July 15, 2025
The largest fantasy about management is that we’re speculated to have all of the solutions.
Written By Nicole A. Elam, Esq.
What I’ve discovered — over 20 years in company affairs, authorities relations, and now because the CEO of the Nationwide Bankers Affiliation — is that management isn’t about having an ideal playbook. It’s about being current, particularly when the world feels unsure.
I dwell in Washington, D.C., the place uncertainty presently pulses by each hall of energy. Capitol Hill is buzzing with anxiousness, regulators are shifting their tone, and my inbox has messages from financial institution leaders throughout the nation in search of stability.
Because the youngest CEO in our Affiliation’s practically 100-year historical past, I’ve been in rooms the place I didn’t have all of the solutions, however I by no means let that cease me from main. I confirmed up anyway — and that made all of the distinction.
After I stepped into this position in 2021, it was throughout a nationwide counting on race, an ongoing world pandemic, and financial turbulence. Folks weren’t simply in search of coverage — they had been in search of presence and management that steadies the ship.
Since becoming a member of the Nationwide Bankers Affiliation, I’ve led a transformational overhaul. We elevated the visibility and viability of minority banks and introduced in new companions, from Wall Road to the White Home, and created seats on the desk for establishments that had lengthy been ignored. We launched the Nationwide Bankers Affiliation Basis, elevated income by 79% and expanded programming by 130%.
Right here’s how I keep grounded — and assist my group do the identical — when the long run feels unclear.
Right here’s how I lead in actual time:
1. Be Calm: Regulate Your self First
Your power is contagious. I begin each morning with instrumental music, prayer, and reflection. Earlier than robust conversations, I take 10 seconds of silence. I communicate slowly, breathe deeply, and pay attention longer.
I discovered this within the trenches — when my telephone was the emergency line and I used to be navigating calls from CEOs, reporters, and regulators all in the identical hour. Matching the chaos doesn’t calm the room. Presence does.
2. Be Clear: Say What Issues Most
In moments of uncertainty, readability turns into foreign money. I don’t simply set priorities — I additionally set boundaries. My group is aware of what we’re *not* doing.
We repeat key messages till they stick. We identify the details, even after they’re uncomfortable. Folks don’t resist change as a lot as they resist confusion.
3. Be Celebratory: Shine a Gentle on Progress
Management in chaos means celebrating what’s working. We identify wins in conferences. We ship shoutouts. We thank one another typically.
One in every of my favourite management phrases is: “I see you.” As a result of when individuals really feel seen, they present up stronger. That’s how we constructed the NBA Basis from thought to establishment.
4. Be Constant: Lead With Values, Not Simply Technique
Plans shift. Strain mounts. However your values? They anchor the whole lot.
At the same time as our technique has advanced — launching new initiatives, responding to new coverage threats — we’ve remained rooted in a single mission: to strengthen and develop minority banks.
That consistency constructed belief with our member establishments. That belief fueled our progress.
5. Be Communicative: Discuss Extra Than You Suppose You Want To
In uncertainty, silence appears like abandonment. I verify in with my group greater than ever. I don’t simply speak enterprise — I ask, “How are you, actually?”
We host All Palms conferences, go away room for questions, and create area for emotion. As a result of individuals carry out higher after they really feel seen, heard, and supported.
Nobody thrives in chaos. However how we lead by it — that’s the true legacy. So I over-communicate with empathy, and comply with up with readability.
You don’t must have all of the solutions. You simply have to be somebody your group can depend on.
Be calm. Be clear. Be celebratory. Be constant. Be communicative.
That’s management.
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Nicole A. Elam, Esq. is the President and CEO of the Nationwide Bankers Affiliation, the place she led a historic transformation in her first yr, together with a 79% improve in income, 130% progress in programming, and 510% increase in media attain. She is a seasoned public affairs strategist, former JPMorgan Chase govt, and trusted voice on financial fairness, monetary inclusion, and values-driven management.
