In today's competitive marketplace, businesses find themselvesconstantly challenged to grow and evolve if they want to succeedand not be deemed old fashion or out-of-date in meeting the demandsof customers.

Although change and a willingness to grow and become — forthe right purpose — is a proven good strategy, any constanturge to fix one's gaze steadily toward the future while letting goof the past can prove detrimental to the organization's identityand reputation. Losing touch with one's roots, one's heritage, is asure course for disaster. It not only fuels a dysfunctionalworkplace but can tear apart the very fabric of the organization'sbrand.

We've seen businesses pursue various tactics when faced with thereality that the organization or its corporate culture has changedto such an extent that the organization itself is no longerinfluenced by the values and principles that have defined its veryessence from the day it was founded,

To offset that tide and create a pathway back to their corevalues, some, like The Ritz-Carlton and Starbucks, focus on servicequality. Guaranteeing an experience of quality not only helps toexcel their brand reputation beyond all others in the marketplace,it unites staff and customers alike under a common banner thatclearly spells out who they are and what their heritage represents.It creates a sense of pride among staff and loyalty among customerswanting to be identified with excellence.

Others find the solution in an ombudsman or an inspectorgeneral, who acts with an established degree of independence inorder to bridge the interests of the public with the organizationin an unbiased manner.

Then, there are those who take an innovative course. They hiresomeone like the stern elderly lady in the Hanes underwearcommercials. Remember her, Inspector 12? Shewould look over each pair, stamp it and proudly proclaim, “Theydon't say Hanes until Isay they say Hanes!”

No matter what course of action is chosen, any attempt torecapture one's roots needs to be fully comprehensive andall-pervasive in nature if it is to be successful. It not onlyneeds to find ways of expression through enhanced communicationsbut it must also be celebrated and embraced on a daily basis, bythe board, the staff, and yes, even among members.

Can that be said of your credit union and the way it lives itsheritage, particularly during the month of October as we observeInternational Credit Union Day on Oct. 18, and especially during ayear designated by The United Nations as The International Year ofCooperatives?

I would think that for some, the effort is simple and easy,while for many others it can pose quite a daunting task.

During my years at WesCorp, I was fortunate enough to visit anumber of small-asset size credit unions and remember seeing onmore occasions than one, the manager greeting members by name,one-by-one, at the front door. Amazing as it was, that was just thetip of the iceberg. The spirit and morale of what it means to be a“credit union” ran high in those shops, among staff and membersalike.

In those shops, members were actively involved in educationalofferings and in the annual meeting. They all seemed to display agenuine love for the credit union, and that included all theirimmediate family members as well.

Was it because they were made to feel like owners or was itsimply that they experienced the values associated with the creditunion business model in a very direct and personalized way? I neverwas able to ask the members or learn their actual reasoning, butone thing was absolutely crystal clear to me. Each of thesesmall-asset size credit unions was grounded firmly in itscooperative heritage. They all remained faithful to theirroots.

Some may conclude that it was the small size of the organizationthat contributed to the spirit. Others might attribute it toserving one SEG or explain it as simply the reflection of a leaderwho by example lives the values of the credit union's heritage.Nonetheless, each shop had a pervasive spirit of cooperation,honestly and pride in the service they were providing toothers.

Unfortunately, not every credit union is generating anequivalent experience. Right now there are shops in the U.S.struggling to build morale, searching desperately for a way torecapture the days of old when the credit union representedsomething more than a place to do one's banking. There are shopswhere staff works in silos, where communications are abysmal orwhere the environment feels more like a for-profit financial centerthan a credit union dedicated to people helping people.

At a time in history when more people are transferring theirmoney from banks to credit unions than ever before, credit unionsof all shapes and sizes need to ensure the public — their members —that they continue to embrace a heritage that is both cooperativein nature and committed to principles that Wall Street findsunappealing and old-fashioned.

It's a time to recapture roots and renew our commitment to thedreams and aspirations first proposed by Filene and Bergengren.

We may not need an ombudsman or an Inspector 12, but certainlyappointing someone whose fulltime job is to ensure that the creditunion remain faithful to its roots, and acknowledges that heritagein word and deed can be a winning proposition. Consider the resultsfor a moment.

By reclaiming a credit union's heritage through innovativecommunications and PR campaigns, through creative educational andtraining initiatives, this — let's call him/her, “Chief HeritageOfficer” — can nourish morale and enliven the spirit of thecredit union in ways that can have a far-reaching impact for staff,the board and members as well.

Yes, there is a price to pay but is it not worth the investment?Or, can it be that improved morale and a heightened awareness ofthe credit union's values and reputation in the community might notcontribute significantly to the bottom line? I'm willing to wagerthe opposite. What about you?

It seems to me the real secret for a credit union's success mayhave been with us from the day we first opened our doors and serveda member. We just need to be reminded on a daily basis that wearen't a credit union until we first BE a credit union byembracing our roots and living the values and principles embodiedin our credit union heritage.

WaltLaskos is a relationship-building executive and principal ofThe LaskosGroup in Temecula, Calif.