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Summer Leadership Series

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Navigate disruption. Empower your team. Prepare for the future.

This four-part Summer Leadership Series is designed to equip credit union leaders with the tools, insights, and strategies they need to thrive in a rapidly changing world. Each 90-minute session dives deep into today’s most pressing leadership challenges—helping you anticipate change, build adaptive strategies, foster a resilient culture, and guide your team with clarity and confidence.

Whether you’re planning for 2026 or navigating today’s economic challenges, this series will give you both actionable insights you can apply immediately and ideas to shape your credit union’s long-term success.

Registration gives you access to all four live sessions, or you can watch the recordings at your convenience. 

Live online sessions | Access to replays | Practical, real-world application

Additional Content

Anticipating Change

Scanning the Horizon for Emerging Trends

Wednesday, July 9, 2025
1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Central Time

Expand your credit union’s forecasting to include trends reshaping financial services and position your credit union to respond with confidence.
 

Objectives:

  • Identify key trends shaping the future of financial services
  • Practice horizon scanning and scenario planning techniques

 

Content Focus:

  • Overview of external forces: regulatory, economic, demographic, and technological shifts
  • Deep dive into fintech, consumer behavior, sustainability, and evolving member expectations
  • Tools for horizon scanning and trend monitoring

 

Activities:

  • Trend Spotting Exercise: Analyze the impact of a future trend in small groups

 

About the Presenter:

Adaptive Strategy

Balancing Stability and Agility

Wednesday, July 23, 2025
1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Central Time

Balance long-term goals with agile thinking to build a resilient and flexible strategic plan.
 

Objectives:

  • Distinguish between traditional and adaptive strategic approaches
  • Design a flexible and resilient strategic planning framework

 

Content Focus:

  • Concepts of agile planning: iterative sprints, forecasting, and experimentation
  • Strategic anchors: aligning adaptive strategy with mission and purpose
  • Case study: A credit union’s journey toward strategic adaptability

 

Activities:

  • Proactive vs. Reactive Review: Explore how your CU responds to change
  • Strategy Canvas: Redesign a core strategy to embed flexibility
  • Optional: Guest speaker on adaptive leadership in action

 

About the Presenter:

Culture as a Catalyst

Creating Conditions for Change Readiness

Wednesday, August 13, 2025
1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Central Time

Shape a culture that embraces change, fuels innovation, and empowers people to grow.
 

Objectives:

  • Evaluate how your culture supports or resists change
  • Learn techniques to encourage experimentation and shift mindsets
  • Understand the polarity between honoring tradition and embracing evolution

 

Content Focus:

  • Building psychological safety and continuous learning environments
  • Adaptive leadership behaviors that support change readiness
  • Stories of transformation and cultures of innovation

 

Activities:

  • Culture Mapping: Identify current vs. desired cultural behaviors
  • Discussion: Lessons from case studies on cultural adaptability

 

About the Presenter:

Deciding and Guiding Through Uncertainty

Leading with Informed Influence

Wednesday, August 27, 2025
1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Central Time

Make bold decisions, influence with clarity, and lead others through the unknown with empathy and accountability.
 

Objectives:

  • Strengthen decision-making under uncertainty
  • Apply influence and communication techniques to guide teams through change
  • Balance empathy with accountability during strategic shifts

 

Content Focus:

  • Decision-making frameworks: OODA loops, risk tolerance, and acceptable failure
  • Overcoming analysis paralysis: From perfection to progress
  • Strategic storytelling and influence models for change leadership
  • Leading stakeholder alignment amid resistance

 

Activities:

  • VUCA Challenge: Simulate decision-making in uncertain conditions
  • Risk Mapping: Visualize potential risks and mitigation strategies
  • Strategic Storytelling: Craft a leadership message that builds alignment
  • Roleplay: Navigate a difficult change conversation with influence and empathy

 

About the Presenter:

view bio
Chad Helminak
Chad Helminak
VP/Talent Development Programming
CUES
608.288.5315