One from Many by Dee Hock

Author:Dee Hock
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Berrett-Koehler Publishers
Published: 2005-05-16T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

And Then There Was One

This spreading radiance of a true human being

Has great importance.

Look carefully around you and recognize

The luminosity of souls.

Sit beside those who draw you to that.

—Jalal Uddin Rumi

When I returned a week later with the promised plan, Sam did not like it. ”Dee, it’s impossible.There is absolutely no way three thousand banks can be persuaded to surrender their licenses, become members of NBI, hold an annual meeting of members, elect a board, and have the whole thing in operation in ninety days. It can’t be done.”

“Sam, we can’t know that without making the attempt.We have the support of thirteen powerful people.We have the interest and participation of dozens of others who have worked on it for a year and a half. The concepts are sound. The need is compelling. Momentum is building. If we link people in the right relationships, challenge them, and free them, they’ll perform miracles. I’ve seen it happen before. Never on this scale, but we’ve got to try. If we drag it out it may never happen.” Sam begins to waver.

“What would you need from the bank?”

“Six or eight dedicated people for sixty days to process the surrender and cancellation of all licenses.”

“It would not be easy but it might be done.What else?”

“A management agreement under which NBI can borrow up to a dozen experienced,willing people from your card, legal, marketing, and systems departments, for six to eight months, to work solely in the interests of NBI and its prospective members. They will need the kind of independence I’ve had from the National Bank of Commerce. NBI to pay the bank 150 percent of all salaries and benefits.The people must be assured they can return to the bank at comparable jobs.”

“That would be difficult, but it might be arranged.”

I plunged ahead.“We’ll need a $200,000 line of credit at market rates for organizational expense, to be repaid from service fees of members once NBI is operational. If the effort fails, it should be divided among the banks represented by the executive officers organizing committee and written off as expense.”

“We could look into that. What else would you need from BofA?”

“Assistance from your personnel department in recruiting, investigating, and hiring a small initial staff should the effort succeed.”

“That would be possible.”

“Temporary space in the vacant part of your old building across the street at reasonable month-to-month rent, and the loan of some old desks, files, and typewriters.”

“We can look into that as well. Anything else?” Do I know him well enough? Can I take the risk? It’s irresistible. I rephrase his words from our salary discussion and give them back to him.

“Sam, there’s no time to ‘look into’ these things.The operating committees authorized me to handle the matter. It should be settled here and now if we want their commitment.” He laughs, paraphrases my words, and makes return.

“OK, we’ll do as you wish. I’ll accept and never say more— but don’t ask me to agree with you.You’re wrong.There is no way this will be done in ninety days.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.