Q1 Credit Union Strategic Plan Reminders: 3 Things To Stay On Track

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It’s a new quarter, and it’s a new year, but maybe you’re off to a rough start with accomplishing those tasks in your credit union strategic plan for 2023. Fires have popped up, and the urgent is taking priority over the important.

Here are three things you should do right now to make sure you don’t fall back into the hole of bad habits that keep you from success this year:

  1. Move on. It’s common for Q1 strategic priorities to take a back seat to the autopsy of failures from the previous year. By all means, DO IT! Make sure you look at what went wrong and plan ahead to avoid it, but don’t let it suck all of the air out of the room. Don’t let looking in the rearview mirror over-intrude into what is right in front of you now. Discuss it, learn from it, and get back to work on Q1.
  2. Don’t go back. When you start working on the tasks from your strategic plan, it’s going to make some of your team uncomfortable. Change isn’t comfortable for them, and there’s going to be a natural inclination to push back on what has already been approved and discussed. Or worse, arsonists who say they are on board but do everything they can behind your back to sabotage your strategic plan. As leaders, it’s your job to hold your team accountable for working on the strategic plan. That means high levels of quality communication with those who are getting outside of their comfort zone and dealing swiftly with any arsonists.
  3. Be ready to adjust. Not to appease the arsonists or coddle the uncomfortable but be flexible in adjusting your strategic plan when you encounter wrong assumptions. During strategic planning, you may have set strategies or goals on certain assumptions you find out may be a bit off or even totally incorrect. You’ve had time to gather data and gain perspective. The sooner you uncover this and deal with it, the more successful you will be when you reflect back at the end of the year.

“There’s plenty of time left.”

Those are the most disastrous words you can say at this point in Q1. You’ll repeat those words throughout the year until your next strategic planning session and find that you didn’t accomplish most of what you wanted or needed to accomplish. Feeling stuck? Not sure how to move forward? I’m just an email away

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Dexter Ochoa

Development Assistant

When it comes to blending logical thinking and creative problem solving, Dexter’s abilities are undeniable! Beginning his career as a Web Developer, he’s no stranger to the wide world of Marketing and Advertising. Calling Biñan City in the Philippines home, Dexter has a burning desire to visit the Alpine peaks and valleys of Switzerland. While that journey may be far off, he is still no stranger to international travel. While visiting Japan, he was able to enjoy his favorite delicacy: Sushi and Sashimi. He also learned unexpected facts about Japanese Yen, specifically that it has special markings for the blind to know its value!

Living life by his motto to “Do good even if the world is unfair,” Dexter would also advise his younger self, “It’s hard, but you’re doing good!” Whether he’s enjoying a cup of coffee in the morning or the occasional Pale Pilsen in the evening, Dexter is eager to work with the talented professionals of YMC, and we’re just as eager to add his talent to the team as well! His marketing words of wisdom? “Be creative, and just do what you want!”

Andrew Wyche

Copywriter

Hailing from the NC state capital (that’s Raleigh if you didn’t know), Andrew is YMC’s Copywriter extraordinaire. That’s why he knows that “The verb form of ‘reconnaissance’ is ‘reconnoiter.’ The former is, strictly speaking, a noun.” Seriously, he knows his words and he’ll use those words to get bold and weird (in a good way) with his copy. Fuelled by a love for pasta, shellfish, a good single malt, or a meal consisting of all three, Andrew navigates life with a motto engraved in his heart: “Choose kindness. Always.” It is this guiding principle that has led him to explore the realm of marketing, driven by a desire to connect with people in meaningful ways. As he continues to chase his dreams, one bucket list item stands out above the rest – a pilgrimage to Scotland. With his heart set on adventure and his pen poised for creativity, Andrew’s journey is far from over.

Alex VanHaasteren

Senior Web Developer

Alex is YMC’s Senior Web Developer and, as the title suggests, she is an absolute pro! While she initially started in graphic design – working long and hard to expertly bring concepts to life – she also felt drawn to technology and applying her natural ability to problem solve. Web Development proved the perfect blend of her creative passion and technical savvy.

When Alex is out with friends – including her YMC colleagues – she’s up for Greek cuisine or some good pulled pork BBQ washed down with Diet Coke. Or an Old Fashioned, if the occasion demands. Someday, she hopes to go to Africa on a safari. Hopefully she’ll see a giraffe in the wild, because – as she’s pointed out – its neck is too short to reach the ground!

When she isn’t jamming out to T-Swift, she’s happy to impart some marketing words of wisdom, “Aim to create something unforgettable.” For day-to-day inspiration, she would remind you of two fundamental truths: You decide your happiness, and Ice cream is its own food group—not just a dessert.

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