Are you new to your role at your financial institution, and you need help getting up to speed?
Or maybe you are a bank or credit union veteran who just wants to be better at what you do?
As a financial executive, it’s important to maintain the growth and development of your professional skill set. Whether you are a CEO, CFO, or other professional at your community financial institution, improving your professional “toolbox” is essential.
But it’s not just a matter of learning some basics and moving on. Daily, you’re facing complex challenges that can directly affect your institution’s financial performance, including:
- How do you best manage the investment portfolio? What securities should you consider, and how do you analyze them quickly and confidently?
- How can you manage your institution’s balance sheet to optimize its risks and rewards? What can you do to get better at creating and presenting ALM strategies to your ALCO or board?
- How do you know if your loan and deposit rates are priced appropriately?
- How do you best manage your institution’s liquidity position?
- Where can you learn the basics about hedging and derivatives? Will they work for your balance sheet?
- What can you do to become a better manager, leader, and communicator?
You don't have to go it alone. The challenges of the banking and finance world can feel overwhelming.
The challenges of the banking and finance world can be daunting at times. Worse, when those challenges arise, it can feel like you’re on your own. Let’s face it – not everyone understands the details and complexities of your world. Plus, there’s always the confidentiality that surrounds some aspects of what you do.
You could share what you’re facing with a co-worker or colleague, but that isn’t always a viable solution. Maybe you don’t want them to know that you’re struggling with a problem. Perhaps you worry how not knowing the answer already might affect their perception.
Or maybe you’d prefer to get a perspective from outside your financial institution. But where do you start? Unfortunately, useful resources are not always easy to find, and when you do, they can be scattered and difficult to put together.
You know the academic knowledge is out there, but the language is sometimes too technical, often with no real-world application attached. Other resources, particularly in the investment world, don’t always come across as neutral. It’s hard to feel confident about the information sometimes when you don’t know if there’s a sales agenda involved.
So how do you determine what training and resources you need to boost your professional skills? Is there a way to customize the training to fit your current experience and desired outcomes – in a way that is effective, flexible, and doable given everything else on your plate?
Most importantly, where do you find an objective resource that understands the nuances of finance and banking? Where can you turn to find someone who “gets it” and that can guide and support you?
Let Me Be the Guide on Your Hero’s Journey!
Under the circumstances, it can be easy to feel unsure and overwhelmed. I know because it’s the same challenge I faced more than 20 years ago.
When I first started my banking journey, I wrestled with those same obstacles. I had to work hard to deepen my knowledge and professional skills while still tending to the day job. In addition, I struggled to find the right resources to help me.
Looking back, I could have saved myself a lot of time and effort if I’d had the help I needed. The one thing I wished I’d had was someone with whom I could work closely and understood my world. Someone who had walked the path before and who could help me become more confident and competent as a banking professional. I would have made progress so much faster and would have saved myself a lot of stress in the process!
But you don’t have to go through this process. That’s why I’m here!
The Value of a Trusted Mentor
Imagine what it would be like to have someone working closely with you to show you the way. A seasoned professional who:
- Has been in your shoes and understands your situation
- Can draw upon their experiences and help you learn from them
- Provides an environment in which you can freely ask questions
- Can bounce ideas around with you and provide an objective perspective
- Is a single resource for support, guidance, and counsel
- Can help you create a personalized plan for professional improvement
Imagine the relief of knowing that you can achieve your professional goals and don’t have to do it alone! Those challenges you’re facing won’t seem so difficult with someone by your side, providing support and motivation! And how much better would it be if you could work with a single resource instead of trying to piece together all those scattered resources that may (or may not) have the answers you need?
That’s exactly the 1-on-1 mentoring opportunity that I’m offering you!
“Chris has been an outstanding mentor to me. His thoughtfulness and willingness to share his experiences and knowledge, while listening closely, are leadership qualities that I have learned from. Through our regular conversations I have grown immensely, both personally and professionally, and his continual support has been invaluable. I would highly recommend the opportunity to learn from Chris to anyone who may be interested. “
“In working with Chris, he makes his mentoring fit me as an individual. No two mentoring sessions are the same, and the sessions build upon each other. Chris goes out of his way to create a personal working relationship with you. He is so knowledgeable and makes personal and technical concepts easy to understand. I appreciate the time and effort Chris has put forth to help me be better today than I was before. I have been able to push toward a better career and life with the support of a great mentor!”
What Is 1-on-1 Mentoring?
Mentor – Someone who draws upon their experience, knowledge, and expertise to provide advice and guidance to another person in search of personal or professional development.
1-on-1 mentoring provides highly tailored and individualized training and coaching for community bank and credit union executives. Working together, we will develop a customized training and professional development plan built to meet your precise needs.
Each month, we’ll meet to discuss and work on the topics and areas important to your development. As we work together, I’ll draw upon my three decades of experience to help you, along with providing resources to build on our conversations along the way.
And the support doesn’t stop at the end of the meeting! If you have questions, or challenges come up between mentoring meetings, I’m there to provide support if needed.
“It’s like being given a key to the vault containing all my past experiences, stories, and lessons learned!”
Here are some of the topics I’ve worked on with my clients:
- Finance & treasury management
- Goal setting (personal & professional)
- Leadership
- Communications
- Managing & training others
- Presentation skills
- Investment analysis
- Portfolio management
- Asset/liability & interest rate risk management
- Loan & deposit rate setting
- Liquidity & funding management
- Hedging & derivatives
Ready to get started? Then sign up today!
It is time to move forward feeling more confident in your abilities, knowing that you have someone on your side.
Having a mentor would have been an invaluable resource on my career path. This is why working with a mentor will help you improve your professional development by leaps and bounds. You’ll be more knowledgeable, feel more confident, and become more effective in your job role.
Ready to get started? Then click the button below to apply today and begin your mentoring journey!