A professor in the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern was asked the most important skill he learned in his consulting work. His answer: Asking the right questions. He commented:
PhDs, like many students, excel at defining problems by asking the right questions.
“It’s important everywhere—in academics, in industry, and otherwise—to ask the right questions and choose what to work on, more so than actually knowing how to figure it out,” Gordon says in his keynote address for the Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon University. “The skill is really crucial, and it will take you everywhere.”
I would add to his list, the most important issues of public policy which confront credit unions.
An Example: Questions of Public Policy Priorities for Credit Unions by Ancin Cooley
If Not Now, Then When?
I try to wade into these conversations with as much nuance and care as possible. I understand the layers, timing, political cycles, and just how hard it is to win in Washington.
So when I say this, I say it with full respect for the effort that went into protecting the tax exemption, again. That work is meaningful. It matters. And I don’t take it for granted.
But now that we have a slight intermission before we hit repeat on this tax fight ritual. —I have some honest questions.
Because it seems like every year, every cycle, this issue is always the centerpiece of our advocacy narrative. It’s always the rallying cry. The headline. The thing we organize around.
And my question is:
When do we get to talk about something else? Not instead of—but in addition to?
When do we apply that same level of coordination, messaging, energy, and visibility to:
Member-facing issues?
Governance questions?
Structural threats?
For example:
Can we discuss why America’s Credit Unions is advocating against succession planning requirements?
Can we discuss why America’s Credit Unions continue to pursue changes that would further weaken the role of supervisory committees? We lose several credit unions annually due to a lack of basic internal controls.
If we can mount national campaigns to protect our tax status—and we should—then why can’t we have a transparent, public conversation about the internal reforms that will shape the future of cooperative governance itself?
When’s the right time to advocate for member-facing issues to help credit unions grow and deliver more value to their communities?
Mainstreet” Issues like:
Student loan reform affects members’ financial health and directly impacts credit unions’ bottom lines (past dues, charge-offs, and additional provisions).
Corporate ownership of homes prices out local families and limits credit unions’ ability to provide mortgages (Most credit unions over $1 billion have large mortgage portfolios).
These are win-win opportunities. They intersect with both member interests and credit union sustainability. They build relevance. Trust. Brand strength.
But they rarely seem to rise to the top of the agenda if discussed at all.
I get that during the ceremonial tax battle, it may not feel like the right time for deeper, messier conversations. But that leaves me with the final question:
If not, then… and not now… When?
I would add: What Questions are you, your board or your external consultants raising for your consideration?