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I drive a Lexus. I don’t say that to be pretentious. While it’s a luxury automobile it still is just a car. I’m on my second Lexus and it’s still amazing to me that the first one lasted eleven years. It’s now been three years for Lexus number two and neither one was a new vehicle purchase. That speaks volumes in this quality-starved era.
Back when I purchased by first Lexus I remember the slogan was the “Relentless Pursuit of Perfection.” That word “relentless” intrigued me. When I pictured the slogan I saw a race with a Lexus automobile in front of many nameless vehicle brands. Yet ahead of the Lexus and unseen is a foe or competitor yet to be overtaken. Lexus is in pursuit. To me that visual and the words “relentless pursuit of perfection” are extremely powerful. What if we as a credit union movement or any of us as individual credit unions had the slogan that indicated that we were in the relentless pursuit of perfection? Is it a lofty, grand, audacious goal that is out of sight? Or is it a potential promise of greatness that can inspire us? As you ponder those questions, let’s consider what those words really mean.
Relentless. When I think of something being relentless I think of a persistence that fails to yield no matter what the cost. There’s a focus and a passion that fuels the drive. Some might tend to see the word in a negative sense but I prefer to think of it in the most pure meaning which is steady and persistent. What could we achieve in the credit union movement and in our own credit unions if we were relentless about service…relentless about reflecting our difference compared to banks and not just blending in…..relentless about truly educating our members and making them financially successful instead of just selling them products and collecting the associated fees. Some of us are relentless in these areas and the results speak to the success. But some of us have acquiesced and our credit unions do not appear that much different than a bank.
Pursuit. A pursuit is a quest to achieve something worthwhile. It is something that you strive for on a regular and consistent basis. It is not always easy…that’s what makes it a pursuit. But the reward….the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow…..whatever that may be makes it worth the effort. I liken what we do in our credit unions to a pursuit. We are helping our members achieve financial success. We are teaching and educating them. What we do can make a difference to a member for their lifetime. It’s important and it’s significant! Money and the state of one’s finances are sacred. As a credit union we are entrusted with this precious resource. Isn’t the quest to make something truly exceptional from it worth the pursuit?
Perfection. Now when it comes to perfection you may think of the perfectionist for whom nothing is good enough. This is not what I see when I think of perfection. Instead I think of excellence and the highest degree of quality. I think of something that is superior and almost flawless……in two words—World Class. Someone who is chasing this kind of perfection is never satisfied for long because they know there’s more that can be achieved. They are always looking at how to improve…..how to be better. They don’t rest on their laurels and they are always slightly uncomfortable.
I think in the early days of the credit union movement we were in the relentless pursuit of perfection. We were young and as the underdogs in the financial industry we had something to prove. We had a mission and vision that inspires us. Well, we’re not that young anymore as the movement just celebrated 100 years. And while banks have the bulk of market share, in certain areas of the country credit unions are a prominent force. However, what remains the same from our early days is that we still have a mission and vision to pursue. Debt levels are at an all-time high and many people are sorely lacking in financial literacy. Credit for those who need it is frozen. And there is a massive lack of trust in banks and in the financial system as a whole. Credit unions have the opportunity to be that beacon and light at the end of the tunnel. But to do this we must stand out from the crowd not blend in. When banks and others retreat we must charge forward. We must be that car that is out front leading the race. What are you doing at your credit union or your business to achieve the relentless pursuit of perfection?
Back when I purchased by first Lexus I remember the slogan was the “Relentless Pursuit of Perfection.” That word “relentless” intrigued me. When I pictured the slogan I saw a race with a Lexus automobile in front of many nameless vehicle brands. Yet ahead of the Lexus and unseen is a foe or competitor yet to be overtaken. Lexus is in pursuit. To me that visual and the words “relentless pursuit of perfection” are extremely powerful. What if we as a credit union movement or any of us as individual credit unions had the slogan that indicated that we were in the relentless pursuit of perfection? Is it a lofty, grand, audacious goal that is out of sight? Or is it a potential promise of greatness that can inspire us? As you ponder those questions, let’s consider what those words really mean.
Relentless. When I think of something being relentless I think of a persistence that fails to yield no matter what the cost. There’s a focus and a passion that fuels the drive. Some might tend to see the word in a negative sense but I prefer to think of it in the most pure meaning which is steady and persistent. What could we achieve in the credit union movement and in our own credit unions if we were relentless about service…relentless about reflecting our difference compared to banks and not just blending in…..relentless about truly educating our members and making them financially successful instead of just selling them products and collecting the associated fees. Some of us are relentless in these areas and the results speak to the success. But some of us have acquiesced and our credit unions do not appear that much different than a bank.
Pursuit. A pursuit is a quest to achieve something worthwhile. It is something that you strive for on a regular and consistent basis. It is not always easy…that’s what makes it a pursuit. But the reward….the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow…..whatever that may be makes it worth the effort. I liken what we do in our credit unions to a pursuit. We are helping our members achieve financial success. We are teaching and educating them. What we do can make a difference to a member for their lifetime. It’s important and it’s significant! Money and the state of one’s finances are sacred. As a credit union we are entrusted with this precious resource. Isn’t the quest to make something truly exceptional from it worth the pursuit?
Perfection. Now when it comes to perfection you may think of the perfectionist for whom nothing is good enough. This is not what I see when I think of perfection. Instead I think of excellence and the highest degree of quality. I think of something that is superior and almost flawless……in two words—World Class. Someone who is chasing this kind of perfection is never satisfied for long because they know there’s more that can be achieved. They are always looking at how to improve…..how to be better. They don’t rest on their laurels and they are always slightly uncomfortable.
I think in the early days of the credit union movement we were in the relentless pursuit of perfection. We were young and as the underdogs in the financial industry we had something to prove. We had a mission and vision that inspires us. Well, we’re not that young anymore as the movement just celebrated 100 years. And while banks have the bulk of market share, in certain areas of the country credit unions are a prominent force. However, what remains the same from our early days is that we still have a mission and vision to pursue. Debt levels are at an all-time high and many people are sorely lacking in financial literacy. Credit for those who need it is frozen. And there is a massive lack of trust in banks and in the financial system as a whole. Credit unions have the opportunity to be that beacon and light at the end of the tunnel. But to do this we must stand out from the crowd not blend in. When banks and others retreat we must charge forward. We must be that car that is out front leading the race. What are you doing at your credit union or your business to achieve the relentless pursuit of perfection?
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