The Society of Bank Executives: The Power of Peer Networks By Dr. Paul Godfrey, BYU Marriott School of Business As you know, leading a bank today has never been more challenging; to borrow a phrase from an old General Motors advertisement, “It’s not your father’s bank.” You and your team work harder than ever to generate income through traditional lending activities and a growing portfolio of services, and as if that isn’t difficult enough in a post-pandemic, politically-charged, inflationary environment, you find yourself swimming in change, from climate investing and disclosures to cryptocurrencies to ever-evolving ransomware risks. Bank leaders need to sharpen a different set of skills to master today’s challenging environment, and successful leaders understand the critical role a vibrant peer network plays in providing perspective, identifying solutions, and accelerating learning. We’ve engineered the Society of Bank Executives around the connection between meeting today’s challenges and creating a vibrant peer network that leads to solutions and success. The Art of Running a Bank The training bank executives receive on the way up the organizational ladder typically focuses on “blocking and tackling”— the hard skills that constitute the “science” of running a bank. But the challenges that keep you up at night require knowledge and skill in the “art” of leading a bank — things like building teams, trust and culture, motivating, mentoring and coaching, and creating and deploying strategy. The Society of Bank Executives helps you develop and expand these critical skills, not just amass information. This development happens the same way we truly learn any skill — through an intentional, peer supported process that engages us “many times in many ways.” We host premier content experts virtually to expand your knowledge of the art of leadership. Then we hold a two-day in-person event, where you’ll apply the skill in simulated and real situations. We’ll put you in a group setting where you’ll work with other bank executives on a skill-based case study, and you’ll create an action plan for your bank to focus on over the next month. You can leverage your peer group for advice and feedback, and you’ll return the favor by helping them formulate realistic and robust plans. You’ll complete the process by reflecting on your experience with that same peer group. This simple, iterative process of Learn-Apply-Reflect forms the foundation wvbankers.org 24 West Virginia Banker
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTU2Mjk4Mw==