“We’re serving the underserved, doing things differently, making a difference for people.” - Whitney Anderson-Harrell
Thank you for tuning in to episode 135 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 Whitney Anderson-Harrell, President & CEO at Elements Financial FCU in Indianapolis. Whitney shares the unique story of her career journey from teller, to outside the industry, and finally back to credit unions. She expresses her excitement about the future of the movement and what credit unions should focus on to stay relevant. She also discusses the value of having and being a mentor to gain greater insight and opportunities throughout your career.
During our conversation, Whitney dives into the big investment she made in her career that she also considers a big catalyst for change. Whitney shares that when adding a new member to her team, she looks for integrity, loyalty, and trust. She finds it important to create a healthy environment where solution-oriented conversations are encouraged. Throughout the discussion, Whitney shares her belief in challenging current ideas and listening to new ones to stay relevant and ultimately make the right decisions for members, employees, and the community.
As Elements’ newest CEO, Whitney shares how she built a foundation of trust with her leadership team through intention, direct communication, and asking questions. She finds this vital in gaining perspective and understanding what each employee values within the credit union. Whitney also finds it helpful to be direct when giving feedback and speaks on the benefits of having a direct conversation when necessary.
Whitney and I chat about how she plans on growing Elements along with the credit union movement as a whole by exceeding member expectations. Tune in to hear Whitney’s advice on when to pull the plug on an idea, balancing a hybrid work environment, technology in the credit union space, and more.
As we wrap up the show, listen in as Whitney talks about her amazing family, her love of Motown, and one book she’s been reading lately. Enjoy my conversation with Whitney Anderson-Harrell!
Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com.
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Books mentioned on The CUInsight Experience podcast: Book List
How to find Whitney:
Whitney Anderson-Harrell, President & CEO at Elements FCU
wandersonharrell@elements.org
https://www.elements.org/
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