A GSBC Special Interest Group Project
Created by Simon Anderson, Eddie Barraza, Sandra Ford, Drew Kurtz, Brooke Ortmann, Scott Schlegel, Scott Tweed and Charlie Ziegenbein
What does leadership development actually look like in community banking today?
A group of GSBC students wanted to explore that question more deeply and the result became one of the most collaborative and peer-focused projects developed through the Bolder Banking® Special Interest Group initiative.
Rather than completing Strategic Topic projects individually, this group of students formed their own Special Interest Group around leadership in community banking and turned that collaboration into their Strategic Topic project. Together, they interviewed banking executives across different institutions and markets to better understand the experiences, behaviors and leadership traits shaping the future of community banking.
More Than a Leadership Conversation
Leadership development continues to be one of the most important conversations facing community banking today.
As succession planning pressures increase, technology evolves and customer expectations continue shifting, banks are placing greater emphasis on identifying and developing future leaders prepared to navigate change.
The students involved in this project wanted to better understand:
- What experiences actually prepare people for leadership
- What executives consistently look for in emerging leaders
- How relationship banking influences leadership success
- The role technology and AI may play in future leadership
- Why leadership development must be intentional
What emerged throughout the project was a consistent message: leadership progression rarely happens accidentally. Experiences, initiative, adaptability and relationship-building all play a critical role in long-term growth.
Key Themes and Findings
Through conversations with executives across community banking, several themes surfaced consistently.
Leadership Begins Before the Title
One of the strongest findings was that leadership is often identified long before someone formally steps into a management role.
Executives repeatedly emphasized:
- Ownership mindset
- Accountability
- Initiative
- Curiosity
- Communication skills
The group found that many leaders stand out early in their careers through their willingness to take responsibility, solve problems and build strong internal and external relationships.
Relationship Banking Still Matters
Despite rapid technological change, executives consistently reinforced the continued importance of relationship banking.
The project highlighted how:
- Trust remains foundational
- Communication skills drive long-term influence
- Relationship-building impacts both customer and internal leadership success
While technology and AI are expected to continue reshaping banking operations, the human side of leadership continues to matter deeply within community banking environments.
Cross-Functional Experience Accelerates Growth
Another major theme involved the value of exposure across different areas of the bank.
Executives noted that future leaders often benefit from:
- Broad operational understanding
- Credit and lending exposure
- Customer-facing experience
- Strategic involvement outside their primary role
The students found that leadership development often accelerates when individuals actively seek opportunities beyond their immediate responsibilities.
Succession Planning Remains a Growing Challenge
The project also explored succession planning and long-term leadership continuity across community banks.
Many executives acknowledged:
- Increasing retirement pressures
- Leadership transition concerns
- The need for more intentional development pipelines
The conversations reinforced the importance of developing future leaders earlier and creating clearer pathways for growth within organizations.
Why This Matters
What makes these Special Interest Group projects valuable is not simply the final deliverable. It is the process itself.
Students voluntarily organize around topics they care deeply about, collaborate across institutions and markets and contribute meaningful insight back to the broader banking industry.
This leadership project reflects exactly what the Bolder Banking® initiative is intended to encourage:
- Collaboration
- Curiosity
- Industry engagement
- Leadership development
- Forward-looking thinking
Most importantly, it creates space for emerging leaders to actively participate in shaping conversations about the future of community banking.
Looking Ahead
The leadership project is part of a growing collection of student-led Special Interest Group publications being shared through the Bolder Banking® initiative.
Future projects will continue exploring important industry conversations through collaborative research, discussion and practical insight designed to strengthen the future of community banking.