Updated 2025 Outlook from Robert Albertson

Posted inStrategy
My outlook for banks and financials in 2025 can be summed up as one of cautious optimism.  While the market has expressed premature ebullience over Trump’s election, which definitely included strength in financial stocks, there are many loose and important ends still buried in uncertainties.  A sea change in variables is likely to unfold. Regulatory Relief:  Banks and financials will clearly benefit from a shift in tone and substance on the regulatory front.  Capital requirements…

John Wooden’s Pyramid of Success

Posted inGeneral Management
There is no better way to start the year than to revisit tried-and-true principles that have led to repeated success. John Wooden, the legendary coach, created “The Pyramid of Success” after years of outstanding performance. Wooden is “old news,” and many more success paradigms have been created since he put together this pyramid. And yet, I find his tenets to be eternal and always relevant. His definition of success resonated with me: “Success is the…

Real-World Succession Planning

Posted inStrategy
Most banks have a formal succession planning process. They have named successors for the truck scenario (short-term), medium-term, and long-term. The same names typically show up in many boxes. The process is intact, but the results are not entirely realistic.Many banks are also experiencing many impending retirements as a generation of bank leaders is aging out. At the same time, while showing much promise, many potential successors are not ready yet to take on the…