Hi, this is Stephanie Maas with Thinking Ahead Search Firm.
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I'm a partner here and I specialize in commercial banking search in the Mid Atlantic.
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Today, I want to talk to you about WTF, where's the fun in banking today?
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Where's the fun?
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Let's be honest.
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Banking is challenging.
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We have absolutely been put through the ringer.
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Where's the fun?
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I'll tell you what has replaced F is fatigue, banker fatigue.
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We're an industry that is riddled by being overworked, a perception of being underpaid and being regulated out the wazoo.
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Where'd the fun go?
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The fun went to the regulators.
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It is now what I'm referring to as.
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Banker exhaustion.
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We are just exhausted.
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It sucks.
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Banking fatigue is leading to an acceptance that their organization is like every other one out there.
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And if it's bad where they have it, it's going to be bad everywhere.
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Now I'm definitely not suggesting a grass is greener syndrome.
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Because that's not the case.
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The grass isn't greener necessarily somewhere else.
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But we have seen some banks over the last couple of years really rise to the occasion to provide their bankers with a positive and encouraging environment.
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They're staying steady the course so their credit appetite is consistent.
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Their incentives are coming back and they're really rewarding for people for doing a good job and doing what they're supposed to be doing.
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Again, it's not a grass is greener.
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It's still grass.
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If you make a move, you're just going maybe a different kind of grass.
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So then it's to have some challenges of banking, but it's not all negative.
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And I really want to encourage you that if you're finding yourself in a situation where you're having banker fatigue, let's talk about it and talk about, is it really the industry that's the challenge?
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Or are you with an organization that's really forgotten the fundamentals of working with people?
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So, if that's the state of the org today, what do we do?
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How do we get up and keep going?
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A couple simple suggestions.
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First and foremost, and for a lot of us, this is going to be very counterintuitive.
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We need to take care of ourselves first, whatever that means for you.
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If it's eating better, drinking less, working out more, getting outside every day for 10 minutes of fresh air, whatever it is for you, that has to be your number one priority every single day.
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It doesn't need to be hours of commitment.
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How can I take care of me today for 10 minutes?
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That's it.
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Start there.
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After that, look around.
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Who needs you where?
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If you're in a relationship and you see your partner or spouse, they're really struggling and you got a little left in your tank.
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Great.
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Go find out how you can be there for them.
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You can never serve anyone else if you're not taken care of.
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It's just the way it works.
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It's counterintuitive for most of us, but you can't help someone else until you help yourself.
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Then secondly, go help somebody else.
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Nothing makes us, as human beings, feel better than when we give to somebody else.
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I don't know if it's going to provide all the relief that you ultimately need, but I know it'll get you up the next day.
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So for my bankers out there who are exhausted, thank you so much for everything that you're doing and please do your best 10 minutes a day.
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Do something to take care of you and then see who else you can help along the way.
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I'm encouraged to say there's a renewed sense of optimism in the market and just maybe there might be some fun coming back.
