Community Bank Leadership Academy
Register one time and attend all 4 sessions!
Winning Together: Becoming the Leader Your Team Needs & Wants
Leadership Impact & Mindset Training
More than Words, Communication Session
Utilizing the Tool Belt in Your Bank
Community Bank Leadership Academy
Inspired by CBA’s LEAD Board, the Community Bank Leadership Academy is designed specifically for the future community bank leader. This series of four sessions will benefit the attendees through individual self-discovery, personal and professional growth and career development. Each participant will walk away with their own personal development plan. The workshops are designed to bring continuity and sustainable accomplishments which will allow each participant to build positive influence, team connections and ongoing learning resources. The Academy aims to support Georgia’s community banks in the development of its people so that these bankers will become impactful leaders of influence - for the bank, themselves and their communities. Participants who consecutively attend & participate in all four sessions in a calendar year will receive a Certificate of Completion
A great way to increase employee retention and engagement is through professional development. The Association of Talent Development states that senior leaders in organizations “understand the critical strategic role learning has, and they are committed to investing in the growth and development of their people.” CBA encourages every Georgia community bank to provide learning opportunities for their teams, especially those who will be leaders.
The Series - The "Tool Belt"
Leaders choose to professionally grow their knowledge. This series will encourage not only workshop participation but also ongoing self-development. The sessions are designed to build upon each other so that each leader can create action plans for successful practice in their banks. You will see value plus change.
In 2024, each session will cover 1.5 days of learning and development and will take place on Tuesday afternoon & evening and all day Wednesday.
Expectations for Earning a CBA CBLA Certificate:
- Attend and participate in all four sessions. Bring materials with you.
- Complete Pre & Post session assignments. Such as:
- Write learning goals and action plans for improved leadership performance.
- Complete a self-assessment (personality and leadership skills).
- Pick a sponsor at your bank (i.e. supervisor or mentor) that you will update along the learning process.
- Read books assigned: The Anatomy of Peace & The 21 Laws of Leadership
*Registration automatically signs up attendees for all four 2024 sessions.
The registration fee includes all materials needed including a assessments, two books, and electronically sent handouts; covered meals include four dinners, four continental breakfasts, four lunches and social/team-building activities. *No cancellations nor substitutions once the academy has started.
Please note, up to 20 registrants will be accepted for the annual leadership academy. Participants are encouraged to register soon to secure their spot and plan to attend all four in a calendar year in order to receive a certificate of completion. Upon registration, participants will be provided all the details they will need to get started. One week prior to the sessions, Becky Soto will email recommended hotel reservation information.
Who Should Attend
Across all spectrums of the bank - those who seek to be in leadership positions and those who are seeking to enhance their leadership skills.
Cost
$1800 – Register & Pay before January 15, 2024
$1925 – Registration Fee after January 15, 2024
Sponsorships Available
Sponsors attend both dinner on Tuesday evening (or lunch on Wednesday) and have the opportunity to address the group.
Contact Lindsay Greene for details.
Sessions 1 – 4
Schedule of Events
Tuesday
2:30pm – Arrivals Begin
3:00pm – Program Begins
5:00pm – Program Transitions
5:30pm – Networking Dinner with Sponsor
Wednesday
8:30am – Program Resumes
12:00pm – Lunch
12:45pm – Program Resumes
3:00pm – Program Adjourns
Thank You to Our Sponsors
Session 1: Tuesday-Wednesday, March 5-6, 2024
Winning Together: Becoming the Leader Your Team Needs & Wants
- Individual and Team Skill assessments with workplace application.
- How to interact and communicate effectively with a variety of communication styles.
- Focus on Vision, Values, Conversations with Different Communication Styles.
- Leadership insights.
Instructor: April Farlow Leadership Coach, Speaker, Trainer
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Session 2: Tuesday-Wednesday, April 23-April 24, 2024
Leadership Impact & Mindset Training
Topics:
- What would it take for you to be great right now?
- Heart of Peace versus Heart of War.
- Turning a negative ally into a positive collaborator.
- Learn to be your best self in all situations.
Instructor: April Farlow Leadership Coach, Speaker, Trainer
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Session 3: Tuesday-Wednesday, August 13-14, 2024
More than Words, Communication Session
Topics:
- Speaking and Listening, Clarifying Complex Information.
- How to communicate with confidence, even in uncomfortable situations.
- The Art of Story Telling with Persuasion.
- Answering Difficult Questions.
- How to read and control a room
Instructor: April Farlow Leadership Coach, Speaker, Trainer
Session 4: Tuesday-Wednesday, October 1-2, 2024
Utilizing the Tool Belt in Your Bank
Topics:
- Leadership Development Action.
- Blinding Flash of Insight with tools for continual growth.
- Building Your personal roadmap for successful leadership.
- Leadership Contacts (advice, aid, and motivation going forward).
Instructor: Kristi Greer, CBA of GA
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What Your Peers Are Saying
“I chose to attend CBLA because I want to grow as not only a leader, but as a person also. By attending these sessions, not only have I learned more about myself, but I have also developed a skill set and acquired tools needed to continue to become a successful leader. Leadership Academy provided us with great speakers, who have coached us and helped with our growth and professional development as leaders and people. I feel I have connected with a network of people that will also help continue my evolvement as a leader, not only in my career, but in my family, and community as well. I recommend this class to everyone. To be able to lead is to be humble, and to have the knowledge that continued growth is ongoing.”
Priscilla A Morris, The Claxton Bank
“I believe the CBA Leadership course is relevant at all stages of your career. It has helped me to recognize and understand my own style and to see areas where I can improve. If you are new to a leadership position the knowledge gained from the program, correctly applied would provide an opportunity to succeed in your position and be ready to grow into the next one. I would recommend the program to anyone willing to take a hard look at themselves and be ready to be a better leader.”
Angelia Alfred, American Commerce Bank
“This leadership class has been a beneficial time of self-reflection on both a professional and personal level. I am closing out this course with an immense understanding of different leadership styles, and how those around me respond to those techniques. The curriculum exposed my leadership strengths and weaknesses for the benefit of my team and other relationships in my life.”
Jonathon Guthrie, The Peoples Bank
“I was very skeptical about this program being ‘another boring class’ but our group was very engaged and we were able to express our struggles, talk through them and learn from them. This is not another boring class, you get many take aways, the challenge is then on you to do the work and use the tools provided. This class teaches you self-awareness and then how to handle situations all leaders encounter. This program is valuable to my career.”
Maigan Wall, Loan Department Manager, Persons Banking Company – Class of 2021
“I thoroughly enjoyed the leadership sessions, instructors and getting to know my fellow participants. I really appreciated the interactions and feedback of everyone.”
Ken Austin, Market President/Lender, Queensborough National Bank & Trust Co.
“Leadership is getting results in a way that inspires trust! I learned this during our first session with April Farlow.”
Marty Green, Sr. Vice President, Family Bank
"CBA’s Leadership Academy was not your ordinary leadership-training course, and far exceeded my personal expectations! Not only was the training material valuable and engaging, the trainers and attendees brought the program to another level! Early on, the training staff had compelled group participation without us even knowing it, and this not only allowed our leadership skills to blossom, but also, created networking friendships that we know will last a lifetime. The trainers were focus driven and spent time relating techniques to real life situations for both work and personal life. The program was very much about self-reflection, and putting into play, the changes we can make to better our teams, our overall workplace, and ourselves."
Ashley Lanier-Elston, First National Bank of Coffee County
"This session made me see characteristics of myself that I can work on going forward to better myself as a leader and an employee. This Program has been one of the best learning tools - everyone stayed engaged."
Donna Wall, Exchange Bank
“This is, by far, the best training I’ve ever attended. The program has been so well thought out and organized. I feel I’ve flourished as a leader and as a person in general. All aspects of my life have been touched and enhanced. I attribute so much of my recent success to this Academy. I’ve been able to take lessons learned here and apply them to situations at my bank to make positive changes. I would recommend this Academy to any aspiring leaders.”
Stephanie Jordan, SunMark Bank
“Love this leadership class format. Schedule works great for bankers.”
Chris Acker, American Commerce Bank, N.A.
“Leadership Academy has been quite an eye-opener for me. I have learned the value of leading vs. managing and will certainly apply many techniques learned to change my behavior and mentor others for superior growth.”
Natalie Woodall, United Bank
“Community banking is so important and I really appreciate CBA caring about us community bankers and wanting to make us leaders. Everyone should be in this class.”
Shanna Jackson, The Claxton Bank