Sep 7, 2016
Co-hosts Jan Rutherford and Jim
Vaselopulos interview Scott Page, Chief Executive Officer of
Colorado Business Bank and Arizona Business Bank, on his
experiences as a CEO, particularly regarding how the CEO position
is distinct from all others. Scott covers the importance of
preparation through education, accepting mentorship, and developing
awareness and presence in the moment. Scott reveals pitfalls of
inadequate leadership, and problems with letting an organization
drift in unmanaged directions, as well as lessons learned through
personal experience. He discusses the need for teams to hire and
promote the right people a structure that provides autonomy, and
the importance of performance accountability. He also discusses the power
of humor in strengthening team relationships.
Listen in to learn Scott’s tips for
transformative leadership in today’s challenged and fast-paced
global economy.
Key
Takeaways
[4:24] We take our business very
seriously, but we don’t take ourselves very seriously―I really like
people, and I like to have a little bit of fun.
[7:29] I’m a huge proponent of
teamwork. My senior team members partner up to solve problems and I
don’t even have to get involved.
[9:59] The biggest surprise when I
became CEO was the speed of things coming at me.
[12:36] Put the right vertical
structure and people in place.
[20:57] You have to have this
mentality of constant improvement. There’s no room for people who
retire on the job.
[22:10] You can have a complex
organization, but you have to have a very well-defined value
proposition and mission. Then you have to message like crazy and
support your messaging with the right activities.
[24:14] Slow down to speed up.
Adapt. To remain independent as a public company, you must provide
superior results.
[27:25] Mentor people--send them
through programs and schools that prepare them to advance and
maximize their talents in the organization.
[41:19] Accountability has to start
at the very top of an organization. Then it can be driven down into
the organization.
Books Mentioned or
Referenced on the Show
The Five
Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable, by Patrick
Lencioni
Bio
Scott Page learned the value of
humor while growing up in an immigrant family in a disadvantaged
area. Scott has more than 30 years of experience in the Colorado
banking community. He has served as Chief Executive Officer of
Colorado Business Bank and Arizona Business Bank, since early
2014. Scott joined Colorado Business Bank
as market president in 2009. He previously served as Executive Vice
President and Director of Community Banking for
Vectra Bank Colorado, a unit of
Zions Bancorporation,
for eight years, and as Senior Vice
President and Manager of US Banks Large Commercial Banking at
Financial Institutions Group. Scott received his Bachelor Degree
and MBA from the University of New Mexico and is a graduate of the
University of Colorado School of Banking. He is a member of the
Executive Committee of the Metro Denver Economic Development
Corporation and serves on the executive advisory board of Regis
Graduate School of Business.