Beat the Clock

"My priority is bringing new business to the bank-that is my entire focus," says Millard Younkers. Along with his post as president of TIB Bank's Southwest Florida Region, Younkers works with many community organizations, including Hospice of Naples, the EDC, and the Greater Naples and the Bonita Springs chambers of commerce. For him, community involvement and his work at the bank are both essential. "As community bankers, it is important to be in involved in civic and volunteer opportunities," he says.

Younkers can often be found "working" evenings and weekends, making contacts and meeting clients. "I find that here at the office, we all work at home and on weekends, and certainly that gives us a lot of opportunity to talk about the bank outside the work environment," he says. "I wish I had more time to spend with clients and prospects. If [clients] offer time early or later in the evening, I certainly take advantage of it." Younkers uses meals as a forum for business. "I find that lunch and dinner are productive-to talk in a more casual atmosphere."

While getting away from the office can be difficult, the key, says Younkers, is to do it in short amounts of time. "Taking short vacations-usually long weekends-allows me to spend more consistent time at my work." Though it is essential, he adds, to get away once in a while to "recharge my batteries."

Younkers' best advice on saving time is "to be involved in details only to the extent that you have to be, and to recognize the skills others have to follow through on the details for which they are responsible."

"The best way to save time and be productive is by looking at opportunities and being very positive," Younkers says. "[When you do that], time saving becomes second nature, because you take the positive energy and transfer that into prioritizing what your primary responsibilities are."