Chief Strategy and Customer Experience Officer
In an effort to reenergize executive meetings, expose organizational issues and foster teamwork among colleagues, Liz Wolverton came up with a novel idea: have Synovus Financial team members rehearse their ABCs.
In this case, the acronym stands for “achievements and accountabilities, barriers and bright ideas, and customer and culture.” Wolverton came up with the ABCs after the executive team expressed a need to actively address key issues, such as pain points in the loan process that may have been evident to front-line staff but not immediately apparent to the back office.
The first few meetings focused on organizational issues and led to developing a better framework of expectations for Synovus leadership.
Her approach to problem-solving is now being used across the company. “There is something about the simplicity of ABCs that immediately disarms and engages people,” Wolverton said.
The ABCs sessions typify a cut-to-the-core approach that has earned Wolverton respect from peers and her bosses for the way she achieves consensus despite diverse viewpoints and personality differences.
Wolverton’s responsibilities are vast, as she oversees corporate strategy, marketing, digital initiatives, customer experience, and diversity and inclusion efforts at the $54 billion-asset Synovus. In March, she was tasked with leading an efficiency effort called Synovus Forward aimed at cost savings, revenue enhancements and improved customer experience with a target to produce $100 million in pretax income over three years.
“It speaks volumes that we have asked Liz to lead this program. She is a proven leader who delivers results, and that is what we need in a time of volatility and uncertainty,” said Kevin Blair, president and chief operating officer of Synovus.
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