As a former community banker, I understand the importance of succession planning as a vital part of an organization’s overall strategy for the future. When done properly, succession planning ensures a seamless transition that allows promising employees with drive and passion to expand beyond their job functions and confidently assume key leadership positions at the bank.
Succession planning represents an investment in the future and a roadmap to help community banks continue their mission and achieve their vision.
Identifying talent within your rank and file is only the beginning. Community banking’s future leaders must be equipped with the means to fulfill their promise and ensure the long-term viability of the bank, its customers and the community as a whole.
Continuing education—whether online or in person—is a critical component to developing high performers. Training and education provides participants with pertinent information to help them think innovatively and align with industry developments while providing a forum to converse with industry experts and develop best practices that can be implemented bank-wide.
Many ICBA member banks rely on courses and webinars through Community Banker University® to train and educate staff. ICBA’s upcoming
LEAD FWD Summit, held Nov. 6-7 in St. Louis, Mo., can also provide your bank’s high performers with novel insights and tools to propel your community bank into the future.
This year’s LEAD FWD Summit is packed with educational sessions, workshops and networking activities geared toward accelerating professional development. Attendees will have opportunities to interact with experts in banking operations, compliance exams and payment systems. They will also participate in whiteboarding with peers and authorities on topics such as financial branding, bank profitability, risk management and customer experience. The event’s
keynote speakers are two former professional athletes who offer real-world examples of effective teambuilding to achieve organizational goals, which is vital to a community bank’s ongoing growth and sustainability.
Succession planning is a life-long, multi-faceted process. If you are not already doing so, I urge you to take full advantage of ICBA’s continuing education offerings to cultivate and complement your existing on-the-job training and magnify the talent of your bank’s rising stars.
In the words of John Fitzgerald Kennedy, “Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other."
Tomorrow’s leaders have the great privilege and awesome responsibility of protecting the community banking franchise for future generations. Let’s make sure they’re prepared to seize the moment.
Cam Fine is president and CEO of ICBA. Follow him on Twitter, @Cam_Fine.
