“Willingness goes miles for me.” - Tiffany Ford

Thank you for tuning in to episode 129 of The CUInsight Experience podcast with your host, Randy Smith, co-founder of CUInsight.com. This episode is brought to you by Humanidei. Humanidei helps credit unions build inclusive cultures that attract, develop, and retain talent.

My guest on today's show is Tiffany Ford, President & CEO of the University of Michigan Credit Union. She talks about the career switch that brought her from public accounting to credit unions. Tiffany is the recipient of the 2018 Professional of the Year Award from the Michigan Credit Union League & Affiliates (MCUL). All her insights on leadership, team culture, and more are discussed in today’s episode.

Tiffany focuses on the dynamic impact credit unions can have on the communities they serve. She shares her perspective, honing in on three attributes she looks for in a great teammate. She describes the ways she is both true to herself and the best version of herself, and explains the invaluable investment others have made in her along her journey to CEO. A solid team requires strong communication, like effective feedback that is a direct and collaborative dialogue. Tiffany gives her stories of what works for her and her team in terms of direct feedback, strong communication, and the one thing she doesn’t want to hear in an interview.

Tiffany and I discuss the future of remote work and the ways to keep culture strong no matter where employees are located. We explore how credit unions can continue to evolve, especially in technology, while upholding the mission of serving the members. This conversation gives us the chance to discuss how to can create an atmosphere where your team is willing to take risks with you. Listen as Tiffany shares her advice for new leaders on taking risks, managing the board-CEO relationship, knowing when it’s time to take vacation, and more.

Tiffany goes further in the conversation on the idea of cultivating work-life balance for her teams. She says that she starts with herself as an example, and reveals how her support systems inside and outside of her workplace play a role in reminding her of this balance. She returns that energy to those around her by identifying the potential in a person and giving back. Tune in for books she enjoys, her favorite artists, and more. Enjoy my conversation with Tiffany Ford!

Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com.

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Books mentioned on The CUInsight Experience podcast: Book List 

How to find Tiffany:
Tiffany Ford, President & CEO of the University of Michigan Credit Union
[email protected]
https://www.umcu.org/
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