Do Your Managers Just Yell Louder?

Have you ever been asked, "Who was your worst manager?" Maybe one person instantly comes to mind. Or perhaps several. When multiple names come up, there's usually a common thread among them.

I remember a manager who once told his team, "Your job is to ensure I look good." Now, maybe his intent was that if everyone did their jobs well, harmony would follow. But in reality, what he communicated was a refusal to lead.

Here’s what that looked like in practice: when his boss was displeased, he got scolded. Then he passed that yelling down the chain. The team bore the brunt of it, and many likely took that stress home. It became a cycle of yelling, finger-pointing, and unmet expectations – with little effort to actually solve root problems.

Fast-forward to a recent consulting engagement. A credit union I worked with revealed a startling figure: for every one new account opened, approximately 3.61 accounts were closed over the past nine months. The likely assumptions? Deaths or inactivity. But 63.7% of those closures were marked as "member-requested," with scant documentation. Clearly, something deeper was at play.

Leadership asked the manager of member services about it. Her answer? Everything was fine. She had it under control. But what she was really saying is she didn’t know how to lead. Didn’t know how to coach. Didn’t know how to communicate effectively or demonstrate best practices. It reminded me of a satirical line from an old Daily Show sketch: "Faster! Faster! Cody wants a pony!"

Why do organizations, especially credit unions, forget that hospitality isn’t just member-facing? Hospitality should permeate every department, every interaction, every team meeting. As adults, we often discard the essentials we expect for our kids in schools: engaged instruction, thoughtful assessment, a nurturing environment. Somewhere along the line, we replace it all with shouting and stress.

So, here’s the challenge: If you’re in a leadership role at your credit union, ask yourself this: Are your managers cultivating a workplace where people feel welcome, appreciated, and seen? Or are they just really good at barking orders?

Because in the long run, volume never compensates for vision. Leadership isn't about being the loudest voice in the room. It's about being the clearest, most compassionate one.

As Vice President of Brand Experience for Your Marketing Co., Frank Allgood works with credit unions to develop strong leaders, create effective training programs, and build powerful brands. Want to connect? Call 864.326.8740 or email frank@yourmarketingco.com.