By Erika Fish, training and instructional design, Community First Bank – Rosholt
Erika Fish
Throughout this year’s WBA BOLT Summer Leadership Summit, held on June 11 and 12, the overarching theme was that leadership is constantly evolving.
Bankers from various roles across Wisconsin gathered for a day and a half to learn, connect, and exchange fresh perspectives on leadership in today’s rapidly evolving world. The summit covered a range of topics, including personal growth, emotional intelligence, artificial intelligence, and workplace culture. Attendees left with practical ideas they can implement immediately with their teams.
And perhaps most importantly, it reminded everyone in the room that leadership isn’t just about what you do — it’s about how you show up every single day!
We began the summit by discussing three simple, yet powerful words introduced by Bradie Ewing: Purpose, Process, and Progress.
First, Purpose gives us direction and encourages us to focus on what truly motivates us beyond titles or achievements — it’s about understanding your “why.” Second, Process teaches us that success is built through daily habits, discipline, and consistency in the small things. Finally, Progress reminds us that setbacks are not failures; instead, they are opportunities to learn, adapt, and continue moving forward.
The energy shifted at the end of Day one in the best possible way when we were treated to one of the most memorable sessions in my BOLT attendance history. We somehow ended up doing the Cha-Cha Slide, making animal noises, and debating whether ducks named Mr. Latte are acceptable coworkers. Turns out, Danny Adams was onto something: laughter really is medicine.
Between breathing exercises, dancing, animal sound symphonies, and finish-the-lyric competitions, the biggest takeaway was simple: stress is inevitable, but staying connected, finding joy, and intentionally refilling our tanks matter. Laughter lowers stress, boosts productivity, strengthens relationships, and reminds us not to take ourselves quite so seriously.
Also, if you ever forget why you walked into a room, according to Danny, just start laughing. The science may be questionable, but after this session, be willing to give it a try.
On Day two, we dived into a highly anticipated conversation centered around one of the biggest subjects influencing our industry and the world around us: Artificial Intelligence in Banking, presented by Ben Udell.
The discussion explored how banks are already using AI to improve training, streamline communication, support marketing efforts, and reduce time spent on repetitive tasks, giving employees more time to focus on the work that matters most: critical thinking, relationship-building, creativity, decision-making, and, most importantly, serving our communities.
We concluded the summit with Bill Marklein, who discussed Emotional Intelligence in Leadership. We explored why self-awareness, empathy, communication, and adaptability remain among the strongest indicators of leadership success. The conversation reinforced a simple truth: people may not always remember exactly what a leader said, but they will always remember how that leader made them feel.
As workplaces continue changing, emotional intelligence is becoming less of a “nice to have” and more of a must-have leadership skill.
By the end of the summit, one thing was clear: the future of banking will always depend on strong leaders who are willing to learn, grow, and evolve alongside the industry.
For those who joined us this year, we hope the conversations sparked new ideas, new connections, and renewed energy to bring back to your teams.
And for those who weren’t able to attend this time, we hope to see you at the next one.
So, whether you’re an emerging leader beginning your journey, a seasoned banker looking for a fresh perspective, or someone passionate about investing in the future of community banking, the WBA BOLT Leadership Summit is designed to challenge, inspire, and connect the next generation of banking leaders.
We invite everyone to join us at the next WBA BOLT Winter Leadership Summit on November 4 at the Glacier Canyon Conference Center in Wisconsin Dells and experience firsthand the conversations shaping the future of leadership in banking. Because leadership isn’t about waiting for the future. It’s about helping create it.
Until next time!
