Fix Performance, Fix Everything—Why Great Banks Don’t Leave Results to Chance
Hope doesn’t scale. Systems do. Find out how elite banks drive results with engineered behaviors and real-time accountability.
Welcome to the Top 5 Percenter™ Blog
What top-performing banks keep close to the vest… [VIDEO]
If you knew what the very top-performing banks knew, could you become a top-performing bank?
I think there’s a strong possibility.
In banking, there are some secrets that many of the top-performing banks hold close to their chest because they don’t want you to know exactly what they do.
One of the areas where they keep secrets is in how they do strategic planning.
Quite frankly, most banks have terrible strategic planning processes.
They have CPA firms and people who have never really run successful banks that were in the top 5% of peers, attempting to show them how to put together a strategic plan. What they get instead is a list of goals.
Things aren’t coherent, and they’re completely void of any strategies.
Not only that, one of the key elements that is usually missing from strategic planning for banks is the cohesiveness, alignment, and commitment to the outcomes that get created for the executive team, which is one of the most important and beneficial aspects of having a strategic plan.
In addition, the traditional approach of how bank strategic planning is being done — having a one-year and five-year plan, doesn’t work in such a volatile world.
Look back at the last 18 months… did you ever expect the world to be where it is right now?
Of course not.
It has been volatile and changing. This is going to be, in many cases, the new norm of how things are and will continue to shift constantly.
That means your strategic planning process must shift as well.
Otherwise, you will be one of those banks that has the distinct honor of having someone else’s name on your door.
When the last community bank leaves a community, the same thing always happens: The “brain drain” occurs in that town and the small businesses begin to crumble.
A community bank is essential for the success of its community. It’s a bigger game you’re playing. This is not just about your salary or your success as an executive.
This is about your community.
Get serious about doing strategic planning right. Ultimately, the question is, “can you afford not to?”
I hope to see you at the Elite Strategic Planning Fundamentals MasterClass on September 2nd, where I show you what’s new, what’s different, and how it works.
See you there with your entire executive team and even some of your board members as well.
Until then…
– Roxanne Emmerich
More From The Blog
Community Banks Doing It Right – What the Top 5% Know and Do
Roxanne Emmerich reveals how top 5% banks grow $100M+ in core deposits and triple cross-sales—without matching rates or chasing gimmicks.
Why Most Banks Fail at Cross-Selling—And How the Best Banks Are Tripling Results
Cross-selling isn’t a script—it’s a system. Discover how top-performing banks engineer daily discipline that triples products per customer and locks in loyalty.
Your “Nice” Culture Is a Lie. And It’s Costing You Millions.
One bank ditched fake smiles and vague reviews—and doubled profits in 12 months. Here’s how they built a culture that actually works.
Straight Talk from the C-Suite: What High-Performing Bank Execs Are Doing Differently
Top execs are done with old sales playbooks. Discover what’s replacing them—and why one COO hasn’t missed a quarter in six years.
How Elite CEOs Run Game-Changing Board Meetings
Most board meetings are packed with data—but starved of strategic clarity. Discover how the top 5% of banks engineer boardrooms that drive performance, challenge respectfully, and align with breakthrough plans. This week’s episode reveals what high-performing CEOs do differently—and how you can bring that same power to your board.
What the Best Banks Know—and the Rest Still Don’t Get
Top banks play to win. Discover what they do differently—and why it starts with culture and strategy.
What the Best Banks Measure (and the Rest Miss): The Hidden Levers of Top Gun Leaders
Most banks track performance after it’s too late. In this week’s video, Roxanne reveals the exact metrics Top Gun CEOs use to fix results before they lag.
Halfway Is No Excuse
Midyear banking strategy not working? Elite banks accelerate, not apologize. Here’s how to finish strong—with accountability, margin, and momentum.
Top Bank Doubled Revenue with 1/3 Fewer Staff—Here’s How
Toxic conflict is quietly draining your profits.
Most banks reach for generic culture fixes and miss the root cause—low emotional intelligence and zero accountability. Discover how the best banks use healthy dissension to crush drama, boost performance, and lead the industry in profitability.