The Forward Thinking Podcast, Powered by FCCS

The Forward Thinking podcast, powered by FCCS is to inform and inspire in the areas of leadership, employee engagement, governance, risk management & insurance, training, and strategic talent management. We feature industry experts and thought leaders with forward-thinking interviews and discussions.

Building Compelling Storylines 06/19/2026

Building Compelling Storylines Most listeners give a communicator a mere 30 seconds to set a message direction for their storyline. How can you quickly set the hook? Today’s podcast focuses on strategies to frame a message quickly to keep the listener involved and engaged. This episode of the Forward Thinking Podcast features FCCS SVP of Marketing and Communications Stephanie Barton, and Hurst Williamson, author and Head of Sales and Executive Coach at Sally Williamson & Associates. Their conversation addresses the art and science of storytelling, its place in business communications, and how to begin mastering the skill of storytelling. Episode Insights Include: Storytelling as a critical leadership skill Storytelling is the best way to make sure someone can repeat back to you your own message. There are two key parts to storytelling that make a story stick. Content and style both matter in your message. People will form 11 impressions of you in 7 seconds. A listener can’t separate your content and your style. Common communication mistakes Just because you said it, doesn’t mean they heard it. A truly important message should not only be said once. Authenticity in communication is essential. You cannot talk your way around authenticity with your listeners. You’re not communicating until the listener understands. Starting with context Why does your solve make sense? If a listener doesn’t understand why a conversation is happening, they can’t hear why you are offering solutions. Setting the stage is essential to a successful conversation. Flexible frameworks are ideal, rigid scripts simply don’t work. Questions shouldn’t trip you up no matter which slide you’re on. Building connection through communication Authenticty allows a leader to bridge challenging gaps. Hard conversations can be made easier with connection. There has to be a balance between empathy and business stragety. Communication will help you get an an unhappy listener to a place of understanding. Empathy and a clear message are key points of communication. Mastering the Q & A session Q & A is the most important part of your message because it’s the last thing the listener hears. You can establish yourself as a thought leader in the Q & A. Take ownership of each question and decide which parts of it you’re going to answer. Your responses in a Q & A is critical to your credibility. Simple first steps Consider your intention behind being an effective storyteller. Your intent will make an impact every time. Ask for feedback and whether your listeners actually understand you. This podcast is powered by FCCS. Resources Connect with Cameron Burford – Get in touch – info@fccsconsulting.com “Storytelling is the best way to make sure someone can repeat back to you your own message.” — Hurst Williamson “Communication is a lifelong journey.” — Hurst Williamson “Communication allows a listener to understand the thinking behind it.” — Hurst Williamson “These are the moments when you can build the most trust with your listeners.” — Hurst Williamson “Your intent will make an impact every time.” — Hurst Williamson /episode/index/show/fccsforwardthinking/id/41634680

Before the Miss: Using Data to Lead Through Agricultural Uncertainty 06/04/2026

Before the Miss: Using Data to Lead Through Agricultural Uncertainty Today’s conversation hits at the heart of what many lenders are feeling, but aren’t saying out loud. The pressure on farmers right now is real and increasing, and it is showing up on lender balance sheets. The question is no longer if risk will surface, but when and how prepared are we to see it coming? Do you know how to lead through uncertainty without waiting for the warning signs to become problems? This episode of the Forward Thinking Podcast features FCCS SVP of Marketing and Communications Stephanie Barton and Cameron Burford, Managing Director of SaaS at Growers Edge. Their conversation focuses on the role that data, land intelligence, and proactive risk management can play in helping leaders move from reactive to resilient. Episode Insights Include: Insights into the ag market The ag market is in a downturn nationwide. The farm credit commitment to support farmers in good times and bad holds true in today’s cycle. Forecasts for 2026 are not promising. What, if anything, will get planted this year? The lender risk of dropping farmland values The borrower’s balance sheet is the farmland collateral coverage. Deteriorating land values decrease favorable ratios significantly. Factors that contribute to risk before stress is visible. Missing payments is not the first sign of risk. Catching early indicators gives lenders time to do something about it. Understanding adverse assets Definitions for key adverse asset terms. Recognizing the early indicators of a higher risk profile can position lenders to effectively partner with farmers. Workouts and adverse assets have a negative relationship with borrowers. Lessons for Midwest lenders High-profile bankruptcies in California can provide lessons for Midwest lenders. Input and commodity pricing, as well as geopolitical risks, are affecting balance sheets and land value. Leading lenders are watching land values and other leading indicators. The cost of reactive mode Direct costs will show up on spreadsheets. By being proactive, high costs can be avoided. Subsequent time can be spent helping farmers grow their operations. Every dollar tied into cleanup is an hour spent not serving the farmer. The role of land intelligence and collateral data in a portfolio’s health Data can paint a living picture of a borrower’s portfolio. Insights available today are vastly different from those of the past. Risk profiles are more robust today because of better data. Lenders need to focus on “seeing, saying, and serving” their borrowers. Proactive risk management culture A proactive risk management culture can be a company’s greatest growth engine. A team that is all growing in the same direction should be the goal. Winning looks like acknowledging that you can position yourself for success now. This podcast is powered by FCCS. Resources Connect with Cameron Burford – Get in touch – info@fccsconsulting.com “These factors can contribute to risk before stress is even visible.” — Cameron Burford “If you can catch these early indicators, you can do something about it.” — Cameron Burford “Every dollar tied into cleanup is an hour spent not serving the farmer.” — Cameron Burford “Lenders need to focus on ‘seeing, saying, and serving’ their borrowers.” — Cameron Burford /episode/index/show/fccsforwardthinking/id/41395335

Navigating Leadership Transitions 05/07/2026

Navigating Leadership Transitions For leaders, growth often means change. Throughout a career, many leaders step into a new role, expand their responsibilities, and have a larger scope of influence. Moving into a new role doesn’t always mean that leadership evolves in the way it needs to. This episode of the Forward Thinking Podcast features FCCS SVP of Marketing and Communications Stephanie Barton and Nicole Brusewitz, FCCS VP of Leadership Development, Learning and Consulting Services. Together, they discuss navigating the growth and change that comes with leadership responsibilities, including how leaders show up, how they influence others, and how their leadership must evolve as their scope expands. Episode Insights Include: The challenging part of leadership transitions There is more to effective leadership transition than simply stepping into the role. Leadership transitions are often treated as structural shifts. The most critical shift happens internally – not what you are doing but who you are being. Many leaders fail to transform how they lead. Transformation is about identity, not just responsibilities. Why do transitions feel so hard? When leaders move into bigger roles, they often focus on responsibilities instead of visibility. Recognition that your every day behaviors are shaping the system is essential. The higher you go in an organization, the more your leadership is defined by what you enforce, not what you intend. Leadership skills are not the same as technical skills. Visibility in today’s remote workforce Your team doesn’t experience your intent, they experience their interpretation of your behavior. Silence easily creates susption and storytelling about leadership intention. Fast moving leaders may be trying to create intention while the team views it as being left behind. The unseen interpretation of leadership behavior creates a wide and fast gap in times of transition. Unintentional culture shaping Culture is shaped by a leadership interpretation gap. Both in-person and remote workers need to clearly know what their leaders are trying to enforce. Communication about work styles is essential in effective leadership. Name what you are doing to reinforce what you are enforcing. Leaders who let go Leaders may need to let go of old habits that are no longer serving their new role. Redefine what ‘being helpful’ means – solving every problem creates dependency and being an expert limits others. Set expectations, create clarity, and let others think and own their decisions. Effective leaders allow others to develop their own expertise. Shaping environment instead of managing work Effective leaders don’t simply manage tasks, they shape conditions. Strategies include reinforce standards, modeling accountability, and ensuring trust. Leaders who only transition roles stay busy, while leaders who transform stop doing the work and start enabling it. Consider how you can coach rather how you can play. Leadership transformation is an identity shift Competence is not the issue with effective leaders. You can transition your title in a day, but transforming how you lead takes time and intention. What got you here won’t get you there. Being the expert is not all that matters, leveling up means your team doesn’t need you for every answer. Effective leaders build a team who can perform without you. This podcast is powered by FCCS. Resources Connect with Nicole Brusewitz – Get in touch – info@fccsconsulting.com “Transformation is about identity, not just responsibilities.” — Nicole Brusewitz “The higher you go in an organization, the more your leadership is defined by what you enforce, not what you intend.” — Nicole Brusewitz “As leaders we have intention, but our teams only see our behavior.” — Nicole Brusewitz “You can transition your title in a day, but transforming how you lead takes time and intention.” — Nicole Brusewitz /episode/index/show/fccsforwardthinking/id/41062415

Brave Conversations. Better Outcomes. 04/20/2026

Brave Conversations. Better Outcomes. The ability to have difficult conversations is one of the most essential skills of an effective leader. Whether addressing performance, navigating conflict, or working through disagreements, the way the conversation begins often determines how it will end. This episode of the Forward Thinking Podcast features FCCS SVP of Marketing and Communications Stephanie Barton and Jeannie Clinnkenbeard, Director and Senior Leadership Consultant at FCCS. Their conversation is centered around the importance of approaching these moments with greater intention and skill. They explore practical ideas that can help turn tense conversations into productive dialogue, and highlight the value of brave conversations for individuals, teams, and organizations. Episode Insights Include: What to think about before a critical conversation The 60-second gamechanger asks, ‘What do I want out of this conversation?’ Positive intent focuses on a win-win scenario. Share your intent with the other person to set the right tone. If you focus only on winning, you will not have much success. Consider how you can learn, solve and grow together. Defensiveness might result if your intent isn’t framed in a mutually positive way. Next step, share facts After stating your intent, share the facts surrounding the situation. Separate your perceived stories and emotions from the facts. You can reduce the temperature in the conversation with your words. Spiraling stories can escalate conflict. Check the stories you’re telling yourself Our stories drive our emotions, so tell them carefully. The villain story blames the other person. Question what you are making up to tell the story. Challenge your assumptions about your stories. Stop MSU- Making Stuff Up- and stick with the facts. Strategies for constructive engagement The 50/50 approach invites the other person to share their thoughts and concerns. Ask neutral, open-ended questions. When emotions are high, it can be hard to engage. If the other person is shutting down, pause the content and focus on empathy and understanding. Ask clarifying questions to keep the other person engaged. Stick with the conversation even if it gets uncomfortable, within reason. Encouraging difficult conversations in others If you see that a difficult conversation needs to happen between two other people, encourage the first steps. Volunteer to role-play through the conversation. The impact of difficult conversations can be critical to a team’s success. The ability to have tough conversations respectfully is a gamechanger. The person who has the ability to speak up is the most useful person in the room. This podcast is powered by FCCS. Resources Connect with Jeannie Clinnkenbeard – Get in touch – info@fccsconsulting.com “The more your conversation is focused on a win-win scenario, the more likely the outcome is going to be positive.” — Jeannie Clinnkenbeard “When going into tough conversations, our words don’t have to be perfect, they just have to be positive.” — Jeannie Clinnkenbeard “Every human being has the fundamental need to be heard.” — Jeannie Clinnkenbeard “The person who has the ability to speak up is the most useful person in the room.” — Jeannie Clinnkenbeard /episode/index/show/fccsforwardthinking/id/40909300

Innovation Mindset 03/25/2026

Innovation Mindset Innovation is a word we hear often, but how often to we ask what it means in practice? Is innovation focused on technology, product development, and disruption; or is it more about how leaders think, collaborate, and create connections for those new ideas to take root? This episode of the Forward Thinking Podcast features FCCS SVP of Marketing and Communications Stephanie Barton and SystemX MC and FCCS Atlanta Home Lending keynote speaker, innovation coach, and author Steve Lerch. Together they consider the importance of mindset in unlocking the innovation in any industry, how innovation really happens, and strategies for overcoming the obstacles that often hold companies back. Steve shares surprising ways that AI is changing the innovation landscape and strategies that leaders in agriculture and finance industries can employ to foster more innovating thinking on their teams. Episode Insights Include: Becoming an innovation philosophy expert Steve’s time as the innovation philosophy teacher at Google didn’t start with a job listing. Steve had conversations with internal and external clients about innovation flourishing. Although he’s not a technical expert, Steve’s passion for innovation was clear. Innovation starts with people, culture, and leaders. Innovation strategies at Google Google employs both explicit innovation platforms and cultural elements. 20% projects allow employees to work on topics they feel are worth pursuing. Immersion Day opened different employees to connect and learn from each other. Innovation is derived from openness and collaboration. Consider what is possible – one meeting a month or one hour a week? Overcoming common innovation failings Many conceptual innovation building blocks are agreed upon but not understood. How do the most junior employees in your organization feel empowered to innovate? Leaders cannont have the best intentions without taking practical steps. Resources and time have to put toward out-of-the-box thinking. Leaders need to communicate their intention to move forward with innovation – a simple email will do the job. Make it easy for employees to share ideas with an ideas email address or suggestion box. Innovation in the age of AI AI is going to change every job function. It allows humans to do everything better and faster and with more resources. Simple brainstorming processes can be accelerated with AI. Consider AI as an idea engine, not just a problem solver. AI is the closest thing to creative that any technology has ever been – utilize it. Innovation and collaboration Best practices and SOPs can be limiting to innovation. Problems that are solved are not always being improved. Imagine every process as a Version 1 that has an improved possibility. Don’t automatically assume processes are best practices. Driving innovation in ag Every industry believes they are uniquely resistant to change. Ag is a uniquely lifelong industry, and that presents challenges. Innovation is both scientific breakthroughs and individual routine improvement. Small changes can make a big difference in innovation. Remember, your industry and individual challenges are less unique than you think. The perfect final product should not be the only goal to continually work toward. Utilizing free AI tools now is the first step to mastering expensive AI tools later. Leaders need to set an inspiring example of innovation. This podcast is powered by FCCS and brought to you by . Resources Connect with Steve Lerch – Get in touch – info@fccsconsulting.com “Innovation starts with people, culture, and leaders. The robots and AI come later.” — Steve Lerch “Innovation culture is derived from openness and collaboration.” — Steve Lerch “Innovation is both scientific breakthroughs and small change improvements.” — Steve Lerch “Leaders need to carve out time for innovation conversations.” — Steve Lerch /episode/index/show/fccsforwardthinking/id/40525035

Life Without Limits 03/20/2026

Life Without Limits Whether you’re leading an organization, your team, or even your own next chapter, this conversation will challenge you to think differently about limits, resilience, and the circle of possibilities. This episode of the Forward Thinking Podcast features FCCS SVP of Marketing and Communications Stephanie Barton and FCCS Learning Exchange keynote speaker Tom Turcich, author, speaker, and one of the 10 people who have ever walked around the world (and the first to do so with a dog). Their conversation is a story about endurance, direction, and what it really means to plant a flag in your own life and walk toward it, even when the path ahead is uncertain. Episode Insights Include: The decision to walk around the world An idyllic childhood and a freak accident gave Tom plenty to consider about his own life’s trajectory. None of us has unlimited time on this earth, but what do we do with it? In order to carpe diem, you have to first decide what you want out of life. What matters most, and what can you do about it? Big goals versus flags to plant Forward-thinking leaders maintain a sense of direction and don’t get pulled far from it. Imagine a flag stuck in a mountain and measure every action against it. Flags are value-based in what matters most. Flags are specific and create priorities. Flags help narrow decisions to stay focused. Limitations create opportunities and solutions During the walk, Tom did not have unlimited resources. Photography became a passion and a skill as Tom stayed true to his constraints. Constraints can be obvious in our minds, but the solutions can be obvious as well. The power of companionship Savannah is the first dog to walk around the world. She taught Tom about consistency and being content with doing a little bit every single day. Having a companion to share this event with made all the difference on the hardest days. Training your mind to be nimble and adaptive Open your mind and allow the world to show you what it has to offer. If you aren’t looking for one particular thing, you can find even more than you thought possible. Trust yourself to know that whatever experience comes, you will be open to it. Pivoting from survival mode to growth mode Remembering the difficulties you have already overcome will give you strength to overcome again. It can be easy to lose sight of how far you’ve already come. Leaders help recall the successes and growth. Pacing is essential to meaningful growth. Consistency is far more important than pace. The circle of possibility framework Tom will be the keynote speaker at the FCCS Learning Exchange in June. You can live life as effectively as possible by accepting that you only have one life to live. Define your values, set values, and embrace your constraints. You can build trust and rapport by distinguishing uniqueness. Start building trust in your vision by taking a step toward your flag today. This podcast is powered by FCCS. Resources Connect with Tom Turich – Get in touch – info@fccsconsulting.com “In order to carpe diem, you have to first decide what you want out of life.” — Tom Turich “In life and in business, you can go in any direction. Flags will help narrow your decisions.” — Tom Turich “It can be easy to lose sight of how far you’ve already come.” — Tom Turich “You can live life as effectively as possible by accepting that you only have one life to live.” — Tom Turich /episode/index/show/fccsforwardthinking/id/40524970

AI Without the BS 03/06/2026

AI Without the BS From boardrooms to headlines, vendor pitches to strategy decks, AI is suddenly everywhere. For many leaders, the conversations surrounding AI can be confusing and overwhelming. Is AI really helpful, or just overhyped? This episode of the Forward Thinking Podcast features FCCS SVP of Marketing and Communications Stephanie Barton and Michael Thomas, Chief Data Scientist at Ketchbrook Analytics for a conversation about AI without the BS – by demystifying AI misconceptions, exploring AI opportunities and risks, and understanding how leaders today can implement AI into the broader digital transformation journey strategy. Episode Insights Include: Common AI misconceptions in farm credit boardrooms AI being used for loan decisioning. Generative AI should not be used to make individual loan data decisions. AI being used as a general blanket for an entire organization. Generalized AI models can be leveraged to increase productivity. AI cannot be thrown at all customized business processes. Individual questions cannot effectively be answered by AI. Positive applications of AI in farm credit Microsoft CoPilot is being used effectively to effectively summarize and generalize document content. Extensive pdf documents can be simplified with AI assistance. Large language models can assist with the farm credit system. Possibilities for further AI adaptation Prompt-driven user dashboards can allow for quicker recall of desired information. Large language models can bring data together for the user. Product catalogues chatbots can provide quick answers for users. Try it and see – AI has countless possibilities that may be helpful. AI versus machine learning and automation AI usually refers to generative AI. Machine learning generally outputs one fixed idea. Generative AI is a newer concept that produce varying lengths of output. Machine learning helps organizations make better, data-driven decisions. Generative AI helps organizations be more efficient across a variety of day-to-day tasks. Both have applicability to automation. Promising applications for AI application in farm credit Increased efficiency is guaranteed with AI. Sales should be working with a large language model to create a polished sales pitch. AI can be leveraged to review the work that you have already done. AI can support, review, and enhance your original thoughts and work. Avoiding the risks and dangers of AI There is little to no room for error in farm credit, and AI is not fool-proof. AI offers promises including improved hiring and productivity gains. Critical thinking skills are at risk from AI, as well as the messy deployment of fully autonomous AI agents. Additional improvements include revolutionary game-changers in medicine and science. Troubleshooting problems can be addressed more quickly with AI assistance. Longterm adaptation has to be rolled out in a way that complements the workforce. This podcast is powered by FCCS. Resources Connect with Michael Thomas – Get in touch – info@fccsconsulting.com “AI should be thoughtfully baked into the products you’re already using.” — Michael Thomas “AI has to be rolled out in a way that complements the workforce.” — Michael Thomas “Don’t be afraid to use your brain first.” — Michael Thomas “Do not focus on the tools of AI or machine learning, focus on the problems that you want to solve.” — Michael Thomas /episode/index/show/fccsforwardthinking/id/40280445

The Four Horsemen of the Governance Apocalypse 02/20/2026

The Four Horsemen of the Governance Apocalypse What happens when governance goes wrong? A set of negative patterns is usually the culprit, with small breakdowns quietly building over time until boards find themselves struggling with trust, clarity, or effectiveness. This episode of the Forward Thinking Podcast features FCCS SVP of Marketing and Communications Stephanie Barton, Chad Klawetter, Vice President of Board Governance and Development at FCCS, and Barb Wilkinson, Senior Board Governance Consultant at FCCS. Together, they examine the four warning signs that, left unaddressed, can seriously undermine a board’s ability to lead, govern, and create value. Episode Insights Include: Developing the four horsemen Board erosion is rarely a catastrophic event. It happens over time, then all at once. These common threats are among the many that board members have to keep track of. Board members need to ask themselves if they see signs of these 4 horsemen, and what they can do about it. These four horsemen can be a starting point for frequent conversations about improvement. Horsemen number 1 “The board lacks a constructive partnership with the CEO.” A healthy board partnership is built on trust. It is obvious both in and outside the boardroom what each person’s role is and how to work together. Great alignment is a key sign of a healthy relationship. Frequent surprises indicate a partnership breakdown. Oversight needs to be balanced with support. Knowing whose role is what is critical. CEO evaluations can be an effective way to check in on roles. Horsemen number 2 “The board cedes committee control to the staff.” Staff should be part of committee decisions. If staff start to dominate board meetings, board work can’t be done effectively. Excessively long board meetings indicate that governance work isn’t being done at the appropriate level. Committees are for boards, not for staff. Boards can reclaim committee meetings without alienating staff by resetting the committee charter. Horseman number 3 “The board doesn’t follow a regular practice of self-evaluation.” Not everyone seeks out constructive feedback, and many resist it. Consider what feedback is needed. Anonymous feedback allows members to speak freely about concerns. The board is entrusted to evaluate and manage itself, and needs to exercise maturity and self-awareness to do so effectively. Peer evaluations from other board members can help with better self-evaluations. Horseman number 4 “The board doesn’t tell itself the truth about its culture.” Board culture can be defined in a variety of ways, including the norms, expectations, and behaviors of the board. Culture is as powerful as gravity, with massive implications on every aspect of governance. Culture should not be relegated to a soft skill that can be put on the back burner. Board culture can be built in a variety of small and effective ways. Common blindspots in the boardroom Avoidance of conflict causes problems. Tools can be brought in to support board members. A homogeneous board is not ideal; healthy debate and conflict will produce better results. The idea of a CEO answering to multiple bosses can be awkward, but it is part of board protocol. Healthy debate should be encouraged in the boardroom. Psychological safety is an essential component of productive conversations. First steps to addressing the horsemen As a board, be honest with yourself about what’s happening. Take five minutes at the end of each board meeting to debrief. Recognize that people have good intentions, but good governance is a process. A horseman can be a powerful, trusted asset to a board. This podcast is powered by FCCS. Resources Connect with Chad Klawetter – Connect with Barb Wilkinson – Get in touch – info@fccsconsulting.com “Rarely do we see huge, catastrophic things happen on boards. It’s usually something gradual, over time, that leads to a more significant problem.” — Chad Klawetter “A healthy board partnership is built on trust.” — Barb Wilkinson “Culture is invisible, but also so powerful. Everything else is built upon it.” — Chad Klawetter “Having good intentions is not enough. Having good governance is a process.” — Chad Klawetter “It will always take team effort for the team and the board to keep moving forward.” — Barb Wilkinson /episode/index/show/fccsforwardthinking/id/40029060

Influencing Without Authority 02/05/2026

Influencing Without Authority There is a path in career advancement that isn’t always easy to navigate – the spot between individual contributor and seasoned manager. How can you be an influence at work when you don’t have authority? Communicating and influencing effectively requires shifting from a tactical mindset to a more strategic view. This episode of the Forward Thinking Podcast features FCCS SVP of Marketing and Communications Stephanie Barton and Sally Williamson, CEO of Sally Williamson & Associates, Executive Coach, Executive Presence Expert, Author, Speaker and Storyteller. Together, they consider how to influence outcomes and build credibility to move forward, particularly when authority isn’t part of your title or role. Episode Insights Include: Making your influence a top 2026 priority Functional lanes are constantly shifting, and you need to shift with them. Companies want employees who are willing to think outside their lane. Fresh ideas are always welcome, but not always clearly defined by role. Influence is key in making your voice heard. Breaking down lanes is critical to collaboration. Supporting vs. partnering on outcomes Centers of excellence support an operating function. As long as experts stay solely in their lane, true collaboration can’t happen. Stop supporting outcomes exclusively, and start partnering with leaders of operating functions. Doing so will add value to the ultimate outcome. Exercises that expand this skill Learn how to attach to someone else’s value. Identify a leader’s big goals to stretch your offering to meet their value. Ask curious questions that expand your understanding of the overarching vision. Overcoming common challenges Expand your focus from the day-to-day reactions to a larger vision. Consider what you can contribute beyond the task list. Reframe your language about your contributions. Focus less on your task takeaways and more on what you contribute to the conversation. Senior leader shifts Bring people along with your big ideas and initiatives. Invite others to join you in the big picture story. Align others in the journey that leads to what you are trying to accomplish. Influence and alignment should be synonymous. Leaders can unlock the power of what others can contribute. “Stay in your lane” should never be the message from a leader. Building influence as an introvert or new team member Introverts aren’t tentative in their thoughts, they may be tentative to share it. Consider asking another person to share your thoughts on your behalf. New team members only get a few chances to influence at the beginning. Show, above all else, that you can work well with others. Ask questions that show clarity. You didn’t miss your chance in the meeting; send follow-up emails. Influence is in the eyes of others, as is resistance – proceed strategically. This podcast is powered by FCCS. Resources Connect with Sally Williamson – Get in touch info@fccsconsulting.com “Leaders want you in the room for how you think, not just the tasks that you’ll take away.” — Sally Williamson “Focus less on what you take away as a task and more on what you contribute as a part of the conversation.” — Sally Williamson “Influence doesn’t mean calling the decisions. It’s creating the environment where a group gets to a decision.” — Sally Williamson “All of us are bigger than the roles we’re in. Shift from what you do to how you think.” — Sally Williamson /episode/index/show/fccsforwardthinking/id/39858085

Cooperative Principles & Leadership Mindset 12/04/2025

Cooperative Principles & Leadership Mindset In a time when organizations are navigating generational change, evolving leadership expectations, and shifting workforce dynamics, cooperative boards have a unique opportunity to lead differently, anchored in values, purpose, and shared ownership. This episode of the Forward Thinking Podcast features FCCS SVP of Marketing and Communications Stephanie Barton, Vice President of Organizational Development for FCCS Jay Lux, and Angie Coleman, Organizational Development Consultant with FCCS. Their conversation centers around director strategies for connecting with the spirit of cooperative identity so that every choice made in the boardroom strengthens both the organization and the people it serves. Episode Insights Include: What makes cooperative governance distinct? The cooperative structure is made up of the members, for the members. Decisions made by the board directly impact those whom it serves. Boards include member-owners of the organization. Cooperative governance starts with member benefits, not shareholder return. Decisions are made with and for the people that the board serves. Cooperatives exist to create value with their people. The future of cooperative boards As businesses grow in complexity, cooperative boards offer insights into how to best serve their members. Shifting workforce and generational shifts are aligned with what cooperatives value. Board focus is shifting toward what really matters to employees today. The collaborative nature of how organizations are structured and governed is revealing. Key differentiators between corporate and collaborative structures benefit the patrons of the cooperative, rather than the owners. Cooperatives exist to create value with their people. These principles matter in today's current landscape more than ever before. Three leadership challenges that cooperatives address Employees are distrustful of organizations that value profit over people. The triple bottom line affects consumer and employee decision making. Workforce expectations have shifted toward what the cooperative structure offers. The cooperative model is uniquely positioned toward employee expectations. Performance and purpose are effectively addressed by the cooperative model. Board decision-making principles in the cooperative model All seven cooperative model principles may show up in the boardroom at any given time Cooperative boards are focused on long-term viability of the business, and ultimately, the member-owner. Annual returns are positively impacted by the cooperative model. These principles are the foundation for the structure and purpose of the institution. Employee engagement and good governance Employees today expect transparency, participation, and purpose. Employees want to know the why behind decision making. High-performing teams have clear expectations, visibility, and effective feedback loops. When people understand the why, the don't just buy-in, they believe-in. Board decisions need to reflect employee needs. Respectful dissent in the boardroom is addressing conflict done well. Healthy conflict requires getting curious and asking clarifying questions. Shifting governance expectations in the face of leadership transitions and increased complexity Demographic changes for management transitions with the new generation. Growing organization size creates new complexities. Technology advancements are regular conversations in today's boardroom Businesses are run of people, by people. Regulatory landscape requirements have made business operations increasingly challenging. Individual expertise must be balanced with collective decision making at the board level. Effective board and management collaboration and education Preliminary preparation is essential for effective conversations. Engage in robust debate about ideas, not individuals. The executive session is a powerful tool for meaningful board discussions. When in doubt, bring in a subject matter expert. Directors have a responsibility to build regular learning into the boardroom. Annual board performance reviews are essential. Succession planning should be embedded throughout the boardroom culture. This podcast is powered by FCCS. Resources Connect with Jay Lux — Connect with Angie Coleman — Get in touch info@fccsconsulting.com “Cooperative governance starts with member benefits, not shareholder return." — Angie Coleman "Cooperative boards are focused on long-term viability of the business, and ultimately, the member-owner, not just the profit of the cooperative institution itself." — Jay Lux "When people understand the why, the don't just buy-in, they believe-in." — Angie Coleman "In the cooperative model, it's not optional to have a voice. It's part of the cooperative principle." — Angie Coleman /episode/index/show/fccsforwardthinking/id/39180350

Cybersecurity in Focus 11/13/2025

Cybersecurity in Focus Cyberthreats are everywhere, and while they may be inevitable, their impact can be manageable. Institutions who are prepared for cybersecurity disruptions are proactive and collaborative about their response. This episode of the Forward Thinking Podcast features FCCS SVP of Marketing and Communications Stephanie Barton, Lisa Parrinello, FCCS VP of Risk Management & Insurance Services and Naomi Baumann, FCCS VP of Claims & Insurance Services. Together they discuss how Farm Credit’s Captive Insurance Company is helping institutions strengthen their cyberdefenses and what boards of directors need to know to stay ahead of the cybersecurity game. Episode Insights Include: The bigger picture of cyberthreats Cyberthreats used to be considered an IT-only problem, but that isn’t the case anymore. These enterprise-wide issues demand board-level attention. Ransomware, extortion, targeted financial systems and AI deep-fake impersonations are some of today’s biggest cyberthreats. The goal today isn’t just protection, it’s resilience. A prepared institution can respond and recover from cyberthreats no matter where they hit. The role of Farm Credit’s Captive Insurance Company As the captive, they provide institutions cyber insurance and management services that go beyond what commercial insurance markets can offer. They offer tailored protection designed specifically for the unique cooperative structure of Farm Credit. Collaborative claims management proactively responds to any incident or threat of incident. Their strategic access to commercial markets allows them to purchase insurance as well. Over the years, Captive has saved an average of $50 million in insurance coverage. Consistent system-wide learning whenever instances occur. Resilience tools and strategies Resilience requires a multi-layered approach based on assents and security needs. Threat detection and response pinpoint vulnerability, endpoint detection, and tabletop exercises. Human-centric risk management and ongoing employee training are critical for cyber risk management. Employees and people are always going to be the weakest link in cybersecurity. Data protection and resilience in communications in sensitive information need to be encrypted and backup tested. Cybersecurity is not an impenetrable armor, it is an anatomy with multiple systems working together to respond and continue operating in a culture of proactive risk management. The pivotal role of the board Directors need to prioritize an approved annual cyber risk manual. Ongoing development and maintenance of a robust program is essential. Boards should receive quarterly reports on threats, vulnerabilities and mitigation actions. Cyber oversight needs to be integrated into business technology planning. FCA should be notified within 36 hours of any cyber incident. The culture of cybersecurity Institutions build resilience when everyone is involved. Third party oversight and engagement with cyber-focused legal counsel is crucial. Most breeches don’t happen in bad systems, they happen when good people let down their guard. Muscle memory kicks in when crisis hits, but only when preparation has occurred. Ultimately, cybersecurity is everyone’s business. This podcast is powered by FCCS. Resources Connect with Lisa Parrinello — Connect with Naomi Baumann — Get in touch “The goal isn’t just protection – it’s resilience.” — Naomi Baumann “The Captive provides consistent system-wide learning whenever instances occur.” — Lisa Parrinello “Human-centric risk management and ongoing employee training are critical for cyber risk management.” — Naomi Baumann “Employees and people are always going to be the weakest link in cybersecurity.” — Naomi Baumann “Even without a deep technical knowledge, boards can strengthen resilience by asking the right questions and staying engaged.” — Lisa Parrinello “Institutions build resilience when everyone is involved.” — Naomi Baumann Resilience is just as much about people as it is about systems.” — Naomi Baumann /episode/index/show/fccsforwardthinking/id/38845400

Confident Conversations 10/17/2025

Confident Conversations How strong are your conversation skills? Whether you are stepping into a boardroom, attending a networking event, or connecting with coworkers over coffee, the way you show up in conversations matters. This episode of the Forward Thinking Podcast features FCCS SVP of Marketing and Communications Stephanie Barton and Tracy Hooper, founder of the Confidence Project and author of The NOW Hello. Their conversation is filled with practical tips, personal stories, and the small language shifts that make a big difference in how we connect with others. Episode Insights Include: Why do conversations feel so hard? Anxiety around conversations is common and natural. When we focus too much on ourselves, we are unable to focus on the other person. Conversations should not be about you, but about the other person. Shift into curiosity mode – what can you learn? How can you make them comfortable? Techniques to start a conversation Before you enter any room, strike a power pose. “I’m going to meet some interesting people today, and this is going to be fun.” Start with a compliment or a connection you have. State something that you know about them or their company. Compliment a person’s character or trait rather than their looks. Use the magic words – what, how, and tell me more. The Golden Rule – treat everyone as if they are the most important thing in the room. Tips for Introverts If you’re not energized by meeting people, prepare your mind in advance. Don’t try to meet every person in the room, select just 2 or 3 to focus on. It will take energy to talk to people, so be kind to yourself in the process. If you are exhausted after an event, take a nap! Entering an existing conversation Wait for a slight pause in the conversation, then say, “May I join you?” Highlight what you heard them talking about. Toe-to-toe means no – a conversation between two people is not appropriate to enter. Read body language to determine if the conversation is open to others. Help! I forgot their name Don’t run in the opposite direction. Preempt the awkward – offer your name first. Mention that they look familiar or that you do recognize them. If necessary, simply say, “Help me with your name”. Make introductions when welcoming others into your conversation. “Come join us, we were just talking about ___” and “Do you all know each other?” “I’ll let you all introduce yourselves.” Politely exiting a conversation The graceful dismount is a 4-step art that must be practiced. 1- Say thank you for the conversation. 2- Acknowledge the stories they told. 3- Use a farewell phrase about the future. 4- Offer a goodbye gesture. First impressions and body language Body language is the unsung hero of successful conversations. Pull your shoulders down and away from your ears. Good posture speaks confidence for you before you open your mouth. Practice good grooming in your appearance. Dress for success – don’t touch your hair or your face. Check your tone of voice and slow down your words. Say three sentences and a period. Then it’s their turn to talk. Consider what you actually want to say, and eliminate the filler words. This podcast is powered by FCCS. Resources Connect with Tracy Hooper — Get in touch “Everyone’s favorite thing to talk about is themselves, so let them!” — Tracy Hooper “Rehearse! Everyone has to practice in order to get good at anything, including conversations.” — Tracy Hooper “If you keep curious, conversations are easier than you think.” — Tracy Hooper “Be the person that welcomes people into a conversation.” — Tracy Hooper “Body language is the unsung hero of successful conversations.” — Tracy Hooper /episode/index/show/fccsforwardthinking/id/38541400

Harnessing Human Connection for the Future of Work 09/25/2025

Harnessing Human Connection for the Future of Work Today’s topic is positioned at the intersection of technology and humanity. How do we stay truly human in the age of digital intelligence? This episode of the Forward Thinking Podcast features FCCS SVP of Marketing and Communications Stephanie Barton and Lisa Waldren, storyteller, speaker and coach. She highlights what it really means to stay human, shares strategies for leaders to balance efficiency with empathy, and offers recommendations to help any team thrive in this rapidly changing workplace. Episode Insights Include: Staying human in the age of AI AI is an effective tool, but it’s also a distraction from the human element of work. We can acknowledge the presence of AI while also maintaining connection and creativity. Building relationships is hard work that can’t be ignored. Relationships are increasing in urgency as opportunities for connection continue to decrease. Studies show that Gen Z doesn’t actually want to be online 100% of the time. Is AI going to replace or amplify my role? Efficiency and human connection have to be carefully balanced in today’s digital world. AI is designed to free up your time so you can be more human. The hardest part of being at work is working with other humans, but that is also the most essential component of work. When used correctly, AI can help build strong human relationships at work. Risks of leaning too heavily on technology Leaders who rely too heavily on technology risk not nurturing the human side of work. AI is a tool, but when leaders use it as a crutch, things start falling apart. Overreliance on AI shuts down parts of the brain in just a short amount of time. Happy accidents of innovation can’t happen with AI. AI offers a confirmation bias, which limits creativity. Utilizing AI to strengthen human connection The 70/20/10 model includes people, process and technology. AI should be used to free up time for connecting with people. Leaders need to remain intentional about building culture through rituals. AI should be employed as a smart assistant. Human creativity needs to remain top priority. Staying curious is an essential element of success now and in the future. Practical advice to leaders Self compassion is a critical component of success. Leaders need to remember that they will not change everything, but micro-moves are still considered progress. Read communications out loud and with the assumption that others are cheering you on. Having an open door to feedback is not enough – solicit specific feedback regularly. What’s the rumor? What does your team want you to know? What am I missing? Consider how you are soliciting feedback in a safe environment. Different is not inherently wrong. Stay curious about change. This podcast is powered by FCCS. Resources Connect with Lisa Waldren — Get in touch “We can acknowledge the presence of AI while also maintaining connection and creativity.” — Lisa Waldren “AI is designed to free up your time so you can be more human.” — Lisa Waldren “AI is a tool, but when leaders use it as a crutch, things start falling apart.” — Lisa Waldren “Different is not inherently wrong. Stay curious about change.” — Lisa Waldren /episode/index/show/fccsforwardthinking/id/38205840

Shared Ownership, Shared Accountability 09/05/2025

Shared Ownership, Shared Accountability In today’s dynamic lending environment, meeting client needs requires more than individual excellence; it demands shared ownership and accountability across every level of the organization. This episode of the Forward Thinking Podcast features FCCS VP of Marketing and Communications Stephanie Barton and Mike Evans, author and speaker on leadership, and speaker at the upcoming Sales Leaders Conference. He shares insights into building resilient, accountable and high-performing teams in an increasingly complex and demanding landscape, and what leaders can do to increase accountability on their teams. Episode Insights Include: Drivers behind the demand for increased agility Peak-performing organizations know that accountability and leadership are essential. Excelling in ‘future work’ requires the fast, flexible and agile will succeed. Those who are unwilling to adapt will find themselves increasingly vulnerable. Common obstacles that impede accountability Are you an accountable person? Do you need to see more accountability in your team or organization? If we consider ourselves accountable, why do we still demand more accountability from others? 100 people will give you 100 different definitions of accountability. How can it be standardized? Many organizations have a generally negative definition of accountability. If accountability is viewed as a negative, people will resist embracing it. Redefining accountability What percentage of leaders believe that they communicate well? What percentage of teams believe that their leaders communicate? How can the gap between these two numbers be decreased in effective ways? Define meaningful, measurable, and memorable goals to improve results. Nurturing a culture of accountability The 20 best practices will help employees clearly understand where they need improvement. Leaders need to model best practices first. Teams need to see a behavior in their leaders before they will take it on themselves. Best practices must be integrated into daily routines. Accountability, collaboration and mindsets are essential to thriving in today’s competitive landscape. The impact of AI in today’s competitive landscape A variety of futurists and global leaders weigh in on the change that AI will bring. How will your company stand out when competing with all-knowing machines? Curiosity is an essential key to standing out. First steps for leaders to encourage accountability What your team sees you do is what they will do. Does your team have the resources necessary to keep learning? If you’re not listening to your team, don’t expect commitment from them. Leaders need to develop these skills in themselves first. You can’t make anyone else more accountable. Watch for warning signs that accountability is not taking place. Create a culture that is more focused on results than activity. Remain open to the perspectives of others. This podcast is powered by FCCS. Resources Connect with Mike Evans — Get in touch “Those who are unwilling to adapt will find themselves vulnerable and at the mercy of the competition.” — Mike Evans “We may think that we see ourselves as doing things really well when it comes to accountability, but we don’t see where we’re dropping the ball.” — Mike Evans “When leader communication is crystal clear, people will surprise you with their ingenuity.” — Mike Evans “When people can see the why, they will astound you with their ability to become engaged, collaborative, innovative and creative.” — Mike Evans “Leaders can’t expect anyone else to change their behavior unless they demonstrate it first.” — Mike Evans “The white waters of change are not going to calm anytime soon. If anything, they are going to become more turbulent.” — Mike Evans “What we’ve done in the past cannot be relied upon to get us where we need to be in the future.” — Mike Evans /episode/index/show/fccsforwardthinking/id/38027605

Tom Truitt's Leadership Journey 08/22/2025

Tom Truitt's Leadership Journey Forward thinking leaders know that fostering innovation, developing company culture and effective communication always starts at the top. This episode of the Forward Thinking Podcast features FCCS VP of Marketing and Communications Stephanie Barton and Tom Truitt, CEO of Horizon Farm Credit and winner of the FCCS 2024 Accelerator of the Year Award. Together, they define acceleration in the face of organizational change, consider what it takes to foster innovation from the top down, and discuss some of the valuable leadership lessons that Tom has learned over the years. He shares the importance of communication, the value of always keeping the why in mind, and the forward-thinking challenge that he poses for leaders today as well as in the future. Episode Insights Include: The spirit of growth and innovation At Horizon, implementing processes and technology is all about adding value. Focusing on the success of people is their core initiative. Ask yourself – why should people want to do business with our company? The go-to-market strategy will continue to change and require effective storytelling. Defining acceleration in the face of organizational change The customers and market that companies are facing today is different from before. Customers are more demanding than ever, and expect exceptional service. Barriers when trying to accelerate change include complacency and risk-aversion. AI is an additional acceleration that companies are working to navigate. Valuable leadership lessons Tom has learned that not everyone is like him. Every person in an organization is on their own journey. Everyone has different motivators, and each staff member deserves a personalized development plan. Mentors play a critical role in career success. Fostering innovation from the top down Communication is key in any success in life. Getting any company moving forward requires communicating a vision. Connect the dots from the work that you do to how it improves your customer’s experience. Communication takes consistent care and feeding every day. Overcoming challenges in leadership Management changes, mergers and technology all create challenges. Change allows opportunities to reset the vision. Staying focused is easier when you see the wins. Collaboration in the acceleration of progress Identify the benefits of each person’s expertise. Silo-busting is critical at every level, as is building internal trust. Bringing the value down to the family farm is essential. Understanding the why will benefit every level of the organization. Creating culture Fundamentally, culture represents how you treat each other and your customers. Failing fast will help minimize the fear of failure. Resources and time are essential to successful cultivation of culture. Spend just as much time in the back office as you do in the front office. This podcast is powered by FCCS. Resources Connect with Tom Truitt — Get in touch “The biggest luxury we have is our success.” — Tom Truitt “Everyone is not like me. Everyone is on their own journey.” — Tom Truitt “Getting your company moving forward is all about communicating that vision.” — Tom Truitt “Communication takes consistent care and feeding every day.” — Tom Truitt “Change allows opportunities to reset the vision.” — Tom Truitt /episode/index/show/fccsforwardthinking/id/37875775

Tech Myths Blocking Digital Collaboration 07/24/2025

Tech Myths Blocking Digital Collaboration From cloud confusion to AI overload, tech myths can hold teams back from working smarter, faster and more securely. This episode of the Forward Thinking Podcast features FCCS VP of Marketing and Communications Stephanie Barton and Egnyte Banking and Credit Practice Lead Charlotte Li. Together they dive into the world of digital transformation and unpack some of the most common – and costly – misconceptions. Whether you’re leading a team or just trying to keep up with the myriad of changing tools, this conversation conquers the myths and offers the facts you need to make clear and confident technology decisions for your organization. Episode Insights Include: The myth of digital collaboration Collaboration myth #1 – Collaboration means email and video communication. Collaboration is at the heart of every business. Effective collaboration extends beyond verbal and written communications. Digital collaboration can be divided into four areas – communication, content, workflows, and governance. Smarter collaboration tools can enhance secure realtime workflow. Simplifying the tech stack may be the answer to smarter collaboration. Collaboration to enhance the customer experience Collaboration myth #2 – The customer experience is a job for the support team. Today’s end-to-end customer experience looks vastly different from that of the past. Relationships matter, but the customer experience starts before someone picks up the phone. What is the customer's first introduction to your brand? The customer experience is really a series of micro-experiences that are shaping the customer’s perception of your company. Back office teams affects the customer experience more than they realize. Handling unstructured data, cybersecurity, and the cloud Collaboration myth #3 – We don’t have unstructured data problems. Unstructured data refers to any data that doesn’t live in a database. Unmet regulatory requirements and security vulnerabilities are at risk with unstructured data. Collaboration myth #4 – Cybersecurity is the IT department’s problem. Human behavior is the biggest vulnerability to an organization, so every human needs to play a role in increasing security. Collaboration myth #5 – The cloud isn’t secure. It’s not the location of your data that defines security, it’s the controls around it. There are clear benefits to utilizing the cloud verses on-prem. Cloud data storage increases visibility and oversight. The role of AI in your organization AI can’t do everything, but it can do a lot of good in a credit or loan workplace. Look at low-risk, high-impact areas first, most likely found in the back office. Employee engagement can be increased by delegating to AI. AI is not meant to replace humans, and should not be used to make final lending decisions. AI will not be able to replace personal networking and relationship building. Start with tools that you already have and grow from there. Integration and consolidation are far more critical than the overloaded tech stack. This podcast is powered by FCCS. Resources Connect with Charlotte Li — Get in touch “Collaboration is at the heart of every business.” — Charlotte Li “Communication is just one slice of collaboration.” — Charlotte Li “Smarter collaboration is all about making information flow securely and in real time.” — Charlotte Li “The customer experience is really a series of micro-experiences that are shaping the customer’s perception of your company.” — Charlotte Li /episode/index/show/fccsforwardthinking/id/37399875

Expanding Capacity with AI: A Conversation with Tom Morrison 07/10/2025

Expanding Capacity with AI: A Conversation with Tom Morrison In this special episode recorded live at the 2025 FCCS Learning Conference, host Stephanie Barton, SVP of Marketing and Communications for FCCS sits down with keynote speaker Tom Morrison to explore the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in modern organizations—and how leaders can harness it to expand capacity, not replace people. “As leaders, we need to focus on sharpening the uniquely human skills that matter most—strategic thinking, relationship building, and emotional intelligence. Let AI handle the tactical, repetitive tasks so we can devote more time and energy to the work that truly drives connection and impact.” — Stephanie Barton, SVP of Marketing and Communications, FCCS Tom shares his perspective on the power and promise of AI in transforming the way we work, offering real-world examples of how it can eliminate tedious tasks, unlock bandwidth, and help individuals and teams focus more on strategy, creativity, and human connection. “Humans have an unmatched ability to apply common sense, adapt to change, and build meaningful relationships—skills AI simply can't replicate. Let technology handle the repetitive, administrative work so you can focus on what truly matters: connecting with people and driving impact.” — Tom Morrison, Life Coach, Consultant, and Author Key Highlights: AI as a Capacity Multiplier Tom explains why AI should be viewed as a tool to expand human potential—not as a threat to jobs. Using AI for the Everyday and Extraordinary From helping parents plan birthday parties to assisting CFOs in analyzing complex data sets, AI can simplify life and business. Debunking AI Myths Common fears around AI—like job displacement and misuse—are addressed, with advice on how to navigate them proactively. Human Skills Still Matter Despite advances in technology, AI lacks empathy, creativity, and common sense—skills humans will always bring to the table. Practical First Steps Tom encourages listeners to subscribe to ChatGPT and start experimenting daily—whether it's writing emails, planning meetings, or preparing for tough conversations. The Future of Work and Leadership The conversation wraps up with insights on how AI will evolve in the next five years and why staying curious and adaptable is key for leaders and organizations alike. Resources Mentioned: – Explore posts on association growth and leadership. – Tom’s podcast focused on member engagement and association innovation. – Technology for associations to enhance member communication. – A closed AI model designed for associations, supporting 140+ languages. Forward Thinking Advice from Tom Morrison: “Don’t wait. Get the $20 paid version of ChatGPT and start using it every day. Use it to save time, spark ideas, and focus on what really matters—relationships, strategy, and growth.” /episode/index/show/fccsforwardthinking/id/37365560

Attacking Life's Storms: Overcoming Adversity 05/16/2025

Attacking Life's Storms: Overcoming Adversity Obstacles and challenges are inevitable, but what if they are a catalyst for growth, opportunities, and transformation? This episode of the Forward Thinking Podcast features FCCS VP of Marketing and Communications Stephanie Barton and speaker, coach and thought leader Rousawn Dozier. Together, they consider the possibilities of navigating adversity with courage and confidence. They explore what happens when you face adversity head on, the power of shifting your perspective, and the opportunities that appear when you choose to embrace obstacles. Episode Insights Include: Why do we avoid adversity? Life is full of obstacles, and there is no avoiding that. As human beings, we have the option to avoid obstacles. Where there is no resistance, there can be no strength developed. Obstacles can be viewed as opportunities for developing strength. Avoiding pain does nothing to develop grit. The opportunities presented by obstacles Leaning into obstacles creates opportunities. Opportunities are often disguised as struggles. Avoiding conflict or struggle creates internal resentment. Doors open when we head into adversity head on. Shifting to a growth mindset Your mindset is nothing more than a set of ideals or beliefs. Look at obstacles for what they are, and what opportunities they present. Think of obstacles as something that can push you toward your goals. Rousawn recognized that fear was holding him back from his life’s purpose. The power of perception Your perception creates your reality, but it won’t help you grow. Stop out of perception, and step into perspective. Consider what the people around you are experiencing. Ask others to help you understand their perspective. Don’t focus on being right, focus on getting it right. Building systems of accountability The responsibility of being accountable can be heavy, but always brings rewards. Accountability may not feel good, but it’s for your good. Accountability breeds responsibility. Who is holding you accountable? The importance of rest Place the oxygen mask on yourself before you place it on others. If you aren’t taking care of yourself, you can’t be in the position of caring for others. Are you feeling more rushed or rested? Define rest for yourself. Balancing rest and ambition requires creating an intentional and healthy rhythm. Life is happening for us, not to us Faith, family, finance, fitness and freedom are the pillars of Rousawn’s life success. Gratitude for the experiences we are having is essential. Focusing on your successes will tell your energy where to go. Whatever you’re not changing, you’re ultimately choosing. This podcast is powered by FCCS. Resources Connect with Rousawn Dozier — Get in touch “Where there is no resistance, there can be no strength developed.” — Rousawn Dozier “Opportunities are often disguised as struggles.” — Rousawn Dozier “Stop out of perception, and step into perspective.” — Rousawn Dozier “Don’t focus on being right, focus on getting it right.” — Rousawn Dozier “Whatever you’re not changing, you’re ultimately choosing.” — Rousawn Dozier /episode/index/show/fccsforwardthinking/id/36594455

Building Courageous Cultures: Unlocking Ideas and Innovation in Your Organization 04/30/2025

Building Courageous Cultures: Unlocking Ideas and Innovation in Your Organization Where are all the good ideas? And why don’t the good ideas ever seem to get implemented? The disconnect between leaders and employees is holding back innovation and an environment of psychological safety is key to cultivating a courageous culture that fosters innovation. This episode of the Forward Thinking Podcast features FCCS VP of Marketing and Communications Stephanie Barton and Karin Hurt, Founder and CEO of Let's Grow Leaders and instructor in the FCCS Leading Leaders program. Together, they explore ways leaders can build courageous cultures that encourage innovation, create psychological safety, and empower employees to speak up. Episode Insights Include: Establishing a courageous culture In a courageous culture, people feel confident and capable of sharing their ideas. “How can we?”, “What if?”, and “Can we try?” are some of the commonly heard phrases in a courageous culture. The open-door policy still requires the employee's courage to walk in and start a conversation. Employees often feel that the feedback loop is never closed after they share ideas. Giving credit where due is an essential part of establishing a courageous culture. How not to respond to new ideas Leaders need to respond with gratitude, information and an invitation. Each of these steps is essential when responding to ideas, no matter how off-base they may be. Intentional responses will encourage future ideas to be shared. Tactical, practical strategies can make a real difference in creating a safe culture. Seven steps to building a courageous culture No matter where you are in your company’s leadership organization, you can do the first four steps. Navigate the narrative to lay a foundation of psychological safety. Create clarity about your interest in others' ideas and where exactly you want ideas and input. Cultivate curiosity by deliberately asking questions of your team. Essential leadership and management skills A courageous culture is implemented by leaders who set clear expectations and understand their strategic direction. 5x5 communication needs to be communicated five times, five different ways – town hall, follow up with leaders, in one-on-ones, emails, and more. Check for understanding to ensure information is both sent and received. Enhance curiosity by asking people for techniques for soliciting ideas. Own the UGLY – ask these four strategic questions to get great feedback. Manage up – check for understanding about what you are asking your employees to do. Is it working? Are you getting ideas that you can actually use? Consider the cycle of input and output of good ideas that are presented in a psychologically safe environment. Ensure that your efforts are supporting your strategic initiatives. Celebrate your successes! Build a cultural oasis where one clear idea is the focus of all efforts. This podcast is powered by FCCS. Resources Connect with Karin Hurt — Get in touch “If you are a human-centered leader working to create an environment where people want to speak up, pay attention to the experiences that people have had in the past.” — Karin Hurt “Having practical, tactical strategies will really make a difference.” — Karin Hurt “A courageous culture is implemented by leaders who set clear expectations and understand their strategic direction.” — Karin Hurt /episode/index/show/fccsforwardthinking/id/36372510

Generative AI in Financial Institutions: Balancing Innovation 04/10/2025

Generative AI in Financial Institutions: Balancing Innovation Generative AI is developing at an exciting pace, transforming compliance, risk management, and the customer experience. It’s potential also requires financial institutions to navigate ethical dilemmas, security risks, and implementation challenges. This episode of the Forward Thinking Podcast features FCCS VP of Marketing and Communications Stephanie Barton and Kris Stewart, a certified regulatory compliance manager, product manager, attorney and business leader for Wolters Kluwer Compliance Solutions for a conversation about the power and possibilities of generative AI in financial institutions and how farm credit institutions can harness this technology while ensuring compliance and trust with their customers. Episode Insights Include: Generative AI in the Financial Industry Generative AI is already a game changer and will continue to shape the future. Real-world applications include credit risk assessments, servicing loans, and reviewing credit documents. Compliance officers can utilize generative AI to tackle regulatory updates. Generative AI can read data, find relationships, and report on actionable patterns. As an assistant, generative AI filters the work and never gets tired. Enhancing the customer experience A personalized banking experience is possible with generative AI. Considerations for lending, fraud detection and financial planning. A seamless process is possible with increased AI input. AI has the ability to catch and prevent fraud faster. 24/7 availability and endless time to answer questions are perks for AI users. AI utilities data that is already available and decreases time required for filling out forms. Risks associated with generative AI adoption Data security and privacy are at the top of the list of potential concerns. Loan decisioning data has the potential to have bias built into it. Generative AI hallucinations are a result of the language predictive model. Each of these considerations is improving, and still require human input where logical. Guardrails will always need to be in place to monitor accuracy. Addressing key ethical dilemmas AI needs to continually be working for customers, not against them. Transparency is key in utilizing generative AI. Strong governance and control framework are critical to successful AI application. AI has the potential to enhance or destroy customer relationships. The role of compliance officers in generative AI adaptation The standard approach to compliance governance must be employed to AI. Fair lending issues, whether created by humans or AI, must be addressed in the same way. AI must be considered as an additional way to deliver goods and services, and not permitted to violate laws that already exist. Overcoming implementation roadblocks The state of your data structure is critical to effective implementation. Inaccuracies and biases that are built into data need to be cleaned up prior to significant use within AI. A good governance structure needs to be in place from the beginning. Vendor solutions can help with implementing AI. Strategically identify where specifically your company will utilize AI. Consider use cases to maximize effort and investment. Measuring the success of AI implementation Consider your current customer processes and satisfaction, and apply the same metrics on AI. Operational efficiencies can be measured by key performance indicators. Apply the measurements that are already providing useful information to AI. Consider employee engagement – how is AI utilization affecting your team? The future of generative AI Deep research in generative AI is leveraging reasoning to find and analyze data. AI is coming, and we as humans need to be educated about and prepared for what it is capable of. Consider competencies required of future generations to optimize efficiencies. This podcast is powered by FCCS. Resources Connect with Kris Stewart — Get in touch “I like to think of generative AI as the most knowledgeable, fast, compliance assistant that I could ever hope to hire.” — Kris Stewart “Generative AI is not meant to replace the human, it’s meant to help filter the work.” — Kris Stewart “You need AI to do your work efficiently these days, but you need guardrails too.” — Kris Stewart “Be fearless about investing and learning. The technology wave is coming whether you engage or not.” — Kris Stewart /episode/index/show/fccsforwardthinking/id/35880640

Understanding Burnout in Our Workforce 03/27/2025

Understanding Burnout in Our Workforce Burnout is affecting everyone in farm credit, from individual contributors and managers to senior leaders. The recent FCCS Employee Engagement survey revealed that while everyone is feeling burnout, the why behind burnout varies based on each individual association This episode of the Forward Thinking Podcast features FCCS VP of Marketing and Communications Stephanie Barton and FCCS Organizational Development Consultant Angie Coleman unpack the data from this survey, define what burnout looks like across different roles, and explore what organizations can do to combat burnout, improve employee wellbeing, and drive engagement. Episode Insights Include: The FCCS Employee Engagement survey The survey highlights trends by region and size. The survey will be conducted annually. 2024 survey findings included a national and global decrease in employee engagement and an increase in management satisfaction. Burnout is continuing to increase, despite distance from the pandemic. Burnout at every employment level Middle management is most negatively affected by burnout. Senior leaders feel burnout the least, possibly because of their level of control, but also because they understand the ‘why’ behind change. Communications breakdown is a major player behind burnout. Leaders rarely overcommunicate with their teams. There is no clear correlation between burnout and company size, region, weather, or challenges. The manifestation of burnout Middle managers are carrying the heaviest emotional load as they support both upper management and individual employees. Burnout needs to be addressed from an emotional labor standpoint as well as a task-oriented perspective. Leaders can ask themselves what specifically they are worrying about with their teams. If everything is a crisis, then employees can’t get excited about anything. A customized approach to burnout The why behind burnout shows that a generalized approach to combatting burnout will not be effective. Customized training, targeted strategies and one-on-one meetings are essential to productive change. Managers can note specific employee concerns and address then at each one-on-one meeting. Successful burnout combat strategies Communicate survey results to the entire employee population at the same time in the same way. Set clear bullet points for leaders to address in one-on-ones and team meetings to enhance purpose behind communication. Consider if you are taking things off employees plates as often as you are putting things on. Leaders can use the findings from the surveys to connect with managers and employees about specific questions in one-on-one meetings. This podcast is powered by FCCS. Resources Connect with Angie Coleman — Get in touch “If you [as a leader] feel like you’re tired of communicating, you’re probably just scratching the surface on what your employees need in terms of their level of communication.” — Angie Coleman “While everyone is feeling burnout, the why is completely up to the individual association and what’s happening in that space.” — Angie Coleman “It’s helpful not to just approach burnout from a task-oriented perspective, but also recognizing how we can be supportive of that from an emotional labor standpoint.” — Angie Coleman “If everything is a crisis, then really nothing is.” — Angie Coleman “It is critical for leaders to ask the right questions so they can meet employees where they are.” — Angie Coleman /episode/index/show/fccsforwardthinking/id/35880615

From Setbacks to Strength: The Antifragile Leader’s Playbook 03/12/2025

From Setbacks to Strength: The Antifragile Leader’s Playbook Engaging in deliberate practice, continuous learning, and fostering open communication are critical for building antifragile leadership. Antifragility challenges the way leaders think about resilience, adaptability, and growth. On this episode of The Forward Thinking Podcast, FCCS VP of Marketing and Communications Stephanie Barton is joined by Nicole Brusewitz, VP of Leadership Development, Learning and Consulting Services at FCCS. Together they discuss a superior approach to resilience – one that doesn’t just withstand uncertainty but thrives in it. Episode Insights Include: The power behind antifragility Antifragility is not just about bouncing back in the face of uncertainty or change. Antifragility harnesses disruption to grow stronger. Controlled strength is required to self-rescue in difficult times Building strong systems, skills and mindsets is essential to strength when things go wrong. Thriving in uncertainty In the last five years, the focus has been on bouncing back. It’s time to advance. Don’t just react to change. Benefit from it. Muscle growth comes from tiny tears and repairs. This applies to business strength as well. Adapting antifragility in the workplace Cultivate a company culture of antifragility by intentionally deciding to thrive in uncertainty. Be strategic – the more change that is introduced into the workplace, the more employees will begin to resist the change. Practice antifragility before it is needed. Practice antifragility Identify pain points and bottlenecks in the workplace, then engage frontline employees in implementing programs for improvement. Expand decision-making authority as solutions are put into place. Proactively implement strategies before frontline actions are needed. Build on success in manageable increments that don’t create additional stress. Don’t create change simply for the sake of change. Introducing small-scale stressors Amazon’s approach to innovation explored antifragility in controlled ways. Consider the introduction of Amazon’s Fire phone and Amazon Prime memberships. Controlled chaos is essential in achieving effective antifragility. Chaos should never be a total surprise. Overcoming common leadership struggles Leaders often think that instability is inherently bad – recognize that it encourages growth. Embracing change and uncertainty recognizes that it is unavoidable. Bulldozer parents try to remove every obstacle in their child’s path – antifragility leaders avoid this approach. Work alongside and encourage team members while allowing them the growth that comes with their struggle. Antifragility and technology disruptions Technology advancements can both encourage antifragility by introducing disruptions and also making businesses more adaptive. AI can be used to enhance flexibility and antifragility. AI is a tool for efficiency and adaptability. Habits for introducing antifragility Find ways to deliver deliberate discomfort. Encourage feedback from your team that is outside your comfort zone. Regularly and deliberately invite discomfort into your routines. Don’t just prepare for disruption, train yourself and your business to benefit from it. This podcast is powered by FCCS. Resources Connect with Nicole Brusewitz — Get in touch “Building strong systems, skills and mindsets is essential to strength when things go wrong.” — Nicole Brusewitz “Antifragility is not just about bouncing back. It’s about advancing forward.” — Nicole Brusewitz “Don’t just react to change. Benefit from it.” — Nicole Brusewitz “Chaos should never be a total surprise.” — Nicole Brusewitz “Don’t just prepare for disruption, train yourself and your business to benefit from it.” — Nicole Brusewitz /episode/index/show/fccsforwardthinking/id/35607250

Compassionate Accountability 11/12/2024

Compassionate Accountability Accountability without compassion creates negative cultures that can’t retain talent, while compassion without accountability creates avoidant cultures that can’t perform. The need for both compassion and accountability is greater than ever before. On this episode of The Forward Thinking Podcast, FCCS VP of Marketing and Communications Stephanie Barton is joined by Nathan Regier, CEO of Next Element and author of Compassionate Accountability. Together they consider the importance of combining human connection and accountability in performance in ways that benefit all involved parties. Episode Insights Include: Compassion and Accountability Compassion is much more than sympathy – it means to literally suffer with another. Many problems don’t need to be fixed, they simply need to be journeyed through together. Compassion needs to be a co-creative process. Accountability is the co-creative process of getting things done. Accountability and compassion can’t exist in isolation, they have to work together. Why does this concept matter? Conflict can happen in a way that brings people closer together when compassion and accountability are present. The compassion mindset allows people to approach conflict with a productive mindset. People struggle with this concept until they realize that compassion and accountability can change our world. Defining a compassion mindset The compassion mindset understands the choices we make have a material impact on others and on outcomes. It is a fundamental choice that we have the opportunity to make. Value, capability, and responsibility are the three choices of the compassion mindset. Bridging the divide with a compassionate mindset Mindset is the first essential step. Skill set is critical to ensure that the correct behaviors have been learned. The bridge between compassion and accountability is conflict. There is no other way to get to compassion and accountability than through conflict because the purpose of conflict is to create. Navigating trust and conflict Conflict provides opportunities to build or destroy trust. ORPO can help navigate conflict - Openness, Resourcefulness, Persistence, and Openness to safety. Every interaction is an opportunity to choose drama or no drama. Ask yourself what would happen if you interacted with every conflict with respect. Incorporating compassion and accountability into culture Consider how your efforts support human value. No matter your company’s brand, it is an indicator of your company’s culture. Culture will always drive the brand. There is no excuse for anyone to dismiss their lack of efforts for compassion - growth is always an option. Consider the end result that you really want, then act accordingly. This podcast is powered by FCCS. Resources Connect with Nathan Regier — Get in touch “Compassion doesn’t mean to take away the suffering, it means to join with people and walk together through the suffering.” — Nathan Regier “We can’t have compassion and accountability in isolation, they just have to work together.” — Nathan Regier “If compassion and accountability can coexist, it can change our world.” — Nathan Regier “There is no other way to get to compassion and accountability than through conflict.” — Nathan Regier /episode/index/show/fccsforwardthinking/id/33894932

Developing Adaptable Employees and Teams 10/16/2024

Developing Adaptable Employees and Teams Keeping up with the rapid pace of technology and process changes is a challenge for organizations worldwide. On this episode of The Forward Thinking Podcast, FCCS VP of Marketing and Communications Stephanie Barton welcomes Greg DeVore, co-founder and CEO of ScreenSteps for a discussion about creating smoother transitions and stronger team performance. They cover strategies for developing adaptable employees and teams, tools and training that can empower employees to confidently adapt to change, and what happens when employees are given the framework that enables them to effectively enhance their performance and improve their procedures. Episode Insights Include: Why do organizations struggle with change? Change is often a people problem. No one likes change. The lack of clarity around change creates additional ambiguity and stress. Leaders need to be aware of the cognitive load they are putting on people when introducing changes. How can change be made less scary? A one-time lunch-and-learn does not provide enough time to retain new information. Employees lose 90% of the information presented to them, so they must be empowered to perform their new jobs after they have forgotten almost everything new. Creating a reference guide for change provides the framework that employees need to access new foundational knowledge. Empower employees to find the information they need at the moment they need it. Becoming a Find and Follow organization The only way you can make onboarding easier is if you change the way you work. Transferring information from one employee to the next is a critical component of organizational success. If you are truly seeking consistency and the ability to adapt to change, you don’t actually want employees to learn tasks. You want them to understand the foundational knowledge. Effectively introducing change A really good checklist will beat dozens of years of experience. Memorization is not the ultimate goal, empowering employees to access knowledge is. Start introducing change by identifying the needed change and the resources that will support it. High complexity and high rates of change require a high level of training and resources. The goal should be to transfer knowledge to employees in the moment that they need it. Identifying what employees need to know in order to be successful Include the person in charge of training, the person fixing the employees’ mistakes, and the person who answers their questions. Consider the employee triggers- tasks that must be performed and questions that must be answered. This approach can work for both large and small changes. Employees who follow this approach will feel more confident in their responsibilities. Effective, established frameworks can support AI in the future of work. This podcast is powered by FCCS. Resources Connect with Greg DeVore — Get in touch /episode/index/show/fccsforwardthinking/id/33452582

Be an Employee Recognition Champion 09/20/2024

Be an Employee Recognition Champion A company that values and celebrates performance has unlocked the first step to creating a culture that employees resonate with. The transformative power of creating a culture of recognition is a critical component of employee satisfaction and company success. On this episode of The Forward Thinking Podcast, FCCS VP of Marketing and Communications Stephanie Barton is joined by Don Nielsen, Employee Recognition Champion and Senior Strategic Partnerships Manager, Awardco. Together they explore the power of a strong company culture, the need for employee engagement and recognition, and the importance of intentionally designing a company culture that resonates with employees. Don shares a variety of ideas for getting started with intentional employee recognition and underscores the importance of celebrating employee successes whenever possible. Episode Insights Include: What is company culture? Culture means different things to different people. Consider the median sentiment across the entire organization. What are the happiest people saying about the organization, and what percentage of the organization do they represent? Culture is defined by what the least happy people in the organization have to say about it. There is culture by default, and culture by design. Intentional culture doesn’t just happen. In culture by design, leaders are thinking about the future of the organization. How is company culture created? There is always going to be a culture, but a positive one might need to be redefined. A culture that fits within a mission statement and brand is going to have a greater impact. There are 3 steps to creating a positive culture that defines the buy-in impact- consider why someone would come to work for you rather than your competitor. Employees have to understand the difference that they’re making in the world. Define the core competencies your employees are expected to live by. Incorporate an attitude of gratitude in the workplace. Intentionally designing a company culture Leaders have to set an example for their teams. The trickle-down effect matters- the mid-level managers have to exhibit the same cultural behaviors as the CEO. The actions of the leader that most resonate with the employee are the ones that the employee will replicate. Leaders have to demonstrate the behaviors that they want to see in their employees, and then reward those behaviors when they see them in action. Behaviors that are rewarded are behaviors that are repeated. Effective recognition ideas Sincerity is the most important aspect of recognition. Consider how people are receiving your efforts of gratitude. Allow opportunities to see others being recognized. Give gratitude yourself to model appropriate recognition efforts. Try increasing your recognition efforts by 3x in 3 months. Start with whatever employment experience data you have, and increase your efforts from there. Ask for feedback and then use that feedback to make improvements. Point-based incentive programs can help address the desire for increased wages. This podcast is powered by FCCS. Resources Connect with Don Nielsen — Get in touch /episode/index/show/fccsforwardthinking/id/33140017

2023 Winner of the Accelerator of the Year Allyson Tjoelker 08/30/2024

2023 Winner of the Accelerator of the Year Allyson Tjoelker No matter the team size, a strategic plan, and inspiring vision can go a long way in accelerating a team toward success. On this episode of The Forward Thinking Podcast, FCCS VP of Marketing and Communications Stephanie Barton welcomes Allyson Tjoelker, SVP, Mission and YBS Lending for Capital Farm Credit and winner of the Accelerator of the Year Award. Allyson shares more about her professional journey and her YBS work for Capital. She highlights her tactics for developing a strategic vision from day one, offers strategies for supporting the next generation, and underscores the importance of developing a forward-thinking and collaborative leadership style. Episode Insights Include: Developing a strategic vision Assessing the situation at the beginning will help everyone start on the right foot. Meet with as many people as possible to understand the team environment and team member’s perspectives on its general health. Form an internal advisory group of champions who can advocate and steer the team toward success. Ask for input from team members about what might work and what might not work. Create an external advisory committee that can brainstorm solutions and provide feedback. Lean on your network to gain insights into successful programs. Strategies for supporting the next generation Identify who the target audience is. You can’t start too young – support youth in agriculture from an early age. Consider the three buckets of initiatives – education, outreach, and financial solutions. You will experience greater success when you are willing to share your vision and your resources. Marketing to the next generation needs to be intentional and impactful. Effective educational conferences highlight both marketing and succession planning. Youth educational offerings can engage the next generation from a middle school level. Executing and meeting goals as a one-person team The YBS forum has been key in supporting Allyson’s efforts. Empowering others to share their passion can lead to great results. Leadership support is a critical component of YBS and next-generation success initiatives. Overcoming the challenges of being a one-person team The desire to grow is not always matched by the manpower, but Allyson hasn’t let that slow her down. Finding the balance of excellence within the constraints of a strategic plan is essential to success. Consider a bigger perspective when facing challenges and keep moving forward. Lean on your bigger network and recognize that you are part of something impactful. Look at the strengths of others and then empower them. Allyson’s leadership advice Give yourself grace at every stage of your career. Solicit advice from people you admire. Listen, listen, listen to others. Trust in your leadership style. Ask for help where help is needed. This podcast is powered by FCCS. Resources Connect with Allyson Tjoelker— Get in touch “In the farm credit system, we’re all in this together.” — Allyson Tjoelker “We wouldn’t be where we are today if I didn’t have the support from some of the people outside of our association that had been there and done this before.” — Allyson Tjoelker “You’ve got to cast a wider net in order to get your vision and your resources out there.” — Allyson Tjoelker “First you have to meet where people are, and then explain how you can help them.” — Allyson Tjoelker “We have to have that messaging and support from the top consistently.” — Allyson Tjoelker “Find solutions, be creative, and keep moving forward.” — Allyson Tjoelker “Ask for help. Nothing of significance is ever accomplished alone.” — Allyson Tjoelker /episode/index/show/fccsforwardthinking/id/32818862

Human-Centered Leadership 08/16/2024

Human-Centered Leadership Human-centered leadership is the antidote to low employee morale, high turnover rates, weak team dynamics, and negative organizational culture. On this episode of The Forward Thinking Podcast, FCCS VP of Marketing and Communications Stephanie Barton sits down with Karin Hurt, Founder and CEO of Let's Grow Leaders and instructor in the Leading Leaders, FCCS Leadership Journey program for a conversation about the four dimensions of collaboration that create connection and clarity in human-centered leadership. She highlights what it means to be on a dream team, strategies for leading a team that you didn’t hand-pick, and the importance of crafting daily habits that keep a team moving forward together. Episode Insights Include: Dream (and nightmare) leadership teams The best team Karin has ever been a part of was the Strategic Partnership Channel. This team was filled with human-centered leaders and it showed in the care that everyone showed for each other. Teams like this are filled with people who are aligned by a unifying mission, a shared goal, and trust for each other. The worst team Karin was part of was filled with conflicts that were caused by systems problems. Teams that are pitted against each other will continue to struggle to accomplish anything. The four dimensions of collaboration Connection- do we know one another as human beings? Connection needs to be in place before difficult conversations have to happen. Use connecting words when communicating with others. Clarity- do we have a shared understanding of success? Is your team aligned on the habits that lead to success? Curiosity- are we genuinely interested in one another and in different perspectives? Commitment- do conversations culminate in accountability? Accountability is everyone’s job, not just the boss. The importance of daily habits Detailed, informative directives are far more valuable than generic feedback. Daily habits can help improve connections and performance. Specific, measurable habits will lead to greater results. Daily habits can help align a team and move everyone in the same direction. Check for understanding by assigning a number of hours to a task before starting it. Communicate an assignment five times in five different ways. Restate expectations of the next steps before the meeting is over. Successful team-building activities Start by creating a unified team vision. Visualize or draw how you see the team today and what the future could look like. Determine what needs to happen to get from where you are to where you need to be. Advice for leaders who didn’t pick their team A team can only be built one person at a time. Start with curiosity and connection - let your team see who you are as a human being with thoughts and feelings. Create clarity about where your team is headed in the future. Empower your team to hold each other accountable, share best practices, and even meet without you. This podcast is powered by FCCS. Resources Connect with Karin Hurt — Get in touch /episode/index/show/fccsforwardthinking/id/32619162

Empathy Based Listening as Your Differentiator 08/08/2024

Empathy Based Listening as Your Differentiator Empathy-Based Listening (EBL) is the transformative skill that can elevate your leadership and transform your listening skills. On this episode of The Forward Thinking Podcast, FCCS VP of Marketing and Communications Stephanie Barton is joined by Eric Maddox, speaker at the upcoming FCCS RISK 360 conference in Boston, author, motivational speaker and consultant who is known for the empathy-based listening method that is responsible for the capture of Saddam Hussein. Together they explore EBL, how to really listen to what really matters to clients and colleagues, and how to remove distractions from your conversations. Episode Insights Include: Tracking down Saddam Hussein with empathy-based listening From interrogations in a tight-knit Iraqi community to gaining the trust of prisoners, EBL was the key to tracking down the world’s most wanted man. Prisoner conversations begin at a negative-trust level. Eric’s biggest challenge was taking the enemy's trust from a negative level to a positive level. Effective techniques for building real trust Every conversation creates the potential for a relationship. Every moment together can become a future partnership. Positive partnerships are founded when one person shows interest in the other, not only in themselves. Transitioning to empathy based listening Eric recalls the specific prisoner who helped him realize that he needed to change his approach to listening. Partnerships don’t have to be about kindness and friendliness, but they do need to be about understanding. EBL can open up an avenue to the highest level of trust regardless of the circumstances. When Eric couldn’t get any of his prisoners to cooperate, he only had the option of looking at and changing his own approach. The utilization of EBL has taken prisoner cooperation from 4% to 65%. Applying EBL to business professionals Business culture can be improved by empathy-based listening. Relationships between lenders and borrowers tend to be imbalanced in favor of the lender. The person providing the service has the expertise and knowledge, and tends to focus only on trying to solve their problems. Identifying what makes a borrower’s situation unique creates a level of trust that cannot be matched. It only takes 3 minutes to ask questions about the other person to build real trust. Effective listening techniques Limit the major distraction of making sure that you know what you are going to stay next. The other person needs to know that you’re listening more than they need to hear your value proposition. Put the other person first- before your value proposition. Shift away from being first to being a more empathetic listener. Listen for the key words or phrases that the other person shares with you and wants to hear you repeat back to them- identify those breadcrumbs. Get off your own stage and get onto the other person’s stage. Resolving conflict with EBL Establish core goals regardless of trust levels. Discover the other person’s concerns by asking what their core goals are. Take the first step to get on their side and then meet them in the middle. Lessons learned from EBL With EBL, good is the enemy of great. There is much more work that needs to be done. Leadership is about solving problems that we have never faced before. Approaching problems happens more effectively with a clean slate. Empowering others creates greater opportunities for effective leadership. This podcast is powered by FCCS. Resources Connect with Eric Maddox – Get in touch /episode/index/show/fccsforwardthinking/id/32468197

Plant Your Feet Firmly in Mid-Air: Lead Through Change 06/25/2024

Plant Your Feet Firmly in Mid-Air: Lead Through Change Successful transformations during disruptive change demand a very defined set of behaviors from leaders. On this episode of The Forward Thinking Podcast, FCCS VP of Marketing and Communications Stephanie Barton welcomes Dr. Janet Lapp, Former Professor, Psychologist, registered nurse, author, and speaker at the upcoming RISK 360 Conference for a conversation about the inevitability of change in the workplace, how leaders can embrace change and the importance of creating a vision that inspires your team. Episode Insights Include: The importance of planting your feet in mid-air Feet that are planted firmly on the ground might suggest an unwillingness to change. Staying grounded in mission, purpose and values is essential, but it isn’t all that is needed. Leaders need to question everything else from policies, titles, strategies, and old ways of getting things done. Effective leaders must be willing to build on shifting ground. Stay grounded while also making change where change is needed most. Finding and implementing the most effective change leadership advice Be extra careful when considering any new leadership approach. Too many leadership books are based on opinion- look for the facts amidst the opinions. Certain workplace elements need to be change-ready before any change experiment is attempted. Don’t try to implement change in a chaotic, failing workplace- consider your team and company culture first. Forward thinking leadership strategies Servant leadership that listens to others and considers their needs before making changes will never go out of style. Leadership based on vulnerability is more important than ever before. Leaders who can connect with others and are authentic in their efforts can be curious and ask questions. A creative and innovative workspace is not possible without vulnerability. Leaders need to be willing to admit when they don’t know all of the answers and are willing to ask others and continue learning. Effective leaders trust the talents and abilities of the team that they have created. Transformational leadership versus change leadership Change leadership is creating an organization that is capable of changing. Transformational leadership means creating a shared vision that can be followed through engagement and involvement. A transformation without a solid foundation will only lead to chaos. A cultural setting of transformation must be created before any effective change can happen. Engaging a team in inevitable change Leaders can engage people who actively resist change by listening to their concerns. People do not resist change, they resist the fear of loss. Leaders need to communicate regularly about the things that they know as well as the things they don’t know everything about. Leaders need to create a compelling vision of the future that all employees can get on board with. If people are having trouble getting on board with change, a stronger vision of the future needs to be created by leaders. This podcast is powered by FCCS. Resources Connect with Dr. Janet Lapp – Get in touch “Effective leaders must be willing to build on shifting ground.” — Dr. Janet Lapp “Vulnerability is the basic leadership skill that is so needed today.” — Dr. Janet Lapp “A creative and innovative workspace is not possible without vulnerability.” — Dr. Janet Lapp “People do not resist change, they resist the fear of loss.” — Dr. Janet Lapp “Change is not a force to be seized but an opportunity to be grabbed.” — Dr. Janet Lapp /episode/index/show/fccsforwardthinking/id/31852862

The Art of Communication Without Coercion 06/07/2024

The Art of Communication Without Coercion The power of nonverbal communication is not to be underestimated. On this episode of The Forward Thinking Podcast, FCCS VP of Marketing and Communications Stephanie Barton welcomes Pamela Barnum, speaker at the upcoming and the FCCS Learning Conference in Chicago and Former Undercover Police Officer & Federal Prosecuting Attorney, Trust Strategist & Nonverbal Communication Expert for a discussion about the art of persuasion without coercion – a superpower for any effective leader. Episode Insights Include: The power of nonverbal communication Nonverbal communication is emotional intelligence on display. Nonverbal cues include tone of voice, cadence of speech, and body language. Leaders need to give as much attention to nonverbal communication as they do to the perfectly crafted verbal response. First impressions are often the most crucial moments of our professional lives. Nonverbal techniques can establish trust People make decisions about others within 1/10th of a second. It is essential to show up in a way that demonstrates confidence, empathy, and humility. First impressions establish the foundations of confidence and trust. Identifying sources of leverage in negotiations with DID questions Discovery questions ask ‘what’ and offer an overview of a person’s abilities. Implementation questions ask ‘how’ and give information that can be leveraged. Disclosure questions ask ‘why’ and offer insights into what the other person wants. DID questions provide opportunities to fulfill the other person’s wants as well as yours. Leveraging leadership strengths with priming Increasing self-awareness is critically important in overcoming imposter syndrome. The exercise of priming empowers leaders by reminding them of previous successes that will prepare them for future success. Keep a journal of successes to recall times that you got it right. A leader’s mindset controls their success. The importance of improving nonverbal communication Leaders often get caught up in doing things the way they’ve always been done instead of using each encounter as a unique opportunity for connection. Active listening is essential – ask intentional questions and listen for the answers. Conversations and connections can be improved with active listening. Effective leaders ask their team what kind of communication serves them best. Effective communication in the face of conflict Get purposeful about perspective taking – leaders are not separate and apart from their team. Slow down in the face of conflict to de-escalate the heightened tension. Take a break from the conflict if needed. Take time to consider the other perspective. Avoiding common communication mistakes Employ the SOME tactics– smile, open, mirroring and eye contact. Remain open through body language and avoid crossing arms. By remaining open, leaders appear more empathetic. Being open is effective and exhibits confidence and vulnerability. This podcast is powered by FCCS. Resources Connect with Pamela Barnum – Get in touch /episode/index/show/fccsforwardthinking/id/31643577

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