Posts by Kent Dicken
Are you scared yet?
Halloween is just around the corner, so I started thinking about which scary novel to read this season. I thought about re-reading “The Shining” by Stephen King, but wasn’t sure I could keep Jack Nicholson’s face from invading my dreams. So I started thinking about even older classics like “Dracula” by Bram Stoker, or Mary…
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OMG! Who really IS our competition?!?
If we asked you about your competition, who would you have on your list? (Before you read further, try making a list. Once you have at least 5 names down, keep reading.) Did you start by listing other local CUs, and somehow ignore the large banks and local/regional banks that are competing for the same…
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Do 5-star ratings really mean anything?
Amazon asks you to give a review for every product you buy and every delivery you receive. Rotten Tomatoes and IMDb reviews can influence a movie’s box office almost as soon as it comes out. Uber and Lyft drivers get passed over if they don’t have a 5-star rating, and get upset if you dare…
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OMG! Budget season is coming up!
You’re already juggling loan campaigns, maintaining a website, writing press releases, newsletters and emails, posting social media, designing posters and brochures, updating branch signage, planning your next community event, etc., etc. You know, those everyday expectations that keep you busily bouncing between tasks all day long. Then all of a sudden it’s Budget Season. As…
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How to “do the right thing” without bragging
Credit unions are the perfect example of people banding together to solve a problem, and accomplishing more through cooperation. Since their beginnings in mid-1800s Europe, credit unions have embraced the values of “honesty, openness, social responsibility and caring for others.” Today’s credit unions continue to “give back” to their communities everyday – which is a…
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Why you should offer “Furry Friend Savings” and “Vetmergency Loans”
We REALLY love our pets. Now I know that no one will be surprised by that statement. But I was a bit surprised to learn that there are over 65 million dogs and 46 million cats (not to mention 45M fish, birds, reptiles, horses and other small animals) currently adopted by humans. In fact, pets…
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It’s hard not to get caught up in a buzz that surrounds you.
The 2024 total solar eclipse happens Monday, and my hometown happens to be in the right place to see it all. It’s a big deal around here. Supposedly a “once-in-a-lifetime” experience* that we’ve been hearing about for the last few months now. Since this week was my turn to write a post for Shared iDiz,…
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Turn your staff into an Idea Factory.
Your credit union’s biggest assets are not on the books, but in the heads of the people who work there. Their experience has given them very specific insights, that when combined with some creative thinking become invaluable to your credit union’s future. So how do you turn those assets into something tangible? Turn your staff…
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Move with the future or get left behind
My job has had a learning curve since Day 1, and I hope it continues. Because I’d rather move with the future than get left behind. It has been a powerful evolution I’ve been a graphic designer for over 40 years. My profession has transformed from markers, drafting tables and T-squares all the way up…
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5 short, sweet ways to avoid CommitteeThink
The rationale for allowing committees to make big decisions sounds good – a small group of stakeholders with diverse backgrounds combine their experiences to solve a problem as a team, efficiently and quickly, in order to benefit the most people. So why doesn’t it seem to work that way? Why do some people see committees…
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