From Integrity to Innovation: 9 Timeless Leadership Lessons

These timeless lessons surfaced from a podcast discussion with John Cassidy, former CEO of Sierra Central Credit Union, Cathy Pace, former CEO of Allegacy Federal Credit Union, and Gene Pelham, former CEO of Rogue Credit Union. 

While new technologies, tools, and market dynamics shift, the basics of great bank and credit union leadership are always in style, always endure, and always need to be present. At its core, leadership is built on culture, integrity, and service. In a recent Engage fi podcast, Veteran CEOs, John Cassidy, Cathy Pace, and Gene Pelham, shared their timeless insights on how to inspire, connect, and lead financial institutions with purpose. According to these seasoned CEOs, the following nine leadership lessons will outlast the latest tech wave and will continue to define what great leadership looks like in the future  

#1: Lead with Integrity 
Trust is the engine driving performance. When leaders both talk the talk and walk the walk, they inspire their teams to do the same. Integrity is not about convenience, it’s about consistently doing the right thing for the right reasons, even when it's uncomfortable. Teams follow leaders they respect, and respect is earned.   

#2: Make Culture Intentional 
Bank and credit union culture must be shaped and lived every day. One simple exercise is to ask your team for the single word that best describes the organization, then codify it and make it real through action. Culture becomes explicit when it's translated into daily behaviors. Remember the three B’s: Beliefs drive Behaviors, and behaviors create Benefits.  

#3: Communicate Openly  
Too often, leaders create a culture of hearing only what they want to hear, instead of what they need to hear. True communication requires openness to all perspectives, even uncomfortable ones. Practicing red-team sessions (an exercise where an independent group or department at the financial institution challenges strategies, systems, or assumptions to identify weakness) are valuable and uncover hard truths. Great leaders know the difference between talking with people and talking at them.  

#4: Model the Micro Behaviors 
Small actions do not go unnoticed, great leaders embody leadership in everything they do, thus inspiring loyalty and trust. It’s important to remember that leaders are always being observed and even the simplest gestures set the tone for the team. Something as simple as picking up a piece of paper on the floor signals accountability, humility, and ownership. Visible habits shape culture more powerfully than any speech could.  

#5: Build Trust Through Transparency 
Once trust is lost, it’s almost impossible to get back. As a leader of a financial institution, trust is your most valuable asset, a combination of words and actions.  Trust builds on openness, patience, and empathy. Being open about challenges and tough decisions related to strategy, action plans, and forecasts fosters trust and creates a sense of unity, reinforcing that everyone is working toward the same goals together.  

#6: Connect Through Culture 
Connection doesn’t happen by accident, especially when leaders are stretched thin. Creating personal touchpoints helps make culture portable, whether employees are in the office, hybrid, or fully remote. Standardizing rituals like celebrating wins or acknowledging life events creates a culture of belonging that strengthens teamwork and reminds people that the financial institution cares about them as an individual.  

#7: Encourage Discomfort 
Great companies do not grow by remaining comfortable. Sustain high performance by embracing challenges that spark innovation and build resilience. Leaders who strike a balance and can create an environment that is intentionally uncomfortable, with just the right amount of challenge, push their teams to stretch, adapt, and grow. Setting ambitious goals and tackling tough problems beyond comfort zones keep the team sharp.   

#8: Build Real Relationships 
Respect is earned through personal power, not positional authority. The strongest leaders connect with their teams as human beings, not just employees. Taking time to learn about someone’s family, their partner’s career, or how they spend their free time shows genuine compassion and interest beyond the daily tasks. Trust deepens and loyalty follows.  

#9: Embrace Technology Faster 
Technology is evolving at lightning speed, and leaders can’t afford to lag their competitors. The ability to quickly evaluate and adopt the right tools often determines who gets ahead and who gets left behind. But speed should never come at the expense of compliance, regulatory integrity, or sound decision-making. Speed wins when paired with discipline. The best bank and credit union leaders strike the balance of moving faster than the competition while ensuring that new technology is aligned, secure, and sustainable.   

Great bank and credit union leadership is not defined by the latest tool or trend; it’s defined by the people you lead and the culture you create. By leading with integrity, communicating openly, modeling the right behaviors, and embracing both challenges and change, leaders set a standard that inspires others to follow.