They’re back. Al and Steve kick off the year by discussing the biggest forces shaping banking right now, including something particularly challenging: growth.

From how banks are allocating capital to how leaders ought to measure results, they unpack what’s working, what isn’t, and preview themes from Ron Shevlin’s upcoming 2026 What’s Going On In Banking report.

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https://www.crnrstone.com/gritty-insights/podcasts/plugged-in


Chapters:
[00:00] Welcome to 2026 & “I’m Still Standing”
[01:15] Why Bank Size Doesn’t Equal Ambition
[02:30] Growth Is Harder Than It Looks
[03:35] “Grow or Go” Is Too Simple
[04:40] Capital Allocation is more important than Asset Growth
[06:05] Discipline Beats Scale
[07:40] Making Technology Pay for Itself
[09:45] When to Kill a Tech Investment
[11:05] “Running Up That Hill” & Tech Roadmaps
[15:55] What Banks Must Get Right Next