Banking on Success: How Giannini Achieved his Greatest Ambitions
Banking on Success: How Giannini Achieved his Greatest Ambitions
Roots: Giannini came from a family that had uprooted itself from its home country in order to pursue a better life in America, and he never forgot it. He had a vision to create a bank that served the very people he had grown up with – the average worker. By refusing to cow tow to the larger banks, and by being willing to take risks on often nothing more than a handshake, Giannini stayed true to his roots in creating a bank for the little guy.
Relationships: Whereas most other bankers at the time had little interaction with their customers beyond what was absolutely necessary for business, Giannini made sure that he developed strong connections with all of his customers. Knowing all of their names and situations, he became involved in their struggles for a better future. It was this characteristic of Giannini’s that endeared him to the ordinary worker, and what caused people to travel outside of their own cities just to do business with his bank.
Priorities: He had grown a small business into the country’s largest bank, but that is not something that would be reflected in his own bank account. From refusing salary bonuses to giving millions of dollars away to charity, Giannini had no interest in pocketing money for himself beyond what was necessary. If profits were a good thing it was only because they could then be reinvested in the business or given back to society. That unique attitude of Giannini’s was what gained him the admiration of all the people he served.
Drive: At present, the Bank of America has close to 6,000 branches that serve one in four American households. If Giannini were alive today, he would be beaming at the realization of his dream. But, in his time, banks were limited to operations in just one city. It was Giannini who pushed the boundaries for state-wide and nation-wide banking, paving the way for the international banking system active in the world today.
Diversification: From the Golden Gate Bridge to “Snow White and the Seven Dwarves”, Giannini’s name can today be found behind many of America’s most famous cultural icons. Where other entrepreneurs were afraid to take risks, Giannini got right in the middle and mixed things up. He supported projects he believed in even when he was unsure of the financial outcome. It was in doing so that Giannini succeeded where no others had.
American Banker Magazine recognizes Giannini as one of the most influential bankers of the twentieth century. Even the U.S. Postal Service issued a postage stamp that bears his portrait. Today, it is not just the working class families that Giannini was willing to give loans to who remember him. Giannini’s impact on the international banking system, the economic development of the U.S., and American culture itself can still be felt the world over.
Banking on Success How Giannini Achieved his Greatest Ambitions
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He never dreamed of being a banker when he was a child, but today, there is nary a student of retail banking who does not know the incredible story of this determined entrepreneur. A son of poor immigrants, Giannini helped build the first national system of banks for the ordinary person, all the while fueling California’s economic development and inspiring a new generation of entrepreneurs. What were Giannini’s secrets for success?
Roots: Giannini came from a family that had uprooted itself from its home country in order to pursue a better life in America, and he never forgot it. He had a vision to create a bank that served the very people he had grown up with – the average worker. By refusing to cow tow to the larger banks, and by being willing to take risks on often nothing more than a handshake, Giannini stayed true to his roots in creating a bank for the little guy.
Relationships: Whereas most other bankers at the time had little interaction with their customers beyond what was absolutely necessary for business, Giannini made sure that he developed strong connections with all of his customers. Knowing all of their names and situations, he became involved in their struggles for a better future. It was this characteristic of Giannini’s that endeared him to the ordinary worker, and what caused people to travel outside of their own cities just to do business with his bank.
Priorities: He had grown a small business into the country’s largest bank, but that is not something that would be reflected in his own bank account. From refusing salary bonuses to giving millions of dollars away to charity, Giannini had no interest in pocketing money for himself beyond what was necessary. If profits were a good thing it was only because they could then be reinvested in the business or given back to society. That unique attitude of Giannini’s was what gained him the admiration of all the people he served.
Drive: At present, the Bank of America has close to 6,000 branches that serve one in four American households. If Giannini were alive today, he would be beaming at the realization of his dream. But, in his time, banks were limited to operations in just one city. It was Giannini who pushed the boundaries for state-wide and nation-wide banking, paving the way for the international banking system active in the world today.
Diversification: From the Golden Gate Bridge to “Snow White and the Seven Dwarves”, Giannini’s name can today be found behind many of America’s most famous cultural icons. Where other entrepreneurs were afraid to take risks, Giannini got right in the middle and mixed things up. He supported projects he believed in even when he was unsure of the financial outcome. It was in doing so that Giannini succeeded where no others had.
American Banker Magazine recognizes Giannini as one of the most influential bankers of the twentieth century. Even the U.S. Postal Service issued a postage stamp that bears his portrait. Today, it is not just the working class families that Giannini was willing to give loans to who remember him. Giannini’s impact on the international banking system, the economic development of the U.S., and American culture itself can still be felt the world over.
Banking on Success How Giannini Achieved his Greatest Ambitions
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Dianne CramptonDianne Crampton is an executive leadership coach, team consultant, author and president of TIGERS Success Series, Inc. Dianne has been helping CEO's and Executives connect their employees to their core values and goals for over 20 years using the trademarked TIGERS team culture process, which stands for trust, interdependence, genuineness, empathy, risk and success. To download a free white paper on behaviors that build strong teams and behaviors that will predictably tear them down go here. - Visit Dianne Crampton's Website |
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Leanne Hoagland-SmithAre your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales or business success or one of the many who have failed to change? Are you tired of being told you are like everyone else? Then you may find my first book on sales of interest. Be the Red Jacket in the Sea of Gray Suits, The Keys to Unlocking Sales available at Amazon or at http://www.processspecialist.com/red-jacket.htm. This book is a reflection of my no-nonsense approach to improving sales to overall business results. If you are truly committed to making sustainable changes, then I can help you secure a positive return on your investment because I focus on executable solutions not telling you the problems you already know you have. From training to corporate (group) coaching to executive one on one coaching, my approach is to assess, create awareness, build a goal driven action plan and then execute. The bottom line question is "Not do you or your employees know it, but do you or they want to do it?" Please call for a free strategy session at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website |
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Linda RichardsonLinda Richardson is the Founder and Executive Chairwoman of Richardson, a global sales training and performance improvement company. As a recognized leader in the industry, she has won the coveted Stevie Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sales Excellence and she was identified by Training Industry, Inc. as one of the “Top 20 Most Influential Training Professionals.” Ms. Richardson is credited with the movement to Consultative Selling and is the author of ten books on selling and sales management, including Sales Coaching — Making the Great Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Coach, and Stop Telling, Start Selling. She teaches sales and management at the Wharton Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton Executive Development Center. Linda is a frequent speaker at industry and client conferences, has been published extensively in industry and training journals, and has been featured in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Nation’s Business, Selling Power, Success, and The Conference Board Magazine. Learn more about Richardson's sales training and performance improvement solutions at http://www.richardson.com web - Visit Linda Richardson's Website |
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