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ChamberLink • JUly 2014
Trailblazers Union First Market Bank – Meeting banking needs across the commonwealth Union First Market Bank has been a part of the greater Fredericksburg community since 1902. And with our recent acquisition of StellarOne, we are now Virginia’s largest community bank, with more than 130 branches conveniently located where you work, live and play across the commonwealth. Whether you are a large company with multiple financial needs, a growing small business or someone simply looking for a convenient and friendly place to have a checking account, Union has the right products and the right people. Union is a long-time supporter of area schools, charitable
organizations, and local causes. Our financial literacy program is currently in 120 high schools and has reached more than 10,000 students this year. With our style of personal banking, the ability to offer the right financial solutions and our belief that a bank should give back to the communities it serves; you can feel good about banking with Union. For more information about Union or to find the nearest branch please visit our website at www.bankatunion.com. We would love to talk with you today!
Business Tip
When does the learning stop?? By Charles Weathers Before I answer that question, let me introduce you to four friends: • John, a 55-year-old high-level executive, is off to a weekend leadership retreat. • Suzanne, a 37-year-old, wellrespected VP for a global corporation, reads new articles and books regularly. • Elaine, a 65-year-old CEO, mandates that she and her team receive 30 hours of formal professional development annually. • William, a 25-year-old MBA newly hired at an investment firm, will be attending a three-
month internal course to prepare him for the work ahead. What do these four have in common? Learning. Whether it’s William starting his new career; Suzanne, in the prime of her career; John, who is in a career transition; or Elaine, who’s preparing to pass the torch to her successor – they’re all in “learning mode.” They are what I call “teachable.” Regardless of their degrees, status, or positions, they value learning, and they value being teachable. How do I know? Here are three questions these four teachable leaders ask themselves on a regular basis. Who’s the smartest person in this room? Being a person who possesses a spirit of humility and skill to locate the smartest person in the room is genius. The teachable leader doesn’t strive to impress others with their knowledge and wisdom. They are more concerned with gaining knowledge and wisdom from others. And who exactly are these “others?” Anyone who holds the
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title of a facilitator, a colleague, or an administrative assistant. In any environment, formal or informal settings, they humble themselves to listen and enjoy listening to others more than listening to themselves. What’s next? There is always more to learn. The teachable leader never reaches a point of knowledge fulfillment, where his or her “knowledge cup” is overflowing with wisdom and understanding and they don’t need more. They have a voracious appetite and thirst for knowledge and learning settings. Every learning opportunity is a platform for more learning. Why? Because when we learn we grow. When we grow, we see more. When we see more, we realize how much more we don’t know. When we realize there is more we don’t know, we become teachable and ask,
“What’s next?” because it’s time to learn again. What difference will this make? Someone once said, “Knowledge is power.” It’s a very popular saying, but I have always disagreed with it. I don’t think knowledge is power. It’s potential power. The power of knowledge is in the application. Teachable leaders don’t learn for the sake of learning. They learn for the sake of growing – growing self, growing their teams, growing their businesses, growing their communities. The certificates on the wall, status updates on their LinkedIn pages, or revised bios are not the differences made by their learning. The difference is the impact the knowledge, awareness, and understanding has on their influence and performance – the difference is
in the results. Teachable leaders produce results; they do something with what they learn. These are three questions the teachable leader will ask that help them “sharpen their saw” and strengthen their competitive advantage. I suggest you begin to ask yourself the same questions and, more importantly, do something with the answers to these questions. Oh, by the way, back to our title, “When does the learning stop?” Never, as long as you’re teachable. Charles Weathers, a decorated veteran, served nine years in the U.S. Air Force. A nationally known speaker, author and consultant, he inspires individuals to face sometimes challenging realities and take charge of transforming their lives from the inside out. He is founder of The Weathers Group. For more information, go to http://weathersgroup.com.
ChamberLink nets APEX Award of Excellence for third consecutive year The Chamber is pleased to announce that ChamberLink has won a 2014 APEX Award of Excellence for its November 2013 issue, which included a centerspread on the effect on businesses of the Affordable Care Act. ChamberLink, which is printed monthly in partnership with The Journal Press, won in the Magazines, Journals and Tabloids – Print category. The APEX (Awards for Publication Excellence) Awards – are presented annually by Springfield, VAbased Communications Concepts, Inc., which offers advice to public relations and marketing professionals on how to improve their publications and communications programs. “We are tremendously proud that Communications Concepts saluted the quality of ChamberLink,” Chamber President Susan Spears said. “Our goal is to provide a
publication that will not only keep our members abreast of upcoming Chamber events but will help inform them on a variety of topics that affect all businesses.” Businesses, non-profit organizations, government agencies and educational institutions from around the world submitted more than 2,000 entries for the 2014 APEX Awards. The judging panel gave APEX Awards in 122 individual categories. Competitors in the awards included: the American Institute of CPAs, Ford Motor Company, Vietnam Veterans of America, The Walt Disney Company, and the International Monetary Fund. More information about Communications Concepts, Inc. and the APEX Awards can be found at www. writingthatworks.com.