“...You establish trust with your team by being... willing to be vulnerable enough to, as a leader... to say... that's something that I hadn't thought about. That is an expertise that I don't have right now.” - Greg Michlig

Welcome to episode 210 of The CUInsight Experience podcast with your hosts, Randy Smith, co-founder of CUInsight.com, and Jill Nowacki, President and CEO of Humanidei.

This episode is sponsored by Alacriti—a leading payments fintech helping credit unions compete with challenger banks and digital wallets. Alacriti delivers seamless, real-time money movement experiences for loan payments, A2A transfers, digital disbursements, and bill pay. With a single, cloud-native platform that connects to The Clearing House, Fedwire, ACH, and FedNow, credit unions can modernize without overhauling legacy infrastructure. Learn more at Alacriti.com.

In this season, Jill and I will have conversations centered around leadership, credit unions, and living our best lives. We will have some of the most respected leaders from around credit unions who we are grateful to call friends join us in the discussion from time to time too.

In this episode, we are joined by Greg Michlig, CUInsight’s very own CEO, who joins us to talk about the power of paradox. Leadership, after all, isn’t always about having the answers. Leadership is a practice of holding tension and of living in the in-between, and we talk about the power and challenge of paradox in leadership. What does it look like to lead with both confidence and humility, to show strength while also admitting to what you don’t know?

Greg brings some personal stories and honest reflections that make you want to follow him, not because he claims to have all the answers but because he knows how to ask the right questions. We explore what it means to lead in uncertain times without pretending to be certain, and how the best leaders learn to embrace complexity rather than run from it.

We also get personal when we share how reframing the idea of “being right” vs. “getting it right” can change how we show up, and we reflect on the uncomfortable (and sometimes hilarious) experience of feeling like an imposter and a winner… at the exact same time!

If you have ever felt the pressure to perform, to decide fast, or to prove yourself worthy of your title, this episode offers something better than advice: a breath of honesty, a few good questions, and some encouragement to lead like a real human, and we encourage you to listen in!

Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com.
Subscribe on: Apple Podcasts and Spotify

Books mentioned on The CUInsight Experience podcast: Book List

How to find Greg:
Greg Michlig, C.E.O. at CUInsight
cuinsight.com
Greg: LinkedIn
CUInsight: LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | X

Want to hear more from Greg? Click here.

“Leaning into your best self—that's what brings joy and happiness.” – Tracie Kenyon

Welcome to episode 209 of The CUInsight Experience podcast with your hosts, Randy Smith, co-founder of CUInsight, and Jill Nowacki, President and CEO of Humanidei.

This episode is sponsored by Alacriti—a leading payments fintech helping credit unions compete with challenger banks and digital wallets. Alacriti delivers seamless, real-time money movement experiences for loan payments, A2A transfers, digital disbursements, and bill pay. With a single, cloud-native platform that connects to The Clearing House, Fedwire, ACH, and FedNow, credit unions can modernize without overhauling legacy infrastructure. Learn more at Alacriti.com.

In this season, Jill and I will have conversations centered around leadership, credit unions, and living our best lives. We will have some of the most respected leaders from around credit unions who we are grateful to call friends join us in the discussion from time to time too.

In this episode, we are joined by a familiar voice—Tracie Kenyon, Executive Development Partner at Humanidei—to discuss the importance of leaders doing inner work: what we bring into the room before the meeting even starts. Even though it's often said that feelings do not belong in the workplace, nothing could be further from the truth.

Inner work is messy, ongoing, and, at times, uncomfortable—but it is also where the most meaningful improvements in leadership happen. Tracie helps us explore what it really looks like to lead from the inside out.

We also reflect on our own growth, and Tracie reminds us that leadership isn’t always about having the right answers but about staying curious, staying grounded, and letting go of the idea that we have to always be perfect and in control of everything.

Whether you are leading a team or leading yourself through a tough season, this episode is for you. Enjoy our conversation with Tracie Kenyon!

Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com.
Subscribe on: Apple Podcasts and Spotify

How to find Tracie:
Tracie Kenyon, Executive Development Partner at Humanidei
humanidei.com
Tracie: LinkedIn
Humanidei: LinkedIn | Facebook | X

Want to hear more from Tracie? Click here.

“Trust is the currency that keeps credit unions thriving.” - Jill Nowacki

 Welcome to episode 208 of The CUInsight Experience podcast with your hosts, Randy Smith, co-founder of CUInsight.com, and Jill Nowacki, President and CEO of Humanidei.

This episode is sponsored by Alacriti—a leading payments fintech helping credit unions compete with challenger banks and digital wallets. Alacriti delivers seamless, real-time money movement experiences for loan payments, A2A transfers, digital disbursements, and bill pay. With a single, cloud-native platform that connects to The Clearing House, Fedwire, ACH, and FedNow, credit unions can modernize without overhauling legacy infrastructure. Learn more at Alacriti.com.

In this season, Jill and I will have conversations centered around leadership, credit unions, and living our best lives. We will have some of the most respected leaders from around credit unions who we are grateful to call friends join us in the discussion from time to time too.

In this episode, we discuss a simple but incredibly important topic: the importance of trust. We don’t talk about it just as a buzzword but as something absolutely critical to being a good, effective leader. Sharing real stories from the credit union world, we closely examine the different layers of trust, from keeping members’ data safe to creating spaces where people feel seen, heard, and safe.

We also talk openly about the disconnect between intention and perception and how even well-meaning leaders can unintentionally erode trust via missteps, unintentional favoritism, and/or inconsistency. Jill shares her own mental model of a “trust pyramid,” applying it to both member and employee expectations, and I reflect on moments in my own leadership journey where trust may have faltered and what it takes to earn it back.

Whether you are a leader yourself who is trying to build a more cohesive team or someone rethinking your organization’s promises to the communities that you serve, please join us because this conversation will challenge you to reflect on what trust truly requires!

Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com.
Subscribe on: Apple Podcasts and Spotify

Books mentioned on The CUInsight Experience podcast: Book List 

Previous guests mentioned in this episode: Chuck Fagan (episodes 5 & 176)

“If you’re looking for evidence of your failure, you’ll find that evidence.” - Jill Nowacki

Welcome to episode 207 of The CUInsight Experience podcast with your hosts, Randy Smith, co-founder of CUInsight.com, and Jill Nowacki, President and CEO of Humanidei.

This episode is sponsored by Alacriti—a leading payments fintech helping credit unions compete with challenger banks and digital wallets. Alacriti delivers seamless, real-time money movement experiences for loan payments, A2A transfers, digital disbursements, and bill pay. With a single, cloud-native platform that connects to The Clearing House, Fedwire, ACH, and FedNow, credit unions can modernize without overhauling legacy infrastructure. Learn more at Alacriti.com.

In this season, Jill and I will have conversations centered around leadership, credit unions, and living our best lives. We will have some of the most respected leaders from around credit unions who we are grateful to call friends join us in the discussion from time to time too.

In this episode, we discuss a challenge that many of us deal with—imposter syndrome—that annoying voice in your head that’s trying to convince you that you aren’t good enough and you don’t deserve to be here. We talk about how it shows up and shapes how we lead, interact, and self-sabotage.

We talk about first jobs—where a “fake it ‘til you make it” mindset was the norm—and moments that made us question if we belonged where we were. Imposter syndrome sometimes hides behind perfectionism, micromanagement, and/or hesitation to take risks, and we discuss what that can do to a workplace culture.

Join us as we offer up some tools to help you recognize that it isn’t just you—literally everyone is flawed!

Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com.
Subscribe on: Apple Podcasts and Spotify
Books mentioned on The CUInsight Experience podcast: Book List

“Be unreasonable, but not unrealistic.” - Renée Sattiewhite

Welcome to episode 206 of The CUInsight Experience podcast with your hosts, Randy Smith, co-founder of CUInsight.com, and Jill Nowacki, President and CEO of Humanidei. 

This episode is sponsored by Trellance. Trellance is a leading technology partner for credit unions, delivering innovative technology solutions to help credit unions achieve more. With a comprehensive suite of analytics, cloud and talent solutions, the Trellance team ensures credit unions increase efficiency, manage risk, and improve member experience.

In this season, Jill and I will have conversations centered around leadership, credit unions, and living our best lives. We will have some of the most respected leaders from around credit unions who we are grateful to call friends join us in the discussion from time to time too.

In this episode, we are joined by Renée Sattiewhite, President & CEO at the African-American Credit Union Coalition (AACUC). We discuss the growing pains that come with scaling up an organization, and Renée reflects on her experience scaling AACUC through tough times, including a rapid expansion during the COVID-19 pandemic that required balancing remote hires and maintaining the organization's core values.

Renée’s journey as a leader truly highlights the importance of hiring the right people and making sure that the organization’s culture remains intact as things grow and change. She talks candidly about the lessons that she has learned in guiding her team and offers a unique perspective on leading during periods of growth. 

From training employees to prioritizing well-being over profits, Renée offers some truly valuable insight for leaders dealing with their own growing pains. Enjoy our conversation with Renée Sattiewhite!

Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com.
Subscribe on: Apple Podcasts and Spotify

How to find Renée:
Renée Sattiewhite, President & CEO at AACUC
aacuc.org
Renée: LinkedIn
AACUC: LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | X | YouTube

“Don’t just bounce back—bounce better.” - Randy Smith

Welcome to episode 205 of The CUInsight Experience podcast with your hosts, Randy Smith, co-founder of CUInsight.com, and Jill Nowacki, President and CEO of Humanidei. 

This episode is sponsored by Trellance. Trellance is a leading technology partner for credit unions, delivering innovative technology solutions to help credit unions achieve more. With a comprehensive suite of analytics, cloud and talent solutions, the Trellance team ensures credit unions increase efficiency, manage risk, and improve member experience.

In this season, Jill and I will have conversations centered around leadership, credit unions, and living our best lives. We will have some of the most respected leaders from around credit unions who we are grateful to call friends join us in the discussion from time to time too.

In this episode, we discuss the idea of resilience, stressing that it isn’t just about weathering a storm; it’s also about coming out stronger on the other side of it. We talk about what it means to be a truly resilient leader and how organizations can build resilience into their DNA.

We talk about how leaders who thrive through difficult times are not just the ones who endure but those who adapt, inspire, and create opportunities out of challenges. We also discuss the traits that set resilient leaders apart—how they embrace setbacks and create adaptability in their teams.

As we further explore this topic, we talk about how it is not just an organizational trait; it’s also personal, and we look at the importance of leaders maintaining their own well-being, recognizing when to push forward and when to step back.

We hope you’ll enjoy this conversation as we cover practical ways to put resilience into operations!

Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com.
Subscribe on: Apple Podcasts and Spotify
Books mentioned on The CUInsight Experience podcast: Book List
Previous guests mentioned in this episode: Mike Valentine (episodes 128 & 204)

“As long as you take your job seriously and not yourself seriously, you’re ok.” - Mike Valentine

Welcome to episode 204 of The CUInsight Experience podcast with your hosts, Randy Smith, co-founder of CUInsight.com, and Jill Nowacki, President and CEO of Humanidei.

This episode is sponsored by Trellance. Trellance is a leading technology partner for credit unions, delivering innovative technology solutions to help credit unions achieve more. With a comprehensive suite of analytics, cloud and talent solutions, the Trellance team ensures credit unions increase efficiency, manage risk, and improve member experience.

In this season, Jill and I will have conversations centered around leadership, credit unions, and living our best lives. We will have some of the most respected leaders from around credit unions who we are grateful to call friends join us in the discussion from time to time too.

In this episode, we welcome our friend Mike Valentine back to the show. Mike is the President and CEO of BCU in Illinois, and he joins us to reflect on some insights from his 40 years in the credit union industry, offering a refreshing perspective on leadership that prioritizes authenticity. We explore how leaders can balance being true to themselves while also taking on the expectations of others.

Mike opens up about the challenges that he faced early in his career. He stresses that being a leader isn’t about fitting into a mold but rather about embracing one’s true self, which ultimately leads to stronger connections and more effective leadership. We also discuss the importance of helping teams find and express their authentic selves and how diversity in leadership styles strengthens organizations.

As we further explore Mike’s journey, he touches upon the critical moments that helped shape his leadership style, including learning from mentors and handling work-life integration. Whether you are a current or aspiring leader, this episode will offer valuable insights into how to lead with integrity and authenticity! Enjoy our conversation with Mike Valentine!

Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com.

Subscribe on: Apple Podcasts and Spotify

Books mentioned on The CUInsight Experience podcast: Book List

How to find Mike:
Mike Valentine, President and CEO of BCU
bcu.org
Mike: LinkedIn
BCU: LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube

Want to hear more from Mike? Click here

“Looking out a couple years, your strategic plan may still be viable, but it sure has to be flexible.” - Randy Smith

Welcome to episode 203 of The CUInsight Experience podcast with your hosts, Randy Smith, co-founder of CUInsight.com, and Jill Nowacki, President and CEO of Humanidei.

This episode is sponsored by Trellance. Trellance is a leading technology partner for credit unions, delivering innovative technology solutions to help credit unions achieve more. With a comprehensive suite of analytics, cloud and talent solutions, the Trellance team ensures credit unions increase efficiency, manage risk, and improve member experience.

In this season Jill and I will have conversations centered around leadership, credit unions, and living our best lives. We will have some of the most respected leaders from around credit unions who we are grateful to call friends join us in the discussion from time to time too.

In this episode, we discuss creation vs. innovation and what we believe the primary differences between the two are. We discuss how leaders can strike the right balance between creating something entirely new and innovating on something that already exists. We also share our thoughts on the role of A.I. in speeding up innovation, why collaboration is important, and how organizations can put strategic change into effect.

We offer some insights into how leaders can stay ahead in an industry that is always evolving and changing. We talk about the challenges of gaining team buy-in, how to manage incremental improvements while also encouraging bold creation, and why it’s crucial to set clear, actionable steps after every planning session. We also discuss the idea of "minimum viable products" and how launching small ideas that can be tested can lead to truly meaningful innovation.

We hope that you will tune in for our conversation on how staying curious, facilitating collaboration, and having a mindset focused on growth can really transform the way that credit unions serve their members!

Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com.
Subscribe on: Apple Podcasts and Spotify

Books mentioned on The CUInsight Experience podcast: Book List

“Recognize your own humanity and give yourself the resources you need to cultivate optimism.” - Jill Nowacki

Welcome to episode 202 of The CUInsight Experience podcast with your hosts, Randy Smith, co-founder of CUInsight.com, and Jill Nowacki, President and CEO of Humanidei.

This episode is sponsored by Trellance. Trellance is a leading technology partner for credit unions, delivering innovative technology solutions to help credit unions achieve more. With a comprehensive suite of analytics, cloud and talent solutions, the Trellance team ensures credit unions increase efficiency, manage risk, and improve member experience.

In this season Jill and I will have conversations centered around leadership, credit unions, and living our best lives. We will have some of the most respected leaders from around credit unions who we are grateful to call friends join us in the discussion from time to time too.

In this episode, you will hear us discuss the importance of optimism, especially as a leader. We unpack the differences (as well as similarities) between being optimistic and being realistic and Jill stresses why it’s so incredibly important that leaders set an example of optimism for their teams.

Not everyone is naturally inclined toward optimism, so we discuss some ways to cultivate it, and Jill highlights the importance of understanding that even though it’s crucial for leaders to model optimism, it’s important to understand that leaders are humans who have bad days as well, and we describe ways to match optimism with pessimism and find a happy medium. 

Whether you naturally lean more toward pessimism or toward optimism, this episode is one that you won’t want to miss!

Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com.
Subscribe on: Apple Podcasts and Spotify

Books mentioned on The CUInsight Experience podcast: Book List

“There's nothing we can do today that makes tomorrow happen exactly how we think...” - Jill Nowacki

Welcome to episode 201 of The CUInsight Experience podcast with your hosts, Randy Smith, co-founder of CUInsight.com, and Jill Nowacki, President and CEO of Humanidei.

This episode is sponsored by Trellance. Trellance is a leading technology partner for credit unions, delivering innovative technology solutions to help credit unions achieve more. With a comprehensive suite of analytics, cloud and talent solutions, the Trellance team ensures credit unions increase efficiency, manage risk, and improve member experience.

In this season Jill and I will have conversations centered around leadership, credit unions, and living our best lives. We will have some of the most respected leaders from around credit unions who we are grateful to call friends join us in the discussion from time to time too.

A little change from the first 200 episodes. Have to keep it fresh and I think you all will find the changes entertaining. So many of the conversations and questions from the first 200 episodes came from around the island in our kitchen. So why not make it even more personal and keep microphones close by to record a couple times a month. It should be a fun season.

In this episode you will hear us reflect on the power of staying present, embracing change, and learning from the journey, regardless of whether life feels like it’s speeding by in front of you. As always, we leave you with some actionable takeaways to implement in your own leadership and life!

Whether you are in a season of big decisions or small steps, this episode is full of inspiration to help you start the year off with clarity and confidence, so join us as we kick off this new season together!

Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com.
Subscribe on: Apple Podcasts and Spotify

Books mentioned on The CUInsight Experience podcast: Book List