Why Culture Cannot Be Delegated
Most banks pretend that culture can be delegated. Wrong. Elite banks weaponize culture as their profit engine. Here’s the system CEOs can’t ignore.
Welcome to the Top 5 Percenter™ Blog
What Are You Pretending You Don’t See? [VIDEO]
What are you pretending not to see? Hmm. That’s a question that I asked The Council of bank CEOs, a round table of some of the highest performing bank CEOs in the country, just a few weeks ago. We all lie to ourselves about things we don’t want to see. When I asked that question and I said, “Let’s have a safe place to talk here and really bring some things up,” I heard all kinds of things. I heard, “I’m trying to pretend and not address the fact that my CEO’s performance is declining,” or “I’m trying to pretend like this COVID thing isn’t having a huge toll on the emotions of my team and the culture within this organization,” or, “Hey, I’m pretending that this new superstar that I hired to solve all my problems is performing well and probably always will because I’ve already spent so much in a finder fee and salary that I don’t want to admit to the mistake.”
Video: What Are You Pretending You Don’t See?
You see, the more we spend investing in something, the more we want to pretend that something right in front of us isn’t happening. Yet, as executives, we have to ask ourselves those hard questions, because the longer we pretend not to know something that’s right in front of our face, the more costly those problems become. Authenticity and real questions are imperative in being a good CEO and executive of a bank. Are you being authentic enough, and are you asking yourself that tough question? Incidentally, what are you pretending not to see?
– Roxanne Emmerich
Please watch the video above and share it with your exec team and board.
More From The Blog
Why Your Team Can’t Charge Premium Pricing—And How It’s Killing Your Legacy [VIDEO]
Premium pricing isn’t a tactic—it’s a mindset. When belief is missing, margin and legacy are at risk.
News Flash—Markets Don’t Dictate Premium Pricing [VIDEO]
Banks don’t lose margin because of the market. They lose it because of belief systems that keep them competing on price.
Higher Net Interest Margin With Less Risk – Fact or Fiction? [VIDEO]
Most banks chase NIM by matching rates. Top banks raise pricing by changing positioning. Here’s how they do it.
Rate Risk is a Big Risk—Play Smart [VIDEO]
Guessing interest rates is not a strategy. Here’s how top community banks remove rate risk and stay profitable.
Why Community Banking Matters—Especially at Christmas [VIDEO]
A Christmas reflection on why community banking matters—and why your leadership impact extends far beyond transactions.
Life in the World of Over-Regulation [VIDEO]
Top banks don’t complain about regulation—they execute around it. Here’s how the elite outperform anyway.
Why Is It So Important to Hold On to Low Cost Deposits [VIDEO]
Low-cost deposits are the ultimate margin advantage. Discover how top 5% performers attract them consistently—and why most banks fail to compete.
Can Strategic Thinking Be Taught or Nurtured [VIDEO]
Banks don’t fail from a talent shortage—they fail from a thinking shortage. Discover how critical-thinking systems like the SIR Formula build your future executives now.
A State of Gratitude [VIDEO]
A powerful Thanksgiving message on how gratitude shifts leadership presence, reframes pressure, and strengthens your bank’s performance culture.