Ricky Otey - First Things First (#139)

07/15/22 • 35 min

1 Listener

“You have to be willing to get out there, go forward, and not worry about yesterday’s mistakes.” - Ricky Otey

Thank you for tuning in to episode 139 of The CUInsight Experience podcast with your host, Randy Smith, co-founder of CUInsight.com. This episode is brought to you by Elan Credit Card. Elan partners with more than 250 credit unions to provide an outsourced credit card program, and offers merchant and mortgage services for credit union members and business owners.

My guest on today's show is Ricky Otey, President & CEO of Partners Federal Credit Union. Ricky has worked in the financial services industry as an executive for 30 years. In this episode, we chat about the professional and personal connections that can strengthen your career trajectory. He expresses excitement for the future of credit unions and shares insights on staying relevant and focused on growth. He also discusses the value of having a mentor (and also being a mentor) to receive guidance and gain greater opportunities throughout your career.

During our conversation, Ricky dives into the greatest investment he made in his career that shaped his thought process. Ricky also shares two critical questions he asks himself when building a leadership team. We discuss the importance of establishing expectations and behaviors through a feedback model; situation, behavior and impact. Ricky discusses the importance of connecting with employees and sharing strategic plans to provide clarity about the organization’s objectives.

Ricky and I chat about taking on new risks and innovating for the future. We also talk about accountability and knowing when to pull the plug on an idea. Ricky chats about the benefits of remote work; specifically, the larger talent pool and increased opportunities that credit unions can now offer future employees. Tune in to hear Ricky discuss team expectations, strategic planning, and storytelling.

As we wrap up the show, listen in as Ricky shares how he finds balance in life, his favorite album of all time, and the countless lessons learned from his father. Enjoy my conversation with Ricky Otey!

Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com.

Subscribe on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher

Books mentioned on The CUInsight Experience podcast: Book List

How to find Ricky:
Ricky Otey, President & CEO of Partners Federal Credit Union
[email protected]
www.partnersfcu.org
LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook

“You have to be willing to get out there, go forward, and not worry about yesterday’s mistakes.” - Ricky Otey

Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com.

Subscribe on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher

Books mentioned on The CUInsight Experience podcast: Book List

How to find Ricky:
Ricky Otey, President & CEO of Partners Federal Credit Union
[email protected]
www.partnersfcu.org
LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook

Previous Episode

Jill and Randy - Yes or No (#138)

1 Recommendations

“You can’t just build diversity, you have to bring in the equity to create an inclusive environment.” - Jill Nowacki

Thank you for tuning in to episode 138 of The CUInsight Experience podcast with your host, Randy Smith, co-founder of CUInsight.com. This episode is brought to you by Allied Solutions. Allied Solutions is focused on helping clients grow their bottom line, protect their business and members, and evolve to stay ahead of the competition.

My guest on today's show is Jill Nowacki, the President & CEO of Humanidei + O’Rourke, who also happens to be my human. In this episode, we chat about intentional living from two different angles with Jill being more of a “YES” person while I am more of a “NO” person. Jill reveals how she leads an intentional life and structures it to allow her to say, “yes” more often. She discusses the importance of creating work-life integration, and we share our different views of taking space and rest. During our conversation, Jill provides her thoughts on effective leadership and highlights the significance of feedback and collaboration when making decisions.

Throughout the episode, Jill shares the impact credit unions can have in reducing the racial wealth gap and putting an end to long-term systemic inequality. Jill encourages credit union leaders to have conversations about racial inequity and be more involved in their communities to better understand the issues people are facing. She also recommends credit unions design products and services to solve these economic issues.

The conversation comes full circle as we chat about intentionality in building diverse leadership teams and boards. Jill shares the importance of creating an inclusive environment and asking “the equity question” to structure systems in a way that doesn’t favor or leave out specific groups of people. Tune in to hear Jill’s advice on positively impacting our communities, diversity, equity and inclusion, and finding a seat at the right table.

As we wrap up the show, listen in as Jill and I share our laughter, stories, and curiosities. Enjoy my conversation with Jill Nowacki!

Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com.

Subscribe on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher

Books mentioned on The CUInsight Experience podcast: Book List

Next Episode

Joan Opp - Remove Speed Bumps (#140)

1 Recommendations

“Everyone should be focused on a digital experience.” - Joan Opp

Thank you for tuning in to episode 140 of The CUInsight Experience podcast with your host, Randy Smith, co-founder of CUInsight.com. This episode is brought to you by Elan Credit Card. Elan partners with more than 250 credit unions to provide an outsourced credit card program, and offers merchant and mortgage services for credit union members and business owners.

My guest on today's show is Joan Opp, President & CEO of Stanford Federal Credit Union. Joan started her career as a CPA, and gradually started working in the credit union industry. After years in this space, Joan is leading her team through the rapid changes happening in technology and member expectations. In this episode we chat about the future of the movement, including the one thing that all credit unions should be thinking about. She shares her thoughts on digital transformation and simplifying processes to attract members and better compete with fintechs in the market.

During our conversation, we discuss how credit unions can take traditional services and remove the “speed bumps” disrupting the member experience. Joan expresses the power of networking and the value it brings amongst the many opportunities in the industry. She also shares key characteristics that are critical when building a leadership team and how she gives feedback.

Joan offers team management insights from her time in leadership positions and as a CEO. She shares her thoughts on competing for talent; not between other credit unions in the industry, but competing with organizations in Silicon Valley. Joan emphasizes the value of the credit union mission and how it resonates with those who fit this financial space. Joan and I chat about getting past the, “This is how we’ve always done things,” mentality and discuss tips for showing people a fresh perspective to move the organization forward. Tune in to hear Joan discuss digital transformation, diversification, and team expectations.

As we wrap up the show, listen in while Joan shares which books she likes reading lately, why “Work hard. Play hard.” describes her approach to life, and which political figure she thinks is a successful person. Enjoy my conversation with Joan Opp!

Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com.

Subscribe on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher

Books mentioned on The CUInsight Experience podcast: Book List

How to find Joan:
Joan Opp, President & CEO of Stanford Federal Credit Union
[email protected]
https://www.sfcu.org/
Joan: LinkedIn
Stanford FCU: LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok | Twitter