In the 80s, an enormous sword and super-cool catch phrase transformed mere mortals intosuperheroes. I know – I watched it happen every Saturday morning over a heaping bowl of Cap'n Crunch.
What does this have to do with credit unions? Well, I happen to believe every credit union person can be transformed into a credit union superhero. That’s because we all have, in essence, exactly what Prince Adam had before he turned into He-Man – a powerful tool and something super-cool to say.
Our powerful tool? The mighty pen.
Our super-cool thing to say? “We fight for members.”
The power of writing letters toregulators and elected officials can’t be overstated. When you share first-hand knowledge of the financial world, especially in the context of the people who depend on credit unions, regulators can feel more clearly the weight of their decisions.
These individuals need to hear from usregarding the choices they make and how those decisionswill impact the members we all serve. Whether it’s a new mortgage rule or an overdraft protection requirement, we need to use our collective power to let them know how these changes could legitimately and feasibly affect each one of our organizations, and ultimately, their constituents.
Decision-makers want to hear from us, too. You can see how much they factor in industry insight by reading any preamble within newly released regulations. Regulators often mention the feedback received and describe how that insight helped shape the rules.
Like you, I’m very passionate about credit unions and all the great work thatthey do. The livesthey influence and the storiesthey can share are powerful tools. So grab your sword, say something super-cool and help transform the financial world for the better!
