Many Changes Have Occurred, Yet Our Purpose Remains Constant

February tends to be a time of reflection for me. Anniversaries of life events can do that to you. Last month, I celebrated my twenty-seventh “Workiversary” at Greenleaf Trust and was asked the question – What has changed over your years at Greenleaf and what have you been intentional about preserving at Greenleaf?

I think this is a really interesting question because obviously a lot has changed over those years but it’s what we have been intentional on preserving that has really fueled our success. Since I started, our team has grown from seven to two hundred. With a hiring philosophy of one more better than the best, I know where I stand. Five different generations are also now represented in our team. From one office we have expanded to eight offices in three different states. Our charter has changed from state to national and we have grown from a couple hundred million assets under advisement to twenty-two and a half billion.

The way we work has also evolved. Our format is flexible. Some teammates come into the office every day and some are remote. Most have adopted a hybrid approach to being in the office or working from home. Virtual meetings are commonplace. It used to be that the vast majority of client meetings occurred in our offices. Now, we typically meet with clients wherever is most convenient for them. Formal dress code has changed to dress for your day. This list can go on-and-on, so I will stop with I used to write trades for client portfolios down on a piece of paper and walk them down the hall to our trader.

Improvements are also a type of change. Beyond the “when I was your age” answers above, I am proud that over those twenty-seven years we have advanced our client service capabilities. We are able to provide clients with more personalized service, in more innovative ways and with more expertise. We provide more value-add holistic planning, a more seamless digital experience, are more readily available to our clients and through developed efficiencies can spend more time with and for them.

What has allowed us to adapt and thrive through changes as well as create improvements is the intentional preservation over the years of our core values and culture. Our core values of client first focus, integrity and accuracy, continuous improvement, teamwork, a budget focused on the client and inclusive employment practices provide a foundation for all that we do. Our workplace culture rooted in relationships, integrity, respect, dependability, inclusion, and support provides an environment that engages and inspires talented teammates to be their best. If we were not intentionally focused on preserving our core values and culture in the face of changes over time, we would lose our compass. That type of failure can lead to inconsistent decisions, diminished trust, and a gradual erosion of our identity that has guided our success and commitment to Serve Clients More.

My sincere hope is that our clients feel that we serve them even better than when they first hired us, whether or not it was last year or twenty-seven years ago.