CU 2.0 Podcast Episode 406 Summit CU's James Grenon on Careful vs Courage

Careful or courageous?

Which are you?

James Grenon, vice president of administration at Summit Credit Union, a mid-sized institution in North Carolina, raised exactly that question in a recent CUInight story entitled: “Careful or courageous: The leadership choice that shapes culture.”

Regular listeners know I have a bugaboo about what I see as the unhealthy risk aversion of many CU executives and boards so you can guess I am all in on Grenon’s topic.

Grenon sets the stage with a heavy snowfall in North Carolina.  His young daughters hadn’t even seen so much snow, they initially were frightened and wanted to stay inside.

Grenon picked up the story: “they bundled up anyway. Carefully at first. Testing their footing. Adjusting their pace. Before long, there were snowball fights in the yard, sled runs down the hill, and laughter echoing through the neighborhood with other friends.

“They respected the conditions. But they did not let the conditions decide for them.

That is the balance leadership requires. Acknowledge risk. Prepare for it. But do not let caution become confinement.”

In our conversation we explore the cautious-courageous dynamic at credit unions involving everything from a core conversion - a recent project at Summit - to the roll out of AI initiatives.

Meantime, fintechs embrace risk.  They grow in part by taking risks.  Nobody is saying credit unions should be as ready to plunge into risk - but should they take more risks?

Listen up.

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