TI CEO Podcast · episode 18
What I learned about people at the bank
1-minute summary
In this episode of his CEO diary, Christoph Standl tells what he learned about people at the bank. After business school he first went into banking – like his parents before him – at Sparda-Bank in Wörgl. Looking back, that time was incredibly valuable for his development, above all because of the people: some twenty years ago, 150, 200 or even 300 customers came into the branch in person on some days. The interesting part: he used to dislike talking, especially in front of others – today he holds customer meetings, gives presentations, talks with employees, partners and investors and even records this podcast. A large part of that development came from repetition: whoever talks to a hundred different people every day learns to listen, to explain clearly and to deal with different characters. He also experienced what a team can achieve: when the closure of the branch was under discussion, the team stuck together and focused entirely on the customers. Many of these principles – listen, understand, communicate well, work as a team, put the customer at the centre – still apply at Tourismus Interaktiv today. His insight: some skills don't come from thinking about them for a long time, but from doing them again and again. Big changes often begin with small daily steps.
Description
Before I became an entrepreneur, I worked for a few years at a bank – and in hindsight that time was incredibly valuable for my personal development. Above all because of the people. Around 20 years ago, everyday life in a bank branch was different. On some days I had 150, 200 or even 300 short and longer personal customer contacts. The interesting thing: I used to not like talking at all – and certainly not in front of other people. Today I hold customer meetings, give presentations, talk with employees, partners and investors – and now I even regularly record this CEO diary. A large part of that development came from something very simple: Repetition. When you talk with all kinds of people every day, you learn to listen, to explain clearly and to deal with different characters. At Sparda-Bank I also experienced something else: how much a good team can achieve. When the future of our branch was under discussion, we stuck together as a team, really stepped on it and focused on looking after our customers as well as possible. Many of these basic principles still accompany me today at Tourismus Interaktiv: Listen. Understand. Communicate well. Work as a team. And put the customer at the centre. My most important insight from that time: Some skills don't come from thinking about them for a long time. They come from doing them again and again. That's why I am still grateful for those years. Because I didn't just learn something about banks there. Above all, I learned a great deal about people. Big changes often begin with small daily steps.