Situation & Challenge

Navy Federal Credit Union is the world’s largest credit union, serving more than 13 million members worldwide, primarily active duty military, veterans, and their families. Headquartered in Vienna, Virginia, the credit union employs more than 24,000 people and operates branches and digital platforms that support its mission to provide financial services through every stage of life.

Within the organization, the Digital Division plays a central role in delivering member-facing web and mobile tools, employee applications, and data analysis. This unit blends IT staff, systems analysts, risk professionals, product owners, and project managers—specialists responsible for ensuring that complex digital platforms meet the needs of members and internal stakeholders alike.

The Digital Division had a strong bench of technical talent, but many individuals were newly stepping into management roles without formal training in communication or stakeholder engagement. While these recently promoted managers were confident in their technical expertise, they needed stronger communication, stakeholder, and presentation skills to present data persuasively, tailor messages to executives, or manage the relationships necessary to advance decisions.

Several pain points emerged:

• Unpolished executive communications: Staff were unsure how to translate technical findings into decision-ready recommendations for senior leaders.
  

• Weak stakeholder management skills: Teams lacked a structured approach for identifying, prioritizing, and engaging stakeholders.
  

• Underdeveloped presentation skills: Employees needed clear guidance on how to structure and deliver compelling presentations that secured approval and buy-in.
  

• Limited investment in upskilling: Despite the division’s scale, many contributors had not received structured training in communication or change management.
  

With projects spanning mobile banking, data analytics, and member-facing tools, the division needed its managers and rising leaders to communicate with clarity and persuade decision-makers to advance strategic initiatives.

Our Solution

We delivered a series of virtual workshops designed to elevate communication effectiveness across the Digital Division. Training was conducted in one- and two-day formats, with 20–25 participants per cohort. Over two years, we trained nearly 200 employees—about a quarter of the division—across roles ranging from individual contributors to directors.

Program Design and Delivery

Each session was interactive, blending instruction with small group breakouts and applied exercises. Our approach balanced foundational skills with practical application, ensuring participants left with tools they could use immediately in their roles.

Core Training Modules

1. Stakeholder Communication and Management
   

• Participants learned to identify and prioritize stakeholders using tools like the power–interest grid.
  

• We emphasized building structured communication plans tailored to audience needs.
  

• Sessions included best practices from PMI frameworks and tactical guidance on effective email communication.
  
  

2. Effective Presentation Skills
   

• We introduced a seven-step presentation preparation process, guiding participants from defining desired outcomes to rehearsing delivery.
  

• Training emphasized anticipating audience questions, supporting recommendations with just enough data, and structuring presentations using the Minto Pyramid Principle—leading with conclusions and recommendations upfront.
  

• Participants created short, five-slide mock presentations in breakout groups to practice applying these methods.
  

3. Change Management Essentials
   

• We highlighted the importance of communication during transitions, showing participants how to anticipate objections, craft messages for different audiences, and maintain stakeholder trust.
  

• Modules addressed real-world challenges such as “herding cats,” securing approvals, and reducing resistance to change.
  

4. Communication in Practice
   

• Exercises covered crafting concise, actionable emails with clear subject lines and requests.
  

• Participants compared poorly written emails with stronger examples, learning how to increase response rates from executives.
  

• We included techniques for capturing key decisions and action items in meeting minutes to improve follow-through.
  

Methodology

To personalize learning, participants completed a skills self-assessment at the start and end of training, rating their comfort across communication and stakeholder topics. They also created action plans with three specific steps to apply post-training, verbalizing at least one action to reinforce accountability.

Results 

The training produced both measurable and observable outcomes for the Digital Division.

• 200 employees trained, representing nearly 25% of the Digital Division.
  

• Evaluation scores consistently high: Participant feedback noted strong pacing, practical applicability, and engaging facilitation, with ratings in the 90–95% positive range.
  

• Improved self-assessment scores: Participants reported notable increases in their confidence across communication and stakeholder management skills after training.
  

• Faster decision-making: Teams applied structured communication techniques to streamline executive approvals, cutting delays and helping initiatives advance more quickly.
  

Organizational Impact

• Improved executive communication: Staff learned to package data and recommendations into decision-ready presentations, making it easier for leaders to act with confidence.
  

• Reduced interdepartmental friction: By adopting structured stakeholder engagement practices, participants built stronger relationships across business and technology teams, reducing misunderstandings and delays.
  

• Stronger leadership pipeline: Employees moving into management roles gained the foundational skills necessary to lead meetings, secure approvals, and manage change effectively.
  
  

Broader Benefits

The program also signaled a cultural shift within the Digital Division. By investing in communication and stakeholder training, the organization underscored that technical skills alone were not enough—effective leadership required the ability to persuade, influence, and collaborate.

Employees left with practical frameworks they could use immediately: communication plans, a repeatable seven-step presentation process, and action plans for continued growth. The result was a workforce better prepared to deliver digital innovations that support Navy Federal’s mission to serve its members.

By equipping nearly a quarter of the division with these skills, Navy Federal created a stronger pipeline of leaders and improved collaboration across its technical and business teams. These gains not only streamlined decision-making but also positioned the division to deliver digital solutions more efficiently—helping the credit union continue serving millions of members with excellence.