CUSO Magazine

Most credit unions have a clear mission, but far fewer leaders can translate mission into how they personally lead, show up, and create impact. The gap is where influence is either built or lost. Whether you have defined your personal leadership mission or not, you are already communicating it every day, in every interaction. Think of it this way: all the world’s a stage, and you’re on it. Not in a performative sense, but in a leadership sense.

America’s Credit Unions submitted a letter to the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC) yesterday in response to their proposed changes to the Uniform Financial Institutions Rating System, otherwise known as CAMELS. In the letter, America’s Credit Unions voiced its support for the changes, stating that they will allow for more consistent ratings. “America’s Credit Unions strongly supports the proposal’s overall direction.

This article was originally published on ChipFilson.com.

Every month, credit unions across the country prepare for another board meeting. Financial statements are finalized. Committee reports are assembled. Dashboards are updated. Strategic initiatives are summarized. Recommendations are written. Board packets are distributed. The process is familiar. It’s disciplined. It’s expected. But before you send that board packet, ask yourself one simple question: What are you actually assembling?

There exists in the plaintiff litigation world a strategy occasionally referred to as the “edge,” the “hit list,” or more commonly as the “reptile” strategy. Paraphrasing the foundational principle of this strategy, plaintiffs are seeking to trigger a fear response in a juror by framing defendants as dangerous to the public, with the verdict being the only method to protect innocents, and by extension the jurors themselves.

Last week, the National Credit Union Administration announced that it has finalized eleven rules as a direct result of its Deregulation Project. Per the NCUA, this is only the first round of final rules, all of which are aimed at prioritizing NCUA regulations on safety, soundness, and resilience.

This article was originally published on ChipFilson.com. There are a half dozen leadership roles in credit unions that have major implications for the entire movement. Among these are the leaders of several trade associations, a significant CUSO or two, TruStage ( formerly CUNA Mutual), a couple of large credit unions that exercised public roles, and, of course, the NCUA Chairman. The CEO position in any of these 6-10 positions does not confer leadership.

Welcome back to another Cooking with CUSO Mag in which we learn about the world of credit unions and food—direct correlations need not apply. Before we get to the recipe, a favorite snack in my household, let’s take a look at the wider world of financial cooperatives and learn how a financial cooperative has turned into one of the largest financial institutions in the world.

If you think sales is about products and/or services, then you are not thinking big enough! Executives don’t sell products. They shape financial futures. As leaders, they become known for the standards they enforce, the decisions they make under pressure, and the behaviors they refuse to compromise on. This means creating alignment between your credit union’s mission and values, your values as a leader, and the culture you build around it. As a result, members’ futures are positively impacted.

As primary elections kick off today in five different states, including Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Virginia, and Washington, America’s Credit Unions has announced that its PAC is supporting pro-credit union candidates in many of these races, as well as the Tennessee primary on Thursday and one in Hawaii on Saturday. These are the last set of primaries before the general election in November.