Innovation doesn’t happen by accident—or in between back-to-back Zoom calls and inbox cleanouts. If credit unions want to stay competitive, relevant, and member-obsessed, they need to carve out intentional space for creativity to thrive.
You don’t need a think tank or a Silicon Valley zip code. You need a system. One that breaks down barriers, reclaims time, and signals to your entire team: Innovation isn’t a side hustle—it’s core strategy.
Here’s how to create a culture where ideas don’t just survive… they scale.
1. Kill the Clutter: Clear Out Process Debt
Before you can innovate, you’ve got to declutter. Outdated processes, endless approvals, and legacy tasks that no one questions anymore? That’s process debt—and it’s robbing your team of time and brainpower.
Free your people. Start with one small shift: swap a weekly update meeting with a shared digital dashboard. Bonus points if you give the reclaimed time a purpose—like strategy work, research, or idea jams.
One 10X Credit Union eliminated three legacy reporting cycles by centralizing data and empowering teams to act in real time. The result? Less bureaucracy, more breakthrough thinking—and a measurable uptick in employee energy.
2. Put Innovation at the Top of the Agenda
Don’t just tell teams to “think bigger”—make it a priority they see, feel, and get measured on. Innovation won’t take root if it’s wedged between 30 other KPIs.
Block time. Host hackathons. Dedicate “innovation sprints” where routine gets paused and curiosity gets the mic. Even setting aside one hour a week for teams to tinker on passion projects can create momentum.
If it matters, it gets scheduled. Period.
3. Subtract Before You Add
Let’s be honest—adding new initiatives without cutting old ones is a recipe for burnout. Innovation needs capacity as much as creativity.
Before launching a new pilot, ask: “What can we pause, stop, or radically simplify?” Create a rule: for every new thing you introduce, something else must go.
It’s not ruthless. It’s respect—for your people, your time, and your ability to execute.
4. Separate “Invention” from “Optimization”
Not all improvement is innovation. Fixing what’s broken is important. But so is dreaming up what’s never been built before.
The smartest leaders design separate lanes for both. Give your ops teams space to refine and your thinkers time to invent. Different energy, different rhythms—both essential.
Try this: dedicate one day a month to pure “what-if” projects. No KPIs. No reporting. Just space to explore. You might be shocked by what surfaces when pressure turns into possibility.
5. Measure What Matters—Even Innovation
If you’re not tracking it, it’s not really a priority. Innovation deserves real metrics—not vague encouragement.
Consider tracking:
- New ideas proposed (and by whom)
- Time allocated to idea development
- Number of experiments launched
- Pilot-to-implementation conversion rate
Even better? Tie a portion of performance reviews to creative contribution. When people know their ideas have weight, they start bringing better ones to the table.
Real Innovation Needs Real Commitment
Let’s not pretend innovation just “happens” when there’s a break in the schedule. You have to build space, create systems, and foster a culture where new ideas aren’t only welcomed—they’re expected.
This is exactly the kind of deliberate, high-performance thinking 10X credit unions implement. Because they know innovation isn’t a feel-good initiative. It’s the future of the business.
© 2025 by Jeff Rendel. All rights reserved.
Jeff Rendel, Certified Speaking Professional and Principal of Rising Above Enterprises, works with credit unions that want entrepreneurial results in leadership, strategy, service, and innovation. Through his 10X systems, he equips more than 100 credit unions each year to build cultures where big ideas thrive—and members feel the difference.
📩 jeff@jeffrendel.com | 🌐 www.jeffrendel.com | 📱 951.310.7275