By Randy Karnes
Democrat or Republican you have to love this year’s political theater–or inspiration for Revolution for Evolution.
Time for a few more credit union leaders to inspire the same thing!
Most of us love to watch a train wreck. Maybe we won’t admit it, but we do. And the news or drama about train wrecks generally as something people do want to watch is validated by the percentage of new outlets that earn almost exclusively from reporting about train wrecks. I think we like to watch train wreck stories because we generally feel they are about others, and we have the right level of separation to feel safe as voyeurs.
This is why I am having a heck of a good time watching the primary season this year. In reality, residents really do not affect my day-to-day living very much. The level of separation between them and me diminishes my risk, and in most cases makes their statements and actions simply theater more than anything else.*
Consider This...
Consider these comments: “The system is rigged.” “We need better deals.” “Someone else should pay for this.” “Forgive and forget.” “The comments were only in the moment, simply competitive positon statements.” Et cetera. I could go on for several more pages, and continue to be entertained by the lunacy of their approach, until you start to think about the freedom that these people use to influence our system, challenge the status quo, and slay their opponents. Wow!**
I wish we all had the same sense of freedom to redefine our industry and influence our existing structures. These kinds of comments are used privately and almost daily in conversations about the NCUA, vendors, small versus big CUs, and vice versa, etc. But generally not on the stage, not in front of cameras, or in print. But why are we not freely emulating what is working on the political stage in our system? Imagine if we used more personal and organizational freedom to stop self-editing our comments for the sake of our traditional narratives, and started a new narrative to risk inspiring a “revolution for evolution” to save our members and ensure their success – save the system. ***
What really gets everybody going this year is that it is working, and there seems to be an appetite for people brazenly calling themselves “game-changers” and backing it up with their narrative and their sense now is the time to change or we might never. An audience ready to support them, to help them, and to basically send a message to the status quo; that is has be found lacking.
I do not think that this audience (American voters, or CU stakeholders) expects literal, cart-upsetting events; I think they simply wish to push our system to react differently, send a signal it can be influenced, and move the needle; not break the gage. They want evolution, and to get it they will sing the praise of those who appear revolutionary. Could it be that our system includes people with the same appetites for change, for some signal that we are listening, for voices that are willing to inspire evolution with revolutionary energy and expectations? Why not? Our consumers are voters in both spaces, I believe they are just as likely to be frustrated with any part of our country that seems indifferent, entrenched, and no longer focused on them.****
Train Wreck, Or...
So maybe this year’s election process is not as much of a train wreck I as I have been thinking to this point. Maybe it is pointing to something timely and required for our close up, day-to-day expectations from ourselves and the leaders we follow: Burn the playbooks, rewrite them for the future, and be ready to risk a revolution to ensure evolution.
Credit Union leaders–I think we can learn more than we think from all of this. Tell me I am wrong.
* Now if this was a primary to hire regulators I would be truly engage. Rule makers make the world go round; why do our lobbyists pander to the law makers who seldom ensure rules are congruent with their hopes?
** Some people consider themselves earth-movers, but most of us our happy to simply rake our lawns. Pity.
*** Do we even let ourselves consider the revolution that could reverse the decline of our system?
**** If we needed a new leadership profile in the industry where would we send them develop?
Randy Karnes is CEO of CU*Answers, Grand Rapids, Mich. For info: www.cuanswers.com.