Leading a company is more challenging today than at any point in history, argues the founder and CEO of an executive search firm. Attracting, retaining, and developing talent should be a top priority for every financial institution, he says, adding that CEOs must play a leading role on talent management.
In a past episode of Banking with Interest, Jim Edwards, CEO of $2.1 billion United Bank and former chairman of the ABA, discussed his bank's unique approach to finding and fostering the next generation of talent. Notably, he said the bank's ESOP has cultivated such a powerful sense of belonging that employees' relatives often seek careers at the bank.
"We've got a number of people who are second or third generation," he said. "To me, that's very telling. There's no higher compliment than someone who recommended to their child that they should work for us because they've had such a good career here."
What are some of your approaches to attracting and retaining talent? How do you identify potential successors? How do you weigh the pros and cons of hiring from outside versus promoting from within?
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Rob Blackwell
Chief Content Officer and Head of External Affairs
IntraFi
Arlington, VA
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