Beau D. Reinberg’s Post

A few thoughts on building routines, returning to St. Louis, and getting back to work: Routine Shopping: Distilling Thousands of Conversations Into 13 Life Lessons for Better Routines (https://lnkd.in/gcvBGaS6)

Maybe it is the washed-up athlete in me, but Roger Federer’s commencement speech to Dartmouth College really struck home. For anyone trying to succeed at life and/or business, I would encourage you to check it out! There were three main points in his speech and I’m going to try to analyze them and connect them to my role as a Commercial Banker at a community bank. 1. Effortless is a myth. Federer’s play on the tennis court often looked effortless. People didn’t think he trained hard. However, he trained hard when no one was watching. This led to a foundation of confidence and success. There is a notion in our industry that bankers are lazy. Shoot, some of you may even think all I do is golf, eat steaks, and attend sporting events with clients.  People assume it is easy, but nothing is ever as easy as it looks. Banking is a game of meaningful, long-term relationships. In order to keep those relationships and dispel the laziness notion, we need to understand both the needs and goals of our customers. It is paramount to communicate timely, follow through on your commitments, and provide meaningful solutions. 2. It’s only a point. Federer played in 1,526 singles matches in his career and won nearly 80% of those matches. With that being said, he won only 54% of the points in those matches. Put simply, he barely won half of the points he played. He learned to not dwell on every single shot. He reiterated this idea by saying that the sign of a champion is becoming a master at overcoming hard moments. Champions know they will lose again and again, but they learn how to deal with it. Banking is extremely competitive and customers have plenty of options. I have struck out with numerous emails, phone calls, handwritten notes, meetings, term sheets, etc.  It is okay to learn the lesson, change your plan, and keep challenging yourself. 3. Life is bigger than the court. Federer acknowledged that tennis is a team sport. His success was dependent on his coaches, family, friends, teammates, and even his rivals. These people have pushed you and supported you so that you can become the best versions of yourself. Finally, he shared how important a life beyond tennis was to him because he wanted to serve others. Behind every community bank, the quality of the banking service you provide depends upon your team. The people that make up that team are always the biggest assets to your organization. One of my favorite aspects of our culture is that our employees live, work, and play in the communities that we serve. Being able to drive past XYZ Company and say we were a small part in helping them expand their building, hire additional personnel, and ultimately achieve success is one of the most satisfying parts of the banking gig.

Incentive Concepts is proud to announce that it has been named to the PPAI 100 list for the second year in a row. The PPAI 100 is the highest recognition bestowed on its members by the PPAI - Promotional Products Association International. “This honor is a direct result of the amazing people we have at IC who work tirelessly each day to deliver a better client experience," says President & CEO Joe Reinberg. #PPAI100 #PromotionalProductsWork #IncentiveConcepts