Leadership can be defined in many ways. Individuals who lead come in different shapes and sizes, and their personalities can be divergent. Some leaders are vocal and have the appearance of strength. Yet other leaders are more cerebral, they use intellect and instinct to lead rather than use force. Irrespective of the personality type, they all share the same characteristic, the ability to view issues from a macro perspective. Effective leaders have the ability to see three steps ahead, and believe with absolute conviction that final decision is the right course of action.
I think we witnessed a demonstration in leadership yesterday with the joint announcement from CAAMP and the MBABC. For those who may have missed the announcement, CAAMP and MBABC have agreed to joint membership fees, which will result in a $50 savings for members of both associations. The MBABC has also adopted the AMP as their official designation, and they also agreed to extend their collaboration as it relates to events, i.e. CAAMP Mortgage Forum 2013 and the MBABC Conference. On the surface this may not appear to be significant but if truth be told this was four years in the making. To be clear, I had little to do with this. Where the two associations are today is the result of a number individuals who worked tirelessly to create a better working relationship between both associations . I was in the right place at the right time as it crossed the goal line.
Kudos to those individuals who made this happen. Congratulations for putting the best interests of your respective members first. Finding ways to reduce costs, and not negatively impacting services provided to members, should always be at the forefront. Avoiding redundancy, and respecting the fact the sponsorship dollars is not a constitutional right, shows wisdom and courage. These individuals put petty bickering and issues aside. These individuals didn’t engage in the east/west debate. This wasn’t about the 800 pound gorilla, CAAMP, taking over. This wasn’t about, what has become the nauseating mantra of the uninformed, a “cash grab”. No, this was about doing the right thing. This was a demonstration of leadership.
Not to overstate it but I believe this is a sign that our industry is going through a maturation process. We’re starting to grow up. We’re looking at issues beyond today. We starting to embrace the responsibility we have for the future of this industry.
Until next time
Cheers
Nolan Matthias @nolanmatthias Website