Independent Banker - June 2024 - 7

FROM THE TOP
The compelling case for
thoughtful leadership
hroughout his banking career, my
dad had a standard saying that
became a regular refrain: " If you need
a quick answer, it's no. " Even though
he worked to get to a " yes " more
often than a " no, " his point was that
if you don't have time to thoughtfully
consider options, then the project
doesn't need to move forward.
It strikes me that this serves as
excellent advice today. With so much
competing for our attention, banking
has become increasingly fast-paced.
From the heightened speed of the
digital environment to the immediacy
expected by our customers,
there's a sense of urgency around
every decision.
But to be good leaders, we have to
hit pause. We can't just react to the
world around us. Instead, we must
consider all angles of a scenario. For
instance, I learned early on that when
someone says, " We have a major
problem, " there's another side to
the story.
As a leader, you can't rush to
judgment; you have to investigate
and address the issue from a broader
vantage point-and that applies
to everything from technology
decisions and staffing to loan
approvals and beyond. Slowing
down and considering a challenge
or opportunity from multiple angles
will benefit you and give you a
broader outlook.
That bigger picture is part of our
calling. As community bankers,
T
we're set up to lead-not just in
our communities but in the larger
financial services industry. Being
a leader for community banking
means you care about the industry
beyond just your shareholders, your
bank and your job. You care about all
community banks.
That sense of union has driven
our advocacy efforts, which have
emerged as a central requirement
of today's community bank
leader, because they are critical to
maintaining our business model.
With increasing pressure from
regulators, legislators and industry,
if we don't advocate for ourselves,
we will be lost. That's where ICBA
steps in to support us, ensuring we
have the knowledge we need to be
successful and the connected voices
to make an impact for the whole
community banking industry.
So, as you read this month's issue
and evaluate your leadership style,
consider how you can get involved
in championing our industry.
Community banking is more than
just a job; it is a way of life. When
we step up, we are advocating not
for what we have today but for what
it will transform into, and ways to
preserve the industry for the future.
And in that essential work, we can't
take no for an answer.
Lucas White is president of The
Fountain Trust Company in
Covington, Ind.
Lucas White
Chairman, ICBA
" As a leader, you
can't rush to
judgment; you have
to investigate and
address the issue
from a broader
vantage point. "
My Top 3
Leaders I'd like to meet
1. Socrates
I was a philosophy
major in college.
2. Lorenzo de' Medici
He was a banking and
Renaissance visionary.
3. Abraham Lincoln
It would be good to
have his perspective in
today's landscape.
independentbanker.org // 7
Photo by Chris Williams
http://www.independentbanker.org
Independent Banker - June 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Independent Banker - June 2024
