This author has not written his bio yet.
But we are proud to say that Kevin Smith contributed 87 entries already.
There is a long history of credit union staff taking pride in being more than a financial institution and more like a family to colleagues and members. While this may feel right, it is an attitude that can challenge the productivity of organizations that have become extremely complex. It is often not effective to behave […]
Credit unions as an industry have had to lean in towards rapid change and evolution over the last decade, exacerbated by the pandemic. Boards of directors are starting to (finally) acknowledge the need to try to lean in to these changes. Yet, despite these good intentions, often the lean in turns to lip service when […]
I asked ChatGPT what is the biggest failing of credit union boards of directors. It spit out a very interesting (dare I say “thought”-ful?) list. A healthy director and board will consider these potential failings with a hard look in the mirror. By Kevin Smith I’m generally not a bleeding-edge adopter of technology. But I’m […]
Committee work on credit union boards is a slippery slope into operational territory. Boards should limit committees to as few as possible and maintain their focus on governance work. Committees of the board should not include staff, but only directors. We recommend the following four: Governance, CEO Relations, Nominating & Recruiting, and Supervisory/Audit. By Kevin […]
The annual credit union budget is a statement of its values, the things the organization thinks are important. The values in that budget should reflect (and be directly tied to) the strategic plan that the board and senior management has developed together. It is critical that the board have a clear understanding of how the […]
It is a good practice for each board meeting to include an in camera or executive session where board members can meet privately, without the CEO present. In camera is simply Latin for “in chamber” or private. These sessions provide the board the opportunity to have candid discussions without non-board members present. By Kevin Smith […]
Who’s Doing the Talking in Your Board Meeting? Here comes the new “talking” audit. It’s not unusual for the CEO to do the most talking in board meetings. But it’s critical to get the right balance of voices and to have input from everyone in the group. Paying attention to this balance and making some […]
Credit union board members are dedicated volunteers for the credit union movement. They are the embodiment of the CU adage, “People helping people.” As the job gets more difficult and more complex, it’s my job to worry about directors and to figure out where they need help and how to help them. I look around […]
After Covid forced boards into virtual meetings, directors learned to adapt. But just because we can, doesn’t mean we should require everyone to meet in person again. There’s value in keeping flexible with virtual and hybrid meetings. Make sure you’re doing what it takes to make them work effectively. By Tim Harrington and Kevin Smith […]
Staying at the strategic level and avoiding operational micromanaging is a significant challenge for most boards. This can and should be addressed with systems to prevent it from happening and wasting valuable meeting time. By Kevin Smith Some of you have heard me talk about the E.L.M.O. card. If you haven’t, you can go here […]
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