Last Thursday marked the 7th International Day of the Girl. Not just a trending hashtag, or a reason to post pics on your Instagram and Facebook pages, October 11th is an international observance day declared by the United Nations in 2012 to increase awareness of gender inequality. The celebration of the day also reflects the successful emergence of girls and young women in societies around the world in equal and influential roles, with an understanding that we still have a long way to go. It is a day used by many philanthropists to promote their causes, such as the Global Girls Alliance initiative which announced last week to support over 98 million adolescent girls globally who are no longer sent to school. Leading by example is the best form of leadership and credit unions can continue to be proud of the example they set for girls, with women excelling in leadership in the industry.

Any given Sunday, the NFL delivers surprises, but nobody expected the surprise that Buffalo Bills' Vontae Davis delivered mid-game during the Bills eventual loss to the Chargers. Davis came to the realization that he "shouldn't be out there anymore," pulled himself out of the game, changed into street clothes and left the stadium, later announcing his retirement from football. Davis knew he was struggling physically after ten grueling years in the professional level of the sport, and decided to "walk away healthy than limp away too late." While his timing is being questioned by teammates and fans alike, there is no doubt there is a lesson here that's applicable to all of us. Knowing when to say no to a member that becomes more harmful than beneficial is a key, but difficult, skill for credit union executives to master.

Is your credit union firmly in your member's "friend zone"? Are you tired of playing second fiddle to their main financial institution? You know you have more to offer than some big, impersonal institution. You offer personal attention and care that they deserve. And you deserve to have the member relationship you've always wanted! It's time to do some peacocking and step up your game. Show potential members you can give them everything their bank can and more. Here are five tips to get your new members to commit to this monogamous financial relationship during account opening.

While marijuana legalization varies tremendously state to state, all evidence points to an increasingly mainstream adoption of medical marijuana across the US, with over half of the union (30 states) legalizing its use for medicinal purposes. However, with such inconsistent attitudes and varying legalities, those people looking to cash in on the industry are struggling to find the resources and financing they need. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo thinks it's high time we take measures to help these businesses out. 

We are well into July, and for baseball enthusiasts, that means the All-Star game is right around the corner. This past Sunday evening MLB revealed the roster for the 89th annual Midsummer Classic with much fanfare, a few givens, and even some surprises. Some of the choices are fan favorites, others voted in by peers who recognize their hard work ethic, and some earn their spot thorough coaches who notice the grit and endurance that may go overlooked by the fair-weather fan. What does your all-star roster look like at your credit union?

There have been alarming stats of late that indicate a significant uphill battle smaller credit unions face in today's market. The NCUA classifies small credit unions as those with less than $100 million in assets, and more than 4,000 of the 5684 credit unions in the United States fall into that category. While the overall credit union industry is improving, the data for small credit unions doesn't look good, with assets and member size shrinking. More than 215 credit unions classified as small closed their doors in 2017, with average membership rates declining 4-8%. If you find yourself in this category and are witnessing similar trends, here are 5 survival tips to consider:

It is said "Two's company; three's a crowd," when two people are in a relationship and would prefer to be alone. Your credit union's tech revolves around the primary relationship of credit union and core processor, and when it comes down to the efficiency of your CU, this might be the relationship that matters the most. However, you may have many third parties crowding your space and taking away from time that should be devoted to activities which more directly impact your members. Vendors, suppliers, agents, brokers, specialists, consultants, and more are constantly vying for your attention as a credit union leader, and managing these relationships can be a job in and of itself. Leveraging third parties can help your credit union gain significant efficiencies, but managing them can be burdensome.

There is a constant flow of outlandish stories pouring out of American universities. Kids who can't figure out how to cook an egg, sew a button, or "adult" in any way. Parents who are calling college professors defending their kid's sub-par mid-term efforts because the kid called them crying. These "helicopter parents" have tried so hard to protect their children from the big, bad modern world, that they've handicapped their growth and independent success to an embarrassing level. Are Credit Union leaders doing the same thing to their members?

As the world is learning a new term in "Ambien tweeting" with Roseanne Barr's recent blunder, they are also revisiting the ugly word "racism." Credit unions hold a unique distinction in the financial industry as consistently serving minority communities. Credit unions are frequently the only federally insured institutions serving low-to moderate-income and underbanked populations. There is no place for racism within credit unions, as the whole industry was founded on the premise of people helping people, the antithesis of racism. In addition to moral belief in the credit union difference of embracing diversity, diversity itself makes great business sense. The NCUA adamantly states: It makes good business sense to have members, managers, and employees reflect the community credit unions serve and for credit unions to serve diverse segments within their communities. Diversity leads to better service, greater innovation, improved solutions, and increased membership. 

So you may have heard: Facebook got into a bit of trouble this year. To be exact, the scandal that unfolded on national news outlets and ultimately broadcast from the Senate and House floors started well before 2018. What Facebook, Cambridge Analytica, and the Russians did to the social media landscape has a far-reaching impact on all platforms, affecting both businesses and credit unions. Facebook, Instagram (owned by Facebook), Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. have all changed their algorithms and/or policies in response to this privacy breach and resulting abuse of data, which was witnessed on a global political scale. These changes have made it more difficult for your credit union to get your message in front of your members and potential members. So how do credit unions adapt to these changes and shift their social media strategy, especially those with small paid advertising budgets, to compete in this new landscape?