CIBC Small Business Banking

The leader of a newly formed small business banking division of the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) decided on the necessity of creating a unifying vision for its 2,000 employees. She knew that a critical success factor in corporate reorganizations was to focus the team, through a corporate vision, on new shared goals they all believed were achievable. If the leadership team believed, then this winning attitude would cascade throughout the division and mobilize the workforce. In turn, this energy would be felt by the customers and become the most competitive weapon she could provide. The process of creating a vision and determining what actions make visions successful is presented within the context of the financial services industry and the challenges facing a new business unit.