Tag: Leadership

As day-to-day communication shifts to largely online, it is critical that credit professionals make the most of every conversation, whether it is in-person or virtual. From facial expressions to tone to body language, there is a lot to keep in mind in conversation to ensure that you are not only making your point clearly but effectively.

As a leader, it can be easy to focus on your own perspective. After all, you’re ultimately responsible for making key decisions. However, leadership isn’t just about giving orders; it’s about guiding your team and ensuring their needs are met.

Today, we congratulate Chelsea Hirn, CBA, recipient of the GSCFM Student Leader Award from NACM’s National Honors and Awards Program, presented by the graduating class of the Graduate School of Credit and Financial Management.  

When most people think of a credit professional, they picture someone focused on collecting payments and monitoring customer balances or credit scores. In reality, the job extends far beyond credit and collections. From negotiating terms and managing customer relationships to training and developing their teams, credit professionals juggle many responsibilities. The higher their position, the more hats they wear.

To help professionals succeed in this demanding field, NACM and FCIB’s Professional Certification Program offers a structured path to develop core competencies. With six designations available, the program provides the knowledge base and tools necessary for long-term success in credit management. 

Picture this: a scout leader perched at a mountaintop, shouting directions through a megaphone. The team reaches the summit quickly, but they’re exhausted, disoriented and less prepared for the next climb.  

Good leadership is like a relay race—those who pass the baton to the next runner ensure that the whole team keeps moving forward. In the credit industry, where much of the expertise comes from hands-on experience, leaders have a responsibility to actively fill knowledge gaps and guide newer credit professionals. 

As a credit professional, conflict comes with the territory of credit management; you can’t always avoid it. It becomes even more challenging when customers are being uncooperative or responding with aggression. In these situations, credit professionals can either react emotionally or take a strategic approach to work toward a solution that benefits both the customer and the business. 

For Heather Re-DeGunia, CBF, CCRA, senior credit representative at Ag Processing, Inc. (Omaha, NE), earning her Certified Credit and Risk Analyst (CCRA) designation provided a strong foundation in financial statement analysis, including how to properly evaluate and interpret financial data.