My Competition Phase Experience
Upon learning I was in the top five finalist, I began crafting my perfect presentation. I wanted the perfect pitch that conveyed my business case. During the next 30 days, the support provided by CUES in preparation for the Live Pitch Show was phenomenal!
Career Coaching Session offered by Envision Excellence. I used the material from the CUES Elite Access Virtual Classroom course “Amplify Your Impact by Mastering the Art of Powerful Communication” to build my business case PowerPoint presentation and develop the perfect story. Prior to meeting with Sandra Long, Senior Executive Coach at Envision Excellence, a coaching preparation form was submitted, providing a bit of background on what assistance was needed. The entire 60 minutes focused on my presentation and working on improvements to the pitch. Ms. Long’s advice was extremely helpful and I believe the final pieces that brought my presentation together. Prior to the big day, I shared the final presentation and pitch, delivered via Zoom, with my CEO and trusted peers in the industry to gather feedback as well, each time, taking note of their recommendations and making adjustments as needed.
CU Broadcast Studio Interview. Mike Lawson at CU Broadcast interviewed each of the finalist regarding our path to the finals, and our project idea. This was a huge benefit to the contestants as it allowed each of us to begin talking to others regarding our business cases and valuable in preparing to answer questions for the Live Pitch Show. It is always easy to talk with those in your organization about an idea or a project as everyone there knows the lingo and what you are talking about, this preparation to share with those out of our organizations was extremely helpful as well.
Practice Run. Tim McAlpine and Michael Berger from Currency met with each finalist prior to the pitch show to test our technology and prepare for the big day to limit disruptions. This was a huge relief and helped reduce anxiety that could occur should malfunctions take place. Later, all finalists came together and did a test run of our presentations, mimicking how the Live Pitch Show would take place. I was thankful to have this opportunity going in to the Live Pitch Show the next day as it gave me an idea of what to expect and the ability to address any concerns that may have arisen when giving my presentation.
Live Pitch Show. The big day! The Live Pitch Show was livestreamed online. Across the industry, each participant had peers, co-workers, family, and friends tuning in to support them; I had a few and was extremely grateful for their support. My nerves were shot that day with anticipation. Like I said earlier, giving a presentation in front of others, and then to be judged is not ideal. Years of reading personal development books left me with one conclusion, no growth comes from staying inside of your comfort zone! It was show time. I was thankful to be the second presenter, giving me the opportunity to then relax while watching the other finalist share their ideas and presentations. I felt that each of the finalists did an amazing job and had great ideas that could further the credit union movement if applied. At the conclusion of all the presentations, the wait was on…what did the judges think?
The Wait
As the presentations concluded on Wednesday, we all breathed a sigh of relief. The hard work and preparation leading to the big moment was worth it. We accomplished our goal, it was over. On Friday afternoon CUES representatives and Currency called each of the presenters to share the judges’ results. I was overwhelmed with excitement and joy when announced I was made it to the Top 3. They sneakily told me that before quickly telling me I was named the 2020 CUES Emerging Leader. I was ecstatic!
Career Coaching
After meeting with Laurie Maddalena, the Keynote Speaker/Chief Leadership Consultant at Envision Excellence, I am a firm believer that every single person needs a career coach. Her impact was immediately felt and I think everyone should have someone guiding them on their journey and providing wisdom. Much of my career I have felt a desire to do and be more, yet struggled with real direction. My time spent with Laurie has been so valuable, and for the first time I truly feel like I have a solid vision of personal success. I was beyond grateful Laurie also awarded me a scholarship to her 5-week Personal Mastery Program. This allowed for more time working with her and helping create better self-awareness as an individual and leader.
Final Thoughts
Achieving the 2020 CUES Emerging Leader award is a badge of honor. It demonstrates the crucible of personal development that all new leaders have to go through as they begin their journey. It goes far beyond titles, degrees, certificates and accolades. It’s an opportunity to shatter the shackles of one’s doubt and transcend personal limitations. While those mental shackles are personal, many people help in that journey and I am thankful for the part everyone played.
The CUES Emerge program is the perfect mix of combining online learning, peer collaboration and an exciting competition component that I think appeals to anyone wanting to challenge themselves to be a better leader in the industry.
If you have any doubts about applying for the CUES Emerge program, I hope this has helped allay those fears. The team at CUES and Currency are ready to answer your questions at info@cuesemerge.com.
Lindsey Walker
Executive Assistant
Tampa Bay Federal Credit Union