Eric Alexander, Six Arrows Consulting, on Stewardship Leadership, Trust, and Coaching for Bank and Mid-Market Leadership Teams (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 981)
On this episode of North Fulton Business Radio, host John Ray welcomes Eric Alexander, President of Six Arrows Consulting, to talk about stewardship leadership and the book he wrote to help finance professionals lead with purpose. Eric spent nearly 40 years in financial management, including eight years as CFO of Happy State Bank, a $6 billion community bank in Amarillo, Texas, before launching his coaching and advisory practice.
Eric walked John through the difference between being an owner and being a steward, an idea he illustrates by asking whether anyone ever washes a rental car on the way to the airport. He explained that stewardship carries a higher standard than ownership because a steward is responsible for what has been entrusted to them and accountable to the person who did the entrusting, whether that’s shareholders, depositors, or a team.
The conversation also covered the story behind Eric’s book title, Stewardship Leadership for Stinkin’ Accountants: Serving as the CFO, which grew out of a course he teaches at the Stonier Graduate School of Banking. Eric shared coaching success stories, including work with a first-time CFO and a series of strategic planning sessions with community bank boards, and offered a simple framework that listeners can use to check whether they’re stewarding well.
John Ray is the host of North Fulton Business Radio. The show is produced by John Ray and North Fulton Business Radio, LLC, an affiliate of Business RadioX®, and is recorded inside Renasant Bank in Alpharetta.
Key Takeaways from This Episode
- Stewardship leadership treats responsibility, accountability, and trust as a higher standard than simple ownership, since owners can neglect what they own but stewards do not have that option.
- Eric compares stewardship to caring for a rental car versus caring for something you own, a story he uses to explain why “acting like an owner” isn’t the highest bar.
- Bringing hard truths to a leadership team, even when it’s inconvenient, is part of being a good steward of the numbers and the organization’s future.
- Eric’s self-assessment questions, what’s been entrusted to me, am I protecting it, am I helping it flourish, give listeners a practical way to check their own leadership.
Topics Discussed in this Episode
00:20 John Ray opens the show and introduces guest Eric Alexander
02:32 Eric describes Six Arrows Consulting and his coaching, mentoring, and podcast work
04:03 Eric’s career arc from Texas banking to launching his own practice
06:14 Defining stewardship leadership: responsibility, accountability, and trust
07:56 The difference between being an owner and being a steward
09:02 Why stewardship is a higher standard than ownership
11:17 How a lack of stewardship shows up in headlines and everyday business
13:16 Why Eric wrote Stewardship Leadership for Stinkin’ Accountants
15:31 Key themes covered in the book
16:19 The story behind the “stinkin’ accountant” title
19:00 Bringing truth with respect as a finance leader
21:14 The parable of the talents and stewarding for growth, not just protection
23:04 How to self-assess whether you’re being a good steward
25:02 Signs a business needs outside stewardship coaching
27:34 A coaching success story with a new CFO
29:30 A strategic planning success story with bank boards
31:39 How to connect with Eric Alexander and learn about the book
Eric Alexander, President, Six Arrows Consulting
As part of his nearly 40 years of financial management leadership, including 20 years in CFO roles, Eric served as CFO of Happy State Bank, a $6 billion community bank headquartered in Amarillo, Texas, for 8 years until its acquisition in early 2022.
Eric earned an MBA and holds professional certifications as a Certified Public Accountant, Chartered Financial Analyst, and Certified Management Accountant. He is a 2017 graduate of the Stonier Graduate School of Banking (ABA/Wharton) and presently serves as faculty for the program. He also serves on the faculty for other banking schools, including the SW Graduate School of Banking (SMU), the Texas Tech School of Banking, and the Barret School of Banking. He has been published in professional and trade journals, including the Financial Management Magazine and the Journal of Accountancy, and regularly speaks at industry and continuing education events.
Eric hosts a semi-monthly podcast, Steward Leaders: Not About Us, and has a book, Stewardship Leadership for Stinkin’ Accountants: Serving as the CFO.
He and his wife, Chris, live in Amarillo, Texas. They have six grown sons, six daughters-in-law, and, at last count, 20 grandchildren.
Six Arrows Consulting
Six Arrows Consulting is the vehicle through which Eric Alexander provides coaching, mentoring, and advisory services to leadership teams of community banks and other mid-market companies. Advisory services include leadership development, board training, strategic planning and transactions, finance function evolution, and finance-related regulatory challenges. Based in Amarillo, Texas, the firm helps leaders navigate change and steward their leadership journeys with confidence.
Renasant Bank supports North Fulton Business Radio
Renasant Bank has humble roots, having started in 1904 as a $100,000 bank located in a Lee County, Mississippi, bakery. Since then, Renasant has grown into one of the Southeast’s strongest financial institutions, boasting over $26 billion in assets and more than 280 offices offering banking, lending, wealth management, and financial services throughout the region. All of Renasant’s success stems from the commitment of each banker to invest in the communities they serve, which in turn helps them better understand the people they serve. At Renasant Bank, their banking professionals understand you because they work and live alongside you every day.
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Beyond Computer Solutions supports North Fulton Business Radio
Whether you’re a law firm, medical practice, or manufacturer, there’s one headline you don’t want to make: “Local Business Pays Thousands in Ransom After Cyberattack.” That’s where Beyond Computer Solutions comes in. They help organizations like yours stay out of the news and in business with managed IT and cybersecurity services designed for industries where compliance and reputation matter most.
Whether they serve as your complete IT department or simply support your internal team, they are well-versed in HIPAA, secure document access, written security policies, and other essential aspects that ensure your safety and well-being. Best of all, it starts with a complimentary security assessment.
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About North Fulton Business Radio and host John Ray
Approaching 1,000 episodes and having featured over 1,400 guests, North Fulton Business Radio is the longest-running podcast in the North Fulton area, covering business in our community like no one else. We are the undisputed “Voice of Business” in North Fulton!
The show invites a diverse range of business, non-profit, and community leaders to share their significant contributions to their respective markets, communities, and professions. There is no discrimination based on company size, and there is never any “pay to play.” North Fulton Business Radio supports and celebrates businesses by sharing positive stories that traditional media ignore. Some media lean left. Some media lean right. We lean business.
John Ray is the host of North Fulton Business Radio. John and the team at North Fulton Business Radio, LLC, an affiliate of Business RadioX®, produce the show, which is recorded inside Renasant Bank in Alpharetta.
The studio is located at 275 South Main Street, Alpharetta, GA 30009.
You can find the entire archive of shows by following this link. The show is accessible on all major podcast apps, such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Amazon, iHeart Radio, and many others.
John Ray also operates his own business advisory practice. John’s services include advising solopreneurs and small professional services firms on their value, their positioning and business development, and their pricing. His clients are professionals who are selling their expertise, such as consultants, coaches, attorneys, CPAs, accountants, bookkeepers, marketing professionals, and other professional services practitioners.
John is the author of the five-star-rated book The Generosity Mindset: A Journey to Business Success by Raising Your Confidence, Value, and Prices, praised by readers for its practical insights on raising confidence, value, and prices.
