Think Like an Anthropologist: Redefining Culture Through a Lens of Curiosity

The battle cry has been extended for credit unions to create or foster Financial Well-Being for All. As the industry has been wrestling with how we connect and build trust it is clear there is much to learn about the people we wish to serve. It is complicated and nuanced, with many layers to unpack.

Join a credit union dream team of anthropologists Dr. Jennifer Esperanza, Senior Director of Organizational Culture + Strategy from Coopera, and Dr. Taylor Nelms Senior Director Market Insights and Advisory Services, from Filene Research Institute, along with Edgar Hernandez, Senior Manager of Multicultural Business Strategy from Trustage for a rich discussion on the nuance and complexity of humans through the lens of anthropology.

Jenn and Taylor as anthropologists identify the why, while Business Strategists like Edgar with key research, identify the what. This discussion will give you deep insights into the relational and dynamic aspects of what culture truly is, how you can approach your community connections, moving past personal biases and social stereotypes that may be shaping your vision.

There is a connection between qualitative and quantitative data, and the space in between. You may be shocked to learn real world examples from Jenn and Taylor’s past research, as well as recent key insights from Edgar’s team research titled “What Matters Now”, to ultimately provide recommendations and move past siloed representations of groups. The key is flexibility and humility with insatiable curiosity. We will move from descriptive to prescriptive and provide you with the tools and research data to ramp up your efforts to serve your communities in a variety of ways.