Posted by Phil Keithahn on Tue, May 18, 2010 @ 03:23 PM
Our family recently visited Northfield, which promotes itself as the "Home of Colleges, Cows, and Contentment." You could probably make a similar statement about most communities in South Central Minnesota. It's a wonderful image of happiness, which is a feeling that many people would like to move towards, as the economy recovers from recession.
The current recession is the 22nd official downturn in our nation's economy since 1900. Although the average recession since 1900 has lasted 14 months, the recession that started in December 2007 has now lasted 21 months, second only to the "Great Depression" as the longest economic downturn.
What does this deep recession mean for you, for me, for our communities, and for our nation?
First, we need to work together, help and support each other, and remain trustworthy, loyal, and honest with each other.
Second, we need to work hard to set a positive example for our family, friends, neighbors, and communities in how we are going to respond, recover, and refocus our efforts on the truly important things in life.
Third, we need to recognize that everyone is hurting. Everyone. How can we feel good in the midst of 10% unemployment, a 20-40% decline in housing prices, a new health care bill that is particularly expensive for small business owners, record-setting federal deficits that will eventually lead to higher inflation and more taxes, not to mention more rules and regulations that Washington DC is dictating to the entire country?
We are all hurting...BUT...we will all move forward together. We will feel better...and eventually we will all feel good!
Finally, it means that we have to BELIEVE in ourselves and each other...that we WILL survive and eventually thrive as we recover. ProGrowth Bank and the citizens in the communities we serve have survived 22 recessions in the last 110 years. Every generation has faced severe challenges, and has recovered. In the words of General George S. Patton, one of our country's greatest generals, "Failure is not an option." In Gaylord, Nicollet, Mankato, and North Mankato, I believe that our citizens have more faith in ourselves than we do in Washington DC's so-called "solutions." Let's focus on building up our communities rather than tearing down each other.
Posted by Phil Keithahn on Wed, Aug 12, 2009 @ 10:43 AM
Trust. We hear and read that word frequently these days. For many people, the word is almost said with a degree of cynicism, if not disdain. Between Ponzi schemes, white collar crimes, and embezzlement, the word TRUST has almost evolved to the point where we believe that no one can be trusted.
What if we turned the sentence around?
Instead of asking, "Can I trust you?", reverse the sentence. Turn it inside out.
Ask, "Can I be trusted?", or more appropriately, "What actions must I take to demonstrate to you that I am worthy of the trust you place in me?"
I am an Eagle Scout. A Scout is Trustworthy. That's the first of the 12 Scout Laws.
I am a community banker. My entire career has been built upon integrity, which means I continually protect the confidentiality and privacy of my customer's personal and financial data.
And yet, each morning when I arise and tell myself that "This is the beginning of a new day", I also am reminded that everyone, ME included, is but one step away from making a decision or taking an action that is not founded upon TRUST.
It is this ever present awareness of my personal vulnerability to greed and temptation that keeps me ever-vigilant against the false illusion that I can break my vow of trust without anyone finding out.
Just as Scouting teaches young men and women to "be prepared" and to "do a good turn daily", so should we go back to the days of our youth, when parents, teachers, coaches, friends, and mentors held us accountable for our actions.
In a day and age when TRUST seems to have disappeared from the world, maybe we can only begin to trust others again...AFTER we take action to show that we are worthy of trust that we ask others to place in us.
Monty's Message: To rephrase the words of Forrest Gump, "Trust is...as Trust does."