CWB’s Pillars of Excellence Awards celebrates the efforts of team members who have demonstrated exceptional leadership, championed organizational culture and improved business results. The award — born out of an understanding that it has always been the people of CWB that drive the bank’s success — honours those who embody the values underpinning the organization’s strategic direction. By providing a North Star for all team members to strive towards, this recognition program serves to recognize employees’ efforts when they go above and beyond.
Supporting rising stars
Marcia Lindberg, a recent Pillars of Excellence, Annual Award recipient, began her lauded career with CWB 17 years ago as a branch teller. Since joining the bank, Marcia has risen to become the Director of National Sales and Marketing who’s helping to lead CWB’s high-performing CWB Optimum Mortgage team.
Celebrated for her approachable attitude and drive to empower and coach team members, Marcia has become essential to her team, indicated by her nomination by peers for the award. In turn, she attributes her professional success to all the individuals who have championed her along every step of the way, continually pointing to them as the secret to her success, including in receiving this award.
“I felt pretty honoured that somebody would take the time to recognize me,” says Marcia. “CWB wants people to succeed, and you feel that all the time with great communication and access to our leadership team and executives.”
Championing women as leaders
Even though Marcia humbly attributed a portion of her career success to luck, when interviewed about her award, it was her outstanding efforts that led to her being personally mentioned by CWB’s CEO, Chris Fowler, in the bank’s 2017 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) report that spotlights her as a shining example of the people driving the bank’s growth and the strength in promoting leaders internally.
“I’ve always had really great people champion me throughout my career journey at CWB,” she explains. “I’m lucky because I’ve been surrounded by wonderful people — not just the leaders, but everyone in this organization.”
Upon learning of this special acknowledgement, Marcia felt both honoured and surprised. As a female leader, she appreciates CWB’s continued efforts in actively highlighting women who have contributed to the company and their teams, as well as the overall value CWB places on equality and inclusion in the workplace. “I’m proud to be part of this organization, and as a female leader it’s been very exciting,” she notes. “I’ve been here a really long time, and have seen our efforts towards women progress year-over-year.”
Growing together with employees
It’s this momentum in CWB’s culture — mirroring not only her growth but that of the entire organization — that also truly inspires Marcia. And she finds the fast-paced and fun work environment, combined with the open communication and access to senior leadership, to provide the perfect fuel for professional development for all those who seek it.
Just as Marcia’s Pillar of Excellence Award emphasizes, it is culture that serves as one of the most fundamental building blocks within an organization, and she has found that is what she appreciates most about CWB.
“When you have the right culture in place, a great team with engaged leaders and everyone working with the same shared purpose, that creates an exciting work environment.”