Business leaders, entrepreneurs and students convened last month at the University of Washington Foster School of Business for a special lecture.
“Leaders to Legends,” a breakfast lecture series, spotlights leaders from various industries. This time it brought together two CEOs with a special relationship: Benson Porter from BECU and Leslie Phinney from Phinney Bischoff. While both companies have worked together for over 12 years, these two leaders focused the conversation on how to build a purpose-driven organization and the advantages that focus can impart in company culture and success.
Leslie and Benson were able to articulate how BECU’s focus as a “member-inspired” organization was developed and expressed both internally and externally. That “north star,” as Porter put it, serves as a guide for decision-making.
As BECU’s brand strategy and environmental design agency, Phinney Bischoff worked closely with BECU as an extension of their internal team to conduct extensive research that informed the focus for the credit union (one of the largest in the country) and influenced how best to express it from a visual and verbal standpoint.
“At BECU, we believe authenticity is important as a member-owned and purpose-driven organization.” said Porter. His advice for business leaders seeking to build a purpose-driven culture: “be an evangelist for your organization’s values and listen to the people around you and what they value.”
You can view the presentation in its entirety here.