Independent Banker - August 2024 - 21

Next: How strategic partnerships benefit community banks 
entering the workforce has high
expectations for personal and
professional development within an
organization. They are eager to learn,
grow and expand their skill sets, "
says Valerie R. Utsey, executive vice
president and chief people officer at
ICBA. " The minute they feel stagnant
in their roles and no longer perceive
opportunities for growth is the
moment they start considering other
career opportunities. "
Mapping out career paths
In tandem with employee education
and career development, more
community banks are beginning to
offer guidance on career planning.
New Market Bank introduced a
career planning initiative as part of
its 2023 strategic plan that assists
employees who want to set longerterm
career goals. In addition to
various tools and resources, the
community bank has made career
planning a part of the monthly
one-on-one conversations between
employees and supervisors.
" I think of it as long-term succession
to try and build future leaders within
the bank, so that we can help to replace
people as they're retiring, " says Anita
Drentlaw, president and CEO of
$185 million-asset New Market Bank
in Elko New Market, Minn.
For example, if someone wants to
More from ICBA
f The Professional Development Planner assists in career
planning by identifying necessary skills for a particular role
or position. It also provides direction for relevant training and
education resources available through ICBA to support specific
career goals.
f The Online Training Library and Course Catalog features more
than 425 online courses that are available through a
bank-wide subscription.
f ICBA also hosts 75 to 85 different live webinars each year that
are later available as an on-demand educational resource.
icba.org/education
BIG STAT
be a CFO or CLO, the goal is to try
and help team members by taking a
detailed look at steps in terms of the
career path, educational requirements,
technical skills and leadership skills.
That career planning also helps to give
people a better idea of the jobs that are
out there for the career path they're on.
" Being that we are a small bank,
sometimes it's hard to retain people,
because they worry that there might
not be a place here for them if
they want to continue to move up,
especially if somebody at the top isn't
retiring for a while, " says Drentlaw.
Even if that top position as a CFO
or CLO won't be available for some
time, mapping out the career path can
show other opportunities that allow
employees to continue to grow in their
career in the shorter term.
94%
of workers said development
opportunities would keep
them in a role
Source: LinkedIn Learning
Leadership skills are in demand
In addition to the more technical
skills needed for technology, fraud,
cybersecurity and compliance
positions, there is strong demand for
" power skills " related to leadership
and communication. Compared
leadership challenges, " she adds.
" As a community bank is creating its
learning and development or training
plans, one of the considerations is to
make sure that these align with the
bank's overall goals and its strategic
priorities, " advises Lindsay LaNore,
senior executive vice president and
chief learning and experience officer
at ICBA. She recommends engaging
different departments within the bank
to better understand training needs
and goals to help develop that overall
plan. She adds, if those are not linked,
it can affect the bank's ability to
achieve or exceed its goals.
Beth Mattson-Teig is a writer
in Minnesota.
to technical skills, leadership,
management and strategic thinking
skills are often more challenging to
acquire and refine. Developing them
requires experience and continuous
learning over time, says Utsey.
" By investing in holistic leadership
development, organizations can
equip the next generation with the
necessary tools to successfully navigate
independentbanker.org // 21
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Independent Banker - August 2024

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