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Wisconsin Community Banker
September/October 2014
Bankers Are the Real ‘Community Organizers’
Community
organizing is a
process where
people who live in proximity to each other come
together into an organization that acts in their
shared self-interest.
Most of us probably knew little about the title,
“community organizer” until the 2008 presiden-
tial election where it was discussed extensively
as it related to the presidential qualifications of
Barack Obama. Since that time depending on
your viewpoint the term has been deemed in
either a positive or negative light but rarely has it
been attributed to the banking industry. Let me
offer another perspective for your consideration.
At the first session of our new Leadership
Development for Community Bankers program,
one of the speakers shared a conversation he had
with his father, a banker in Iowa. Prior to this
conversation the speaker had a preconceived
notion about the role of his father as a banker —
that he was just in the business of making money.
When this son asked his father what he really
did for a living, the father responded, “I view my
role as a banker to be more of a community orga-
nizer. I help my community have a more secure
future by helping families buy homes, helping
individuals start small businesses, and supporting
local organizations. I am proud of how our bank
contributes to the financial security of our com-
munity.” The son never looked at his father in the
same way again.
In the 24 years I have had the privilege of
representing the Wisconsin banking industry,
I can attest to the powerful impact you make
in communities across our state. Community
bankers focus on personalized financial services,
decisions made locally, and long-term customer
relationships.
Yes, focusing on the bottom line is important.
However being a community banker is more than
just making money. Community bankers who
have a passion to serve people and their com-
munities can experience a career that is more of a
‘calling’ and not just a job. In his bestselling book,
Every Good Endeavor, Timothy Keller writes,
“Our work can be a calling only if it is re-imagined
as a mission of service to something beyond
merely our own interests.”
Each of us has a circle of influ-
ence with individuals we interact
with on a daily basis both person-
ally and professionally. When we
consider our actions and words
and their impact on those rela-
tionships, we should be asking
questions such as, “Am I making
a positive difference?” “What do
I wish to be remembered for?” and “What is my
legacy?”
Community bankers, you are the leaders in
your communities and the actions you take every
day can make a positive difference in the lives of
many people. Your circle of influence includes
helping that young couple buy their first home
where they can raise a family, providing a loan to
the entrepreneur to build a small business that
hires local individuals, and supporting nonprofits
to improve the quality of life for many.
The next time someone asks, “What do you
do for a living?” why not say “I am a banker who
takes pride in being a community organizer.” It’s
likely that person will never look at you or the
banking industry in the same way again and, yes,
that’s a good thing.
Reach Daryll J. Lund at
Serving You
Daryll J. Lund, CAE, CBW President and CEO
‘I view my role as a banker to be more of a
community organizer.’
