Midyear Is Not Just About Performance

 

By early July, most CEOs have a clear sense of how the year is unfolding.

 

The numbers have direction.

Credit trends are becoming clear.

Margin pressure is either easing or continuing.

Deposit behavior is no longer a forecast.

 

You can usually tell by now whether the year is working with...

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The Assumptions We Carry Forward

 

Strategic planning rarely feels dramatic.

 

It is organized.

Materials are prepared.

Performance is reviewed.

Forecasts are discussed.

Targets are refined.

 

In most institutions, the process is disciplined.

Yet a common pattern appears in almost every planning cycle.

 

Last year's res...

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The Decision Before the Meeting

 

Most board meetings are well run.

Materials go out in advance.
Committees do their work.
Discussion is thoughtful.
Motions are made, seconded, and recorded.

From a governance standpoint, everything appears exactly as it should.

In many institutions, that is genuinely true.

 

At the same time, i...

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