Designing a Strategic Vision and Tracking Progress
"...cares in equal measure for employees, members and embracing the vision of Centris as the ‘place everyone wants to work and belong."
What We Did
Team Building
Strategic Planning
Employee Engagement
Accountability Culture
Key Outcomes
Increased total assets under management from $550M to $664M.
Membership growth by 20,000 in two years.
Table of Contents
Background
During his tenure as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Centris Federal Credit Union, Steve Swanstrom has consistently put in motion strong goals to move the organization forward. His leadership has had direct impact to membership growth through a defined business strategy, the development of concentrated lines of business that are meaningful and important in the lives of members, and the cultivation of a corporate culture that encourages leadership, accountability, and collaboration.
Challenges
Elevating to the CEO seat, Steve knew he would need to create a strategic plan with short- and long-term goals to drive membership and financial growth. The Board of Directors would expect strong performance and the full Centris Team was looking to his leadership as well. With engagement surveys showing only 40.6% of employees describing themselves as actively engaged in the organization, Steve knew he had to show the team a blueprint for what they were building and get them connected to their work and executing against that strategic plan.
Results
Steve utilized Leadership Resources to facilitate quarterly strategic leadership
discussions. Intentional about alignment leadership talent with key areas of
expertise, Steve collaboratively worked with organizational leaders to set and
execute a corporate strategy. The meetings involved a review of strategic goals and
how those goals were driving divisional, departmental, and employee performance.
Steve was able to set clear expectations then step back to allow his team to run their
respective business units.
Following a refined employee performance review system, heightened
accountability for performance review goals and a focus on transparent
communication between senior leaders and employees, Steve drove a two-year, 20%
increase in employee engagement. A culture of accountability and clear
expectations enabled Centris to execute holistically on the strategic plan.
"My ultimate goal was to get promoted to a Director. I absolutely loved my job, but felt that if I didn’t change, I may lose my job."
Growing into Leadership: The Impact of Emotional Intelligence on Career Success
Jody Babcock
Director of Accounting
"The key to success is when you accept your weaknesses, attack them with purpose, and realize you have true, life-changing potential."
Applying Leadership Capabilities and Driving Organizational Change
Amy Eberle
ALP Participant