We talk a lot about being an Innovation Nation - a team of loyal leaders who adapt quickly to change and are open to adopting new ideas and technologies to help us better serve our members. This positions us as a disruptor, allowing us to stay competitive, live out our values in all that we do and change the member experience for the better.
Being a leader goes beyond technology, though. Leading in the digital age requires a balance of our reliance on technology with our need to foster deeper connections as a team. As we grow and expand our channels and mobile offerings, it’s not uncommon for staff members to chat virtually on a regular basis without ever meeting in person. How do we build sustainable relationships in this way? How do we apply this to building relationships with our members?
One of the ways we do this is to come together once a year at our annual staff conference. This exciting event brings our whole team of over 400 people from 24 advice centres together in one space where we can meet face to face and engage in some pretty fantastic team building and learning. We also have a lot of fun.
Our Innovation Nation
One of our Consumer Advisors from Swift Current, has shared about her experience at our annual staff conference. “There’s nothing like being in the presence of your team. My favourite part of the conference is when we are all doing something as a group made of individuals who become one unit. Whether everyone is laughing or drumming, we all have our purpose and are doing it together without notice of job titles. We become Innovation Federal Credit Union for one brief moment.”
This is valuable insight for me as it can be challenging to lead a team that is so diverse, especially from a geographical standpoint. Our conference creates a level playing field, where everyone is equal and equally valued. The structure of the conference gives us the opportunity for shared experiences that bring us closer together and we come to understand how our similarities and differences make us stronger.
The goals of the staff conference are three-fold. One is to have some fun, infusing lots of laughter into our value of “work hard and play hard”. We take time for our staff members to interact and enjoy each other’s company and ensure that there are opportunities to regroup and reflect on our common interests. This builds connections and relationships that strengthen our team. The second goal is to learn new things and exchange ideas. This comes from one another, learning about ourselves and our co-workers. The third goal of the staff conference is learning. We learn about Innovation’s progress and ensure we’re setting better plans as an organization. We learn from guest speakers who are thought leaders that offer us different perspectives and inspiration. We work towards solutions together so that everyone feels like they have a part to play in our growth and direction.
Judy Douglas, a call centre representative from our Meadow Lake Advice Centre feels that the conference is very affirming for the Innovation team. “The conference brings all of the staff together to share ideas, concerns, network and enlighten us about industry disruption and solutions. The speakers, the information and coming together as an organization for the day is so energizing and refreshing. I feel like it's a great reset and restart.”
All of these things manifest into a powerful energy that reiterates our purpose, rekindles our relationships and builds a strong and resilient team. No matter which part of Canada we hail from or how long we’ve served at Innovation, the staff conference opens the floodgates for creativity, camaraderie and connection and turns a group of individuals into a family.
I think another staff member sums it up really well by saying, “When everyone gets the message at the same time, in the same way, it gives us something in common that we can circle back to in future meetings. Nothing can replace being in the presence of your team.”
I couldn’t agree more, and I know these sentiments echo those of our entire team. Bridging the worlds of people and technology is a delicate balance. Our Innovation Nation is stronger because of our highly skilled and devoted people and our conference demonstrates that hundreds of people can become one, even if just for one day and this carries us forward until the next one.