BONITA SPRINGS, Fla.-Consultant Michael Hudson offered this "five point prescription" for making strategy work at the credit union:
* Adopt a "Possibility Thinkers" Mindset. "If I could change one thing about credit unions I would change our ability to think about what might be, instead of what was."
* Think Rigorously, Share Ideas & Ask Questions. "The second thing I would change with a magic wand is that at many board and management meetings I see the person who speaks whom no one questions. We've got to find ways to have rigorous conversation and agree to disagree where appropriate."
* Put Strategy First, Implementation Second. "Don't get bogged down in debating the implementation."
* Let the Data Speak, Not Just the Stories. "Stories are important. But we can't make solid strategic decisions based on our feelings about what our members are doing. What are the realities and the facts?"
* Regularly Exercise Your Strategic Thinking Muscles. "This needs to be done everyday. The way to get boards and leadership teams to get better at strategic thinking is to do it all the time."
