Good has never been an acceptable standard for Bryn Vaupel, SVPfor retail delivery at the $759 million Educational Systems FederalCredit Union in Greenbelt, Md.

The latest Trailblazers 40Below honoree has lived by one simple, Jim Collins-inspiredphilosophy that “good is the enemy of great.”

“Even in the greatest and most beloved organizations, itrequires constant vigilance to not settle for good and work hardfor great. Even if we did something well I always ask how we can doit better,” said Vaupel, who learned about credit unions from herparents, lifelong members. She said she jumped at the chance towork at a credit union when the opportunity arose.

“In the past leaders were expected to tell people what to do andhow to do it. Today, it's important for leaders to share theirvision of where we're going and the why,” she said.

A believer in listening first to build a collaborative vision,Vaupel said leadership is best expressed through clearcommunication.

“Each of us, regardless of gender or the position we hold in anorganization, has the opportunity to lead,” she said. “Greatleaders learn to listen, really listen, and try to understandothers' points of view. Taking the time to listen is the differencebetween good and great. It isn't a weakness. Listening gives youthe insight and confidence to make sound decisions and lets othersknow you have taken their input into consideration.”

Responsible for the branch, marketing, community relations andbusiness development teams at her Maryland credit union, Vaupel hasfocused on ensuring brand alignment has been embedded throughoutthe organizational culture.

While innovation has its place both in fostering growth andincreasing efficiency, credit unions can't afford to let thenovelty of a new idea detract from the vision, she said.

“It's our responsibility as leaders to manage relationships andensure that employees, members and volunteers see the value createdthrough their engagement with our credit union,” she said. “It canbe a challenge to get out of the office and spend quality time withthe people who are making a difference every day. But as leaders,it's the most important aspect of what we do.”

To Vaupel, that sense of belonging and working together toward ashared goal helps employees feel motivated to achieve.

“It's important that every employee, whether in IT, accountingor the front line, understands who we are, what we want to be, andthe experience we strive to provide for each other and for ourmembers,” she said. “This type of change is more long-standing thanputting forth, say, a short-lived promotion, as it positions us tobecome more effective with each new initiative and product rolloutfor years to come.”

Part of that realignment has led to such initiatives as arevision of the employee incentive plan and integration ofmarketing with branch staff that allowed Educational Systems FCU tosignificantly grow auto loans and refinances. In addition, thecredit union increased efficiency and cut costs by exceeding goalsfor e-statement sign ups at all 11 retail locations.

Success in tailoring experiences across the organization for itscore member base, the education community, has also helped drivebranch profitability. By the end of the first quarter of 2014,Educational Systems FCU had surpassed its peer average in networth, market and asset growth.

“For those who believe that great rates and lower fees are thecredit union difference, they are missing the point. Understandingthe community you serve and conveying that understanding is whymembers will choose to do business with you,” said Vaupel, who hasbeen keeping a close eye on the evolution of branching and thefuture of face-to-face sales and service.

“We all know that members, just like us, are using electronicand mobile devices for transactions,” Vaupel said, “but it'sunclear whether we should discourage branch usage, as that lessensthe opportunities for employees to help. Since one of the thingsthat makes credit unions great is that ability to help membersachieve financial dreams, we'll need to find ways to continue tocapture that high level of engagement that comes with face-to-faceinteraction.”

The challenges and opportunities that the search for relevantsolutions present have been among the most enjoyable aspects ofVaupel's current role.

“As the marketplace evolves, retail delivery is less about brickand mortar and absolutely about the member experience,” she said.“Leaders at every level in the organization should be asking howretail delivery helps provide an exceptional member experience inperson, online, over the phone and in channels that we are justdiscovering.”

Vaupel added the task has become particularly important giventhe challenges of government regulations levied in recent years,hiring top talent, and managing the balance sheet to position itfor the rising rate environment.

“Interest rates have been at historic lows for years. If we seea rapid rise like in the late 70s and early 80s, credit unions willbe significantly challenged. The hard choice is being competitivelypriced today while balancing what could happen with interest ratesin the not-so-distant future. We need to look at what's theintrinsic value proposition we offer and how can we best conveythat,” Vaupel said.

“We should also be evaluating what we're doing to shape thecurrent and next generation of leaders,” Vaupel said. “We are notin a recession anymore and though unemployment is still higher thanmost would like, our credit union, like many across the industry,is finding it difficult to uncover great talent at every level inthe organization.”

Her advice for young professionals? Never stop listening andlearning. She also advised anyone looking to get ahead to have asound foundation and master the four areas of finance, IT,marketing and lending.

“You don't need to have worked in each area of a credit union.Instead, you need learn enough in each area so you can talk to thefunctional area experts intelligently and build credibility,” shesaid.

“If you think you have all the answers, then you set yourself,your team and your organization up for failure,” Vaupel said.“Leadership is inherently about asking questions and taking risks.Great leaders listen to others, learn from others and try to make adifference.”