Positive Change Making: Bridging From the Old to the New - William “Bill” Jones
Adaptability is an essential skill in navigating through the changing currents, creating new possibilities, and moving from surviving mode to thriving. Yet for many, change doesn’t come easily. Research in the field of organizational change management suggests resistance is a natural reaction; as many as 50 percent of us actively avoid change.
We’re in conversation with Bill Jones, a seasoned financial services professional, board member, and positive change maker. Throughout his executive roles and board service, he has relied on his adaptability to manage through rough waters, align teams behind shared goals, and find better ways to do business.
Bill, a core characteristic that you bring to the table is that you embrace, and even look for, change — to make things better. How has that quality served you and others?
In my career and in my life, I’ve gone through countless changes — with all the emotions that go with them. My mom always said, “Never forget where you came from but always remember where you’re going.” Her words have guided me forward, as I’ve learned to appreciate every experience, especially the ones that were tough but strengthened my ability to deal with difficulties.
Early in my career, I learned how to look past the disruption of change to find its opportunities. I was with a small bank in Kentucky, my home state. We sold out to a larger, national bank. Most people in businesses that get acquired do not survive. I more than survived. I thrived, as the bank gave me a larger territory of responsibility and more avenues to grow my influence.
Looking back, I remember people who were smarter than me and maybe better positioned than me, but because of their inability to change, they were passed over for promotion. That realization reinforced my determination to run to, not away from, each changing scenario.
You spent most of your career in a highly regulated environment where you built your expertise around risk and compliance. How did you make the most of your adaptability skills in a rule-bound industry?
In banking, rules and regulations are essential. I always knew what the “guardrails” were. But how I did my work within those guardrails, from organizational structure to service offerings, could be flexible, especially in pursuing the industry’s mantra: “Know your customer.” Many bank processes have been wed to how banks have always done business — serving the needs of the bank but not always those of the customer. We have more opportunities now than ever before to transform this dynamic and design processes around the customer experience.
A prime example is fintechs, the technologies that improve and automate traditional forms of finance. If you listen to the fintech pundits, they say we’re in the early innings of an extra-innings ball game. For anyone in any industry who wants to stay future-proof, and not end up an obsolete dinosaur, keeping pace with ever-evolving technologies, like artificial intelligence — and with the influx of new generations of workers who see the world differently — is an abiding imperative.
To quote the great Greek philosopher Socrates, “The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” As a former executive and a current board member, my perspective continues to be to “flow with the go.” Roll with the changes. See the opportunities they bring. Then build something even better!
We are grateful for your encouraging perspective, Bill.
Independent board director and business leader, Bill Jones is an inspired idea creator and positive change maker. A former public company CEO and CFO, he has been serving on multiple boards in diverse industries, from banking and health care to utility and broadcasting. Bill is known for his financial expertise, transformational approach, and distinct ability to build authentic relationships.
Connect with me on LinkedIn.
