Welcome to The Top 5 Percenter™ Blog
Dive in for concise, powerful insights on elevating community banking. Discover strategies and success stories for superior performance, from boosting financial margins to cultivating a dynamic culture. These posts literally contain the secrets of the Top 5 Percenters™. Sign up to the newsletter so that you don’t miss a single post.
Win the Greatest Game Ever Played
Are you playing the wrong game?
The Art of Superb Execution
Are you as good as you think you are? Whether the economy gets better or not is out of your control. But YOU getting better—that’s entirely in your control, and it’s non-negotiable.
What Strategic Planning Is – and What It Ain’t
You’re doing the old “Mission Statement, SWOT, and Goals” thing. That’s fine. I’m SURE you don’t think that’s the same thing as strategic planning.
Simple Secret for Growing Net Interest Margin
You’ve heard it before – the bankers who are STILL calling on clients asking hideously inept questions such as, “What kind of things are you looking for in a bank?” or “Tell me about your business,” or “What kind of things are keeping you up at night?” UGH.
Just say NO to Strategic Planning Land Mines
Is your strategic plan the right plan—and one that can and will get completed?
If you’re like most bankers, you probably pulled your strategic plan together eight or nine months ago. But is everyone in the bank on a weekly process to make sure they all hit the outcomes?
You are hearing everywhere that those who run their banks like they ran them five years ago won’t make it in the not-so-distant future. Heck, based on the news reports over the past year, they may no longer be in business.
The Easy, 5-Step Formula to Get Your Bank’s Culture Back on Track
Culture is the leading predictor of future growth and profitability. Great news if you have a great culture—otherwise, not such good news. After working with hundreds of banks over 24 years, I can say unequivocally that banks that turn around their cultures turn around their profits quickly. It is the leading indicator…and a beautiful and fast needle mover. And with the abundant...
Is It Over Yet?
s there anything worse than a bad meeting? Anything? Fine, yes, world hunger, soul-crushing poverty, and violence in the Middle East. But in the midst of a truly bad meeting, it’s easy to convince yourself that all of those problems will be distant memories before the meeting EVER ENDS.
The #1 Reason Bank Acquisitions Fail
Think you’re ready for an acquisition? Think you’ve got a bullet-proof plan? Imagine if you take a “bring-it-on-and-make-it-happen-no-matter-what” bank culture where people are passionate about what they do, and combine it with a group with a “sit-behind-our-desks-until-we-need-Preparation-H, whine-and-complain-about-the-economy-and-being-too-busy” group. How’s that going to work? Without a...
Study Shows 70% of Your Employees Are “Checked-Out” At Work (and it’s costing you!)
Studies show that 70% of your employees are checked out at work... and it's costing you! Have you seen the 2013 Gallup State of the American Workplace Report? It’s one of the clearest reports yet on the vital importance of having an engaged workplace culture. Among the findings were these shocking numbers: Employees who are disengaged: 70% Employees who are engaged: 30% Of the 70 percent...
So What’s Your Story?
“Homework? Ah, yes, I did my homework, but it didn’t quite make it here. Why? Well, my dog ate the homework. We took him to the vet to get the homework back, but the surgery took so long I was late to school, and I think I’ll have to leave school early because my dog died and I imagine it will take weeks before I can get over the sadness enough to concentrate in school.” Kids come up with the...
If an Opportunity Falls in Your Lap, Are You Ready?
The coming bank consolidation isn’t a surprise. It’s been predicted for years. In fact, the next 18 months are destined to be a major “shake out” period when weak banks will be acquired or closed—and banks that are in a position to capture the best customers in town will become stronger and more profitable. If an opportunity like this landed unexpectedly in your lap, would you be ready?...
Get Paid the Premium Pricing You’re Worth with Critical Drivers that WORK
If you ask commercial lenders how they’re doing, most would say they’re performing strongly. But performance for them too often means sitting in the bank, waiting for B and C credits to walk in, interviewing them, getting their data, sending it to the credit committee—then trying to sell the committee on how to make that loan work, even though it has risks.