It’s a great thing to witness excitement and passion in a workplace. 

I recently had such an experience when I visited a client – a small credit union.  Although modest in size, their fervor and enthusiasm fostered such an uplifting energy that their workplace atmosphere was energized. 

I was immediately impressed. 

Employees quickly introduced me to their CU mission – as did the president. Employees proudly gave facts and statistics supporting their mission and its impact on members and related stories about members and employees supporting the mission.  

It is electrifying to be in the presence of people who share a mission. Unity from customer/member to the executive floor is a powerful force – and there is no doubt in my mind this credit union will achieve great things for itself and its members.  

Celebrating Company Unity  

Ok, I hear you. You say company unity is possible at a small credit union – but that’s where it ends. A big bank can’t have that sort of passionate mission.  

Oh yes, they can!  

Commerce Bank of New Jersey had just that sort of passionate mission. Thousands of customers declared their “love” for Commerce Bank.   

My first day onsite, I was told stories about amazing employees who went above and beyond in support of their mission. That same day I witnessed what I thought was a robbery in progress – but in fact was an impromptu celebration of an employee who performed something awesome for a customer.  

It’s a powerful experience to be brought into a team which such clarity of mission. It’s electrifying! You either accept the mission – or you leave the bank.  

What Happened to Embracing a Mission in the Banking Industry? 

Sadly, most financial institutions lack mission clarity.  

They may have a mission statement, but it’s nothing more than heartless words written by a committee many years ago. Employees and customers are not emotionally engaged, and no one really cares.   

When there is no clear mission, the unifying mission morphs into a motto of “we’re all here to make money and get paid.” 

 What a soul-sucking experience for everyone.  

Is embracing a mission really that important in business?  

I believe it is.  

Although we seem to be doing just fine without all the rah-rah celebrations and emotional commitments, company unity is extremely important and is directly linked to every possible measure and metric of banking. 

Company Unity Pays Great Dividends   

The benefits of company unity are manifold.  

When employees (the CEO is an employee, too) share a common vision, mission, and values, they are more likely to collaborate, communicate and support each other.  

This in turn leads to: 

• higher productivity 
• creativity and innovation  
• lower turnover, absenteeism  
• less conflict 

Company unity also fosters a positive work culture, where employees feel valued, respected, and motivated. By promoting company unity, leaders can enhance the performance, satisfaction, and loyalty of their teams. 

It’s a win-win situation. 

Achieving Unity in the Banking Industry 

For the banking industry, company unity is a key factor for success. Some examples of company unity in banking are: 

• Having a clear and consistent communication strategy that informs and engages everyone (employees, customers, investors), regardless of their role or location. For instance, using newsletters, intranet, webinars, town hall meetings and social media to communicate the company’s mission, achievements, and challenges. 
• Providing regular feedback and recognition to employees for their mission contributions and achievements – and celebrating team successes. For example, using performance reviews, awards, bonuses, incentives, and recognition programs to reward amazing employees’ mission contributions. 
• Encouraging collaboration and cooperation across departments and branches and fostering a culture of trust and respect among colleagues. For instance, mission driven cross-functional teams, facilitating knowledge sharing, promoting peer mentoring and coaching, and resolving conflicts constructively. 
• Offering opportunities for learning and development and supporting employees’ career growth and aspirations. For example, providing mission-driven training programs, online courses, workshops, seminars, conferences, and scholarships to enhance employees’ skills and competencies. 
• Aligning the company’s mission, vision, and values with all initiative inside and outside the bank. For instance, supporting mission driven charitable causes, volunteer work, donations, and adhering to ethical standards and practices that align with bank values. 

Helping Bankers Make Money -That’s Our Mission Statement 

Anyone who has been around my firm knows we’re very mission focused.  

Our mission here at Gilman Patrick, LLC is powerfully simple: we “Help Bankers Make Money.” 

Mission clarity keeps us from chasing shiny objects. All our stakeholders, investments, and charities are related to our mission and we turn down opportunities outside our mission goal of helping bankers make money. 

Yes, there are charities that help bankers make money. Gilman Patrick, LLC supports local efforts to help unbanked immigrants with financial education, micro-financing and fostering cooperative financial relationships. This community outreach is very unprofitable for financial institutions. We do it for them, which benefits both our community and our banks.  

What would it look like if your organization had an expert Partner as the Financial Technology Advisor for your next project? Connect with me to see how I can guide you to success.