging clients today more confidently and offering tremendous value. Day two featured KBA Legal Department Director Terri Thomas sharing how to communicate more effectively. Today’s financial institutions understand that to compete, they must build and maintain successful team cultures. Unfortunately, if not understood and properly managed, pitfalls can hinder a financial institution from meeting its goals and create a negative and even hostile environment for management, employees and customers alike. Terri explained how perception influences our day-to-day interactions with others and how to identify and work with various social styles to establish successful relationships with co-workers and customers. Following Terri was Bobby Young, VP-Staff Attorney at KBA. 2020, what a wild and wacky ride! Last year brought interesting changes to human resource management and employment law. He unfolded the new and trending HR and employment topics for 2021 and some lingering concerns from 2020. Naomi Mercer, SVP, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at ABA, said as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and social change movements, a deliberate, effective approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion is more of a business imperative for banks than ever and an important reflection of community commitment. Naomi discussed the role DE&I issues have played in the crises and how banks can refocus on DEI moving forward. The conference concluded with a super-charged, energetic, and inspirational message by Holly Hoffman, CBS Survivor Contestant. She explained that unless we make a conscious effort to bring ourselves back to center and refocus, we begin to lose ourselves. It is never too late to find your purpose. She shared a simple tool to refocus and reprioritize you —Write a Note. As you “write yourself a note,” you will begin to discover if you are where you want to be. You will encourage yourself to find purpose. No matter what stage of life you are in, we all need purpose. Define your life. Be confident. Be great. Be you. Thank you, Graduate School of Banking at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and BankTalentHQ, for your generous sponsorship of this year’s event. Visit us online! ksbankers.com