Republic Journal

Republic Bank’s rich history in the Caribbean spans several decades. From being the first commercial bank in Trinidad and Tobago to majority shareholding and its official name change in 1981 and to its expansion throughout the region. For Republic Bank, being an indigenous financial institution is a source of great pride.

As the discussion on how Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) can help global economies rebound, following the ongoing pandemic, continues to gather momentum, many of the world’s governments, private businesses and investors likewise continue to invest (wisely!) a great deal of resources into the sector’s empowerment and sustainability.

With all that has been going on, there never seems to be much time left to act decisively, much less to think decisively. In my personal and professional journeys, I often find myself in these situations; real-time instances where, because so much hangs in the balance and upon my shoulders, and not a second to be wasted, a decision has to be made.

Recently, I’ve enjoyed chatting with friends and family who wanted advice about the benefits of digital banking products, not only for paying bills, but also to advance their small businesses. Over the past few months many of us have had to shelter-in-place and not only work from home to ensure we mitigate the spread of COVID-19, but also shop for groceries, pay bills and loans.

In my past leadership blog, I wrote, “For those of us at a management level, adopting a leadership style that embodies the goals of the organization and our own individual qualities can be a daunting endeavor. Our modus operandi affects persons across the company; it sets the tone, influences culture, and cements impressions. Whether all three of those factors reflect a pragmatic and ultimately, positive working environment is reliant on our own interpretation of leadership.”