Summer is approaching rapidly, and it’s often the best time to catch up on reading. So, here are some suggestions for great books to hone your leadership skills.

Academic studies have shown that making yourself smile can actually boost your mood and that a warm smile can help convince other people of your competence. Smiling is also contagious.

Given today’s competitive labor market and rising employee expectations, finding the right talent for your bank can be challenging. So, why not look internally and focus on the human capital that you already have?

When I really need to focus, I’ve noticed the process usually starts with decluttering both my mind and my environment. I love the quote, “Starve the distractions. Feed your focus.” To clear my mind before starting a project, I know that I have to be purposeful with my attention.

More often than not, we don’t stop to recognize the good things that happen to our bank, employees, customers or communities. They tend to get lost in our day-to-day operations. So, why not get the year off to a positive start by embedding celebration into your culture? test

It’s the time of year when we celebrate the relationships in our lives, and it’s a great time to build connections at home, within the community or in the workplace. That doesn’t mean composing Shakespearean sonnets for your coworkers, but it does mean showing up in a meaningful way.

ICBA's Lindsay LaNore discusses the importance of leveraging ICBA membership for additional networking and learning opportunities.

Thanks to technological disruption, industry consolidation, and multi-generational workplaces, the traditional career ladder—in community banking and elsewhere—is a splintered artifact of the past. ICBA's Lindsay LaNore shares why this isn't necessarily a bad thing and offers four tips community bankers can use to realize their career aspirations.

As a well-known speaker and educator in the community banking industry, Barret Graduate School of Banking President and Director Chris Kelley knows all too well the importance of continuous learning. As we prepare for an energetic LEAD FWD Summit, filled with education and workshops that will challenge our industry’s next generation of leaders, I talked with Chris about the necessity of growing and thinking outside of the traditional boundaries of community banking.

Investing in education and leadership training is vital to preparing the next generation of community bankers and key to any community bank’s succession planning strategy. I recently spoke with Bank of Missouri Community Bank President Aaron M. Panton to find out why he thinks ICBA’s LEAD FWD Summit is a must-attend annual event.

Reimagining traditional leadership concepts and pushing the community banking industry forward is imperative to carrying on the incredible legacy of the community banking industry.

Rebeca Romero Rainey: As a third-generation community banker, I understand the importance of paving the way for future leaders. That’s why I’m excited to be speaking at this year’s LEAD FWD Summit.

By stopping to focus on our own leadership, we generate the needed grit and creativity to lead forward. If it seems like a challenge to you, accept it. If you already feel confident in your leadership skills, continue to fine-tune them and pass along that knowledge to others. If you’re looking for ways to refine your leadership skills, consider inside and outside sources for support.

A community bank’s success relies on steady, solid leadership forged from a shared vision and a goal to exceed customers’ expectations. That’s at least the way Brad Bolton, president and CEO of Community Spirit Bank in Red Bay, Ala., sees it.