Some of the best leaders never planned on being leaders at all. That is the whole idea behind this podcast, in fact, and I wanted to sit down with Nathan Cape, CEO of Minnequa Works Credit Union, for this conversation because Nathan is definitely someone whom I would call an “accidental leader” - someone who didn’t chase titles but found himself leading anyway, and I think that that’s where some of the most relatable stories live.

Nathan shares how his childhood “bossiness” turned into a real leadership journey, one filled with early mistakes, burnout, and some tough lessons about trust and communication. We discuss what it means to shift from doing everything yourself to building a team which you believe in and why empowering others is both one of the hardest and most rewarding parts of leadership.

Nathan also opens up about a major failure that could have really derailed him but instead became one of the most defining moments of his career, and we get into that huge realization which so many leaders have - that you don’t always need to have the answer, but you do need to be honest when you don’t.

We also dive into what it feels like to lead a legacy organization in an industry changing faster than anyone could have predicted, with Nathan reflecting on growing up visiting his credit union as a kid only to end up shaping its future as CEO. If you have ever wondered what accidental leadership really looks like behind the scenes, this is the episode of The Accidental Leader for you!

Time Stamps:

[1:55] - Nathan reflects on how being “bossy” as a child led to leadership skills.

[3:48] - Managing 41 people at a young age, Nathan struggled but learned that failure can lead to growing and improving.

[5:46] - Nathan admits that he initially didn't get the right stakeholders involved.

[8:03] - Nathan grew up valuing hard work and later learned that leadership means trusting and empowering others.

[11:42] - I reflect on how leadership growth came from realizing that there are different styles of communication.

[12:21] - Mentorship, being authentic, and having fun transformed Nathan's draining leadership style into balanced teamwork.

[16:03] - Hear how a poor decision taught Nathan to pause, seek information, and support his team’s growth.

[19:21] - Nathan admits that dropping the ball once shaped him into a stronger, more accountable leader.

[20:21] - I highlight that letting teams fail safely builds lasting knowledge that they’ll pass on as leaders themselves.

[22:07] - We learn that Nathan feels deeply connected to his credit union’s legacy, rooted in his family’s steel mill history.

[24:13] - Nathan explains how building cooperative partnerships helps him and his team stay competitive while also honoring roots and community.

[27:41] - I discuss how Louise Herring’s reminder to modernize while honoring our mission still resonates today.

[28:58] - Nathan advocates for listening more than speaking and always leading alongside your team via example.

Resources:

The Accidental Leader - Website

yournarketing.co

[email protected]

Bo McDonald on LinkedIn

Nathan Cape on LinkedIn

Minnequa Works Credit Union - Website

Minnequa Works Credit Union on LinkedIn