A Direct Line Blog

We are officially in the “dog days of summer” in Montana. You may have heard the expression and, like me, thought it referred to those days that are so hot, you just lay around and do nothing. According to this National Geographic article, that is not the case. The “dog days” are typically early July to mid-August and refer to the time the star Sirius appears to rise and fall with the sun.

What does that have to do with credit unions? The summer months seem to bring a slowdown in activity at credit unions. Part of that is attributable to staff and management taking well-deserved vacations. I also think, like the dog days rumor, a bit of an expectation that “we can’t tackle that until fall” or “we have to wait until after summer” becomes the norm.

There are a few things I think you can do this summer to help move your credit union forward. One is to consider a good book on the topic of board governance. You can read it by the pool, while camping, or even in the A/C at your home and get ideas or directions to discuss at your planning sessions or your next board meeting. Here is an Amazon list of current best sellers on corporate governance to consider; we even have a book that frequently tops that list — Boards That Make a Difference by John Carver — in our lending library. You can check it out by contacting Kara.

We also have the latest CUNA E-Scan video that overviews what is expected in the industry in the next year or so. This is always a great tool for looking forward in planning and strategy. Again, contact Kara to borrow our copy.

As you relax and enjoy all that our beautiful state has to offer this summer, keep your credit union’s future in mind. If you get through Helena on your travels, we would love to host you on a tour of your league office. Let me know. We would love to see you!