Building a Bridge...

Greetings...

This weekend, I was helping my 17-year old son with a physics project-- building a bridge from toothpicks.

The project is an interesting dilemma...build a bridge to specific dimensions using nothing but regular toothpicks and white Elmer's glue.  The project is worth 50 points for the quarter and the student who's bridge holds the most weight among ALL students earns another 50 bonus points!  One would think that you simply use a ton of glue and hold it all together...that is where you would be incorrect!

The "trick" to the best bridge design is NOT the glue...its the physics of the toothpick placement!  The glue provides stability and flexibility but the true ability to do the heavy weight is the distribution of the weight across the bridge (for us, the organization).

So...there is my connection.

We work with MANY banks and credit unions around the country.  Most that are performing well but others not so well....the difference?  Its not the glue holding the organization together-- its the design of the teams!  The best teams works together and each contributes and takes some of the weight and helps the other teams.  This is one effective bridge design...the "Warren Truss" design.  It will hold and is a fine design.  However, it will not hold the most!

Here is what I mean...each bank and many CUs have a retail group, lending, investment group, and business lending.  If they operate separately-- no matter how much glue is applied to hold them together-- if they are not designed to be one unit with multiple entry points and really work together, then they are destined to fail.  Here is the design that is truly interrelated, "Warren Truss Subdivided" designed bridge...this will hold the most weight and it designed to be integrated and work as one unit.

Remember, glue is important-- as it gives stability and flexibility.  But the best design is one where everyone ACTUALLY works together, supports one another, and is seamless in distributing the work and weight!

Cheers!

Bruce