I recently attended my son’s 8th grade “Gold N” ceremony.  To brag a little, the “Gold N” is awarded to those students who maintained an “A” average throughout their middle school career.  One of the keynote speakers was the district’s Teacher of the Year.

Now, this particular teacher is one of those rare individuals who knew what she wanted to do from a very early age.  She knew from the time she was still in elementary school that she would be a teacher.  Obviously, given her recent award, she was right.  Not only did she know what she wanted to do with her life, but she had a passion and conviction that blinded her to any possible obstacles.

She shared a story from when she was 11 years old.

She had managed to collect outdated textbooks from which she would use her spare time to create lesson plans.  She also went around to the teachers requesting their excess “Weekly Readers”.  Of course, the teachers were more than happy to oblige her request. 

So, now, she has textbooks, lesson plans and an abundant supply of “Weekly Readers”.  The next obvious step was to build a classroom.  She managed to talk her dad into converting part of the basement into a classroom complete with a chalkboard, pencil sharpener, and desks (for any of you dads with daughters, you know there wasn’t much resistance).

So, now she has textbooks, lesson plans, “Weekly Readers”, chalkboard, pencil sharpener, and desks.  However, there was one critical piece missing.  You guessed it – students.  So, this 11 year-old girl with a passion for teaching decided it was time to troll the neighborhood recruiting students.  It took a while, but she enrolled her first student, a 6 year-old neighbor girl.

Evidently, her new student thought that her new teacher was the greatest thing ever.  That doesn’t surprise me.  Think about it.  With as much obvious passion as this 11 year-old had, how could you not get caught up in it?!

Anyway, they spent the next few weeks working on subtraction, cursive writing, and I’m sure discussing the most recent “Weekly Reader” article. After many lessons and a fair amount of progress, the young teacher decided it was time to report on the progress.  You might think that she wrote up a cute little report card to send home with the student.

Well, you would only be partially right.

She also invited the student’s parents in for a parent-teacher conference.  And guess what?!  They showed up!!  They sat there at the little desks in the basement classroom and listened to an 11 year old “teacher” discuss the progress of their 6 year-old daughter.

How awesome is all of that?! I mean really, think about it.  There was every legitimate reason in the world why none of this would have happened, but you know why all of it did?  Passion, confidence, and determination.

It was this young girl’s passion to be a teacher, her unwavering confidence in her ability, and her determination to make it happen that caused her teachers to supply her with the necessary teaching materials, her dad to build her a classroom, her 6 year-old neighbor to enroll, and the neighbor’s parents to show up for a conference!  Wow!

That was an 11 year old. What about you?

Now, think about what you can do when you can tap into your passion, find your own level of confidence and decide you won’t stop until you succeed.  I’m guessing you would be able to attract the resources you need to help your clients, I bet your organization would be more than willing to create the environment for you execute successfully, I’m guessing you would have no problem in getting prospects/clients to listen to what you have to share, and I bet you would be more than anxious to report on what you accomplished.

The right resources, organizational support, prospects/clients, and accountability for what you accomplished added to your own passion, confidence, and determination, and it sounds like a pretty powerful formula to me.  If it worked for an 11 year-old little girl, why wouldn’t it work for you?

Photo by misskprimary.

@kevintrokey

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Providing great client service is a claim that nearly every insurance agency makes. Being able to provide that great service, versus just promising it, is dependent on a number of things being in place.

It begins with a definition of what great service means to your company.  And that is dependent on what you would like the client to experience every time they have an interaction with your company. Which is dependent on…well, let’s just take a look at how this works.

Defining the company

• Starting from the top, the purpose of your agency must be clearly defined so everyone knows why he or she works so hard every day. What end are their efforts trying to achieve?

If it’s just to put more money in the owner’s pocket, then it’s not a very good motivator for treating clients well or knowing what to help them with beyond answering their questions. If it’s to help clients better manage their HR or risk management programs, then that’s a different focus altogether. Now answering questions with that “better management” end goal in mind, means they can also proactively make suggestions to the client or to the account team on how to better help the client achieve those goals.

• Next, the agency values must be clearly defined. Values are used to help shape and direct behaviors. When the values are known, everyone is able to use a consistent method of treating clients and making decisions. Without defined values, everyone is left to use their own set of decision-making criteria, which might not produce the results the agency expects.

• Everyone needs to clearly understand the cultural expectations of the agency and leadership needs to actively reinforce it. It’s important to promote/reward appropriate behaviors and reprimand ones that don’t reinforce the cultural expectations. Without this, the culture becomes a fractured grouping of behaviors and does not promote consistency across the organization.

Some say you can’t define a culture; it develops naturally. To some degree culture is a naturally developing personality of any organization, but just like raising children, behavioral expectations should be put in place to be the guiderails for good decision-making.

• Now that your company values and behaviors are defined, describe what you want a client to experience when they interact with your company. We have to define what great service looks like in order to deliver on it.

• Determine what processes and procedures must be in place in order to deliver on this experience. This means having the right people performing the roles that play to their strengths, and they’re given responsibility and authority to make decisions and deliver on good service. After all, you’ve defined your purpose, values, culture, and client experience – they should be well equipped now to know how to make great and consistent decisions that reflect the best intentions of the agency.

Follow through on the details

• Once you’ve determined what the roles are to effectively deliver on the service you’ve defined, there will be some training gaps to fill in. Maybe it’s for technical skills, new content skills, proficiency of tools, or even good personal relations. Consistency in training will help reinforce consistent behaviors.

Finally…

• Leadership must be regularly communicating and reinforcing company purpose, values, and expected behaviors. Using multiple forms of communication is important, but even more so is demonstrating it through behaviors and actions.

And as you create these collective definitions, be sure to take an honest assessment of where your customer service really is today – is everyone in the agency actively working to Wow! clients and make them exceptionally happy? Or is it a more reactionary style in answering client questions and really just meeting the minimum expectations of customer service?

Without clear company definitions and ongoing communication so everyone on staff knows it as well as the leader, the “great service” claim is sitting on pretty uncertain ground.

Based on individual life experiences, everyone has his or her own ideas of what “good”, “best”, or “exceptional” looks like. Don’t leave the success of your company to chance or hope that your definitions match those of each of your staff.

Photo by Seattle Municipal Archives.

@wendykeneipp

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This is one of those classic quotes that has as many versions as it does credited authors.  But really, could you be given better advice?!  And, how amazing would it be if you actually followed this advice?!

As different as each might be, the two things they all have in common is that they require confidence and passion.

I’m not sure about the first three, but I do think that if you work with confidence and passion and like you don’t need the money, you may actually end up in that position of truly not needing the money.

So, how would you work if you truly didn’t need the money?

• I bet you would be very selective about whom you allowed to be a client.
• I bet you wouldn’t waste your time chasing prospects you were fairly certain were never going to be clients.
• I am certain your confidence would never allow you to discount your services or keep you from asking to be paid fairly.
• I believe you would invest in the best resources that would allow you to perform your job at the highest level possible.
• I believe your financial independence would force you to slow down enough to make sure your prospects truly need what you have to offer.
• I can imagine that your level of confidence and passion would be absolutely contagious when you talk about how you help your clients (after all, it’s now about helping others rather than benefiting yourself).

Like I said already, work this way consistently and long enough, and you may very well find that you truly no longer need the money.  At the very least, just start working this way, and you will find yourself in control and no longer having to chase any prospect that can fog a mirror.

What about you?  How would you work differently if you didn’t need the money?

Photo by  Charlie B. Spaht.

@kevintrokey

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I live in St. Louis and, while I’m not the biggest hockey fan, I do try to keep up with how the Blues are playing.  The season did not get off to a great start.  In fact, the head coach lost his job and was replaced with Ken Hitchcock.

Since Coach Hitchcock took over, the Blues improved to the point that, as I write this, they have the best record in the NHL.  While I could certainly write about how having the right leader in place makes all the difference, I will instead focus on something I heard the coach say on the radio one morning this week.  While talking about a recent win, he made the comment, “We’re not the most talented team, but we are a team.”

Of course, he wasn’t talking about being a team in the technical sense, but rather a team in the way they execute.  I know that the whole idea of “team” becomes a little tired and cliché, but once you peel back the cliché, there is a lot of substance.

While his statement got my attention, it was a question I received at the end of a webinar this week that really got me thinking.  The title of my webinar was, “Redefining the Role of the Broker”.  I made the case for what insurance brokers and agencies need to do to both survive and even thrive in face of our current challenges.  I was asked, “How can a small agency compete with the big boys in this model?”  There are many ways of course, but perhaps none more obvious than what Coach Hitchcock credits their success to: Play as a team.

What it looks like to play as a team

Right players playing the right position – This means that it is clear and organizationally understood who has what strengths.  Who is the best door opener?  Who can best articulate the technical aspects?  Who is it that can best connect with a new prospect?  Who is that loves to organize and create processes?  Who can smooth over an unhappy customer?  Who can always get the carrier to make an exception?

The team who takes time to recognize individual strengths and use them at every opportunity will find the synergies to be powerful.

Strength in numbers – The glory isn’t in winning alone, the glory is in winning.  Producers who are wise enough to take someone else along on a sales call – another producer, an account manager, an agency principal, wellness coordinator…you get the picture – will find their winning percentages climbing, just like the Blues.

I’m not suggesting that extra bodies be taken along just to fill seats, they need to have a purpose.  But if you prepare for the game by studying your prospect, you will know what additional knowledge will best compliment your own.

Recognize the value of coach/practicing – Even the best athletes (maybe especially the best athletes) constantly practice their skills and are always anxious to get feedback and direction from their coach.  This should be the same for you.  Practice presentations, role play how to handle objections, do whatever it takes to improve your sales/service skills.  And, go to your manager to get feedback on what you are doing well as well as the areas that are in need of particular help.

It’s not the equipment, its how its used – I don’t know about you, but I could go out and buy the absolute top of the line golf clubs and it wouldn’t change my score a single stroke.  Now getting some golf lessons with my current clubs could make a huge difference.

It’s the same with the services you take to our prospects.  The fact that you have the services isn’t nearly enough.  Your prospect/client is even more interested in hearing about the implementation strategy and potential results for your value added services than they are in the service itself.

Accountability for actions – The best teams have individual players who point the finger at everyone else when they win and point the finger at themselves when they lose or a play goes bad.

So, it may be cliché, but I guess clichés develop for a reason.  Modestly talented people playing as a team will beat a group of superiorly talented individuals almost every time.

Photo by ImagineCup.

@kevintrokey

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It’s the age-old question of the price of doing it versus the cost of not acting

There has been a lot of talk of late about employers getting out of the business of offering benefits, or at least the medical insurance business. You’ve probably seen studies such as the McKinsey & Co. study that found 30 percent of all employers will “definitely” or “probably” stop offering their workers health insurance when mandates take effect in 2014.

Yet, other studies, such as the one performed by Workforce Management and Business Insurance, have found that most employers won’t drop their health insurance. Their survey found that 52.5 percent strongly disagreed that dropping coverage (and accepting the $2,000 per year per full-time worker fine) would be the right strategy—with another 15.3 percent somewhat disagreeing.

Most employers are evaluating their decision based on two factors:

1. Will it be cheaper for me to continue to provide medical insurance or pay the fines?
2. Do I have the resources and understanding to deal with the increased compliance issues that will result?

Both of the questions are opportunities for you to help guide your clients and prospects to the answers that are right for them. However, be sure you are able to give unbiased advice and not drive them to the decision that works best for you. (If you are dependent on the commissions from the medical insurance, it is unlikely you can truly offer unbiased advice. If you don’t have opportunities to generate revenue from offerings other than insurance and aren’t moving to a fee-based compensation model, start moving in that direction now before your clients have to make their final decision.)

Let’s start with the second issue—employers’ lack of understanding about how the legislation will likely impact them. I say “likely” because it will continue to be a moving target. If you take the simple strategy of communicating the following to your clients, you will be delivering great peace of mind (or at least they will know specifically why they should be upset).

1. What has already taken place
2. What will happen next
3. What is a little further down the road
4. How it impacts them
5. What they should be doing

Now, back to the first issue, whether it will be less expensive to pay the fines or offer insurance. This is a much more difficult question to answer than it may first appear. Sure, it’s easy to make a calculation of the applicable fines and compare that to the price of the insurance, but this comparison doesn’t come anywhere close to identifying the true “cost” of the decision. Obviously, cost includes many things beyond the dollars and cents.

Attracting and retaining the best of the best will be more critical than ever to the success of every organization.

Out on the horizon is what I call “employee free agency”. We are at the very beginning of a decade that will have 65 million baby boomers moving into retirement and taking a whole lot of talent, knowledge and leadership with them. Top talent will be at a premium and employers better have a strong value proposition if they want to win the competition. Those who do will have a huge competitive advantage.

And its not just about being attractive to a shrinking labor pool, it’s about being attractive to the best of the best in that pool. Businesses will continue to run leaner than ever, making the “critical few employees” just that: critical. The only way to do more with less is if you possess the absolute highest levels of talent.

Top talent is always in demand and will always be the target of aggressive employers. With recent surveys indicating that 60 percent of high performers are hoping to be working somewhere else in the next 12 months, employers have to figure out how they are going to keep the talent they already have as well as how to attract the talent that is currently working for the competition.

The right benefit program is a big part of the answer. And it’s becoming more important than ever to offer a robust, innovative and competitive program to attract and retain talented employees who are able to help drive business success.

Life is busy and people want help managing it. Employees want the convenience of accessing all sorts of services, information and resources through their employer, even if they have to pay for it themselves.

With technology, everything is more accessible, but we seem to have less time to do so. On top of that, the technology can be a double-edged sword, offering an overwhelming number of options. For so many things employees want and need, they don’t need the absolute best solution, they just need a solution that will work and is easy to access. Yes, this could include voluntary benefits, but maybe it’s also help finding adult day care, personal financial planning, access to legal assistance to create a will, or even a vetted list of home repair specialists. Employees are willing to pay for these services; it’s finding the right provider/service in the first place that’s the challenge. An employer willing to take on that responsibility will definitely earn the appreciation of their employees.

If employers, with the resources they have at their disposal, are intimidated by finding the right answers, imagine how overwhelming it is for the average employee. Nothing endears you to someone like genuine interest in helping him or her feel safe and secure. At a time when employers should be thinking more creatively about their benefits offering, does it make sense to be dropping such an important part of the program? And doesn’t it make sense that employees will feel abandoned by employers who have opted to pay a fine and leave them to fend for themselves?

Benefit programs are one of the largest drivers of employee loyalty

The 2009 MetLife Employee Benefits Trend Study clearly demonstrates just how critical a benefit program is to creating loyal employees. From their survey:

• When employees are highly satisfied with their benefit program, 75 percent report being satisfied with their job (compared to just 25 percent with a low level of benefits satisfaction).
• When employers take the time to effectively communicate the benefit program, the percentage of those satisfied with their benefits goes from 9 to 71 percent, those satisfied with their job jumps from 27 to 75 percent, and those who are loyal to their employer moves an impressive 45 points from 25 to 70 percent.
• Forty-one percent of employees say that benefits affect their decision to remain with an employer.

Healthy employees = productive employees

Think about yourself. When you show up for work and you are feeling healthy and happy, you are more productive at your job. It’s the same for all employees. Yes, a healthy employee does start with physical health, but it also includes a healthy work environment, engagement with their job and confidence that they work for someone who is looking out for their wellbeing. Providing the right resources for employees helps ensure that they show up each day ready to be productive.

From the same benefits study cited above:

• For each dollar invested in wellness, there is a savings of $3.48 in medical costs and $5.82 in absenteeism.
• Twenty-six percent of employees miss fewer days of work because they participate in wellness programs.

Sure, with the confusion of what health care reform really means and the temptation to make a decision on price versus true cost, it’s understandable why some of your clients may be considering getting out of the “benefits business.” That’s why they need you to help explain why the need for the right benefits program is more critical than ever.

Even for employers who may opt to pay the fine but maintain the non-medical parts of their benefit program, the cost of their decision will be high—even counting the savings from dropping the medical benefits. Taking away the insurance is bad enough, but also add the burdens to employees to find and self-service their own insurance, and your value proposition to employees drops significantly. I think it’s also safe to say that any employer willing to shift those burdens to the employees will be less than effective with whatever remains of their benefit program.

You have a responsibility (and an unbelievable opportunity) to take away the anxiety your clients feel because of all of the unknowns. You also have a responsibility (and opportunity) to help them understand the real costs that would be paid by deciding to get out of the benefits business. Help them look at themselves through the eyes of their employees—employees who, because of the impending free agency, will now possess more power, be more selective and have higher expectations than ever before. Given the state of the current economy, this may be a hard vision to buy into, but it’s out there and it’s not that far away.

The price of the fine is easy to determine, the cost of abandonment not so much.

Originally published in Rough Notes Magazine, January 2012

Photo by DIAC.

@kevintrokey

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I’ve never been quite sure why I hate it so much. I love good food, and I enjoy cooking good food. I’ve never been able to figure out the disconnect between the food and the shopping.

We’ve got a great grocery store here that I’ve enjoyed more than any other. They have awesome customer service, a great meat department, and consistently fantastic produce. After making the commitment to shop there, despite higher prices, I actually started hating shopping a little less.

Then after many years of begging, pleading, and generally whining as a community, we got a Trader Joe’s. Now, I’m going to admit – I didn’t get it. I didn’t realize exactly what it was and thought it was a specialty shop that would have to become another stop on the dreaded shopping trips.

I gave it a try and to my surprise came to realize that they are a full grocery store. And I actually liked it! TJ’s quickly became my go-to store even though they are across town from me, and I have to go past a handful of other stores to get there.

But why?? I still didn’t know, but I knew that it worked for me.

I was talking with my mom about this recently and she very clearly knew the answer – they don’t overwhelm you with choices. If you want baking soda, you buy the one baking soda offered on the shelf. Period. If you want canned corn, you pick up the one available can.

See, they’ve done the hard work for you. They know what basic items you need and they find the best provider to deliver you the best solution. You simply have to go collect it.

They don’t overwhelm you with 10 different kinds and brands of corn. Every decision in a typical grocery store is actually an entire series of decisions…just to make one. 

While it may seem like a good idea to let people know about the laundry list of offerings you have and then “let them choose”, it’s just overwhelming and often leads to a non-decision. Sticking with what they’ve got – even if it’s not working all that well – is better than having to wade through the piles of options and educate themselves about your business and offerings in order to make the best decision.

Remember – the client is hiring you to be the expert. They expect and WANT you to play that role. Do the research, do the vetting, and provide them with the best solution to solve their need. If you make them do the work to make the choice, you’re no longer the expert or a trusted business advisor – you’re simply a vendor.

Next time you’re going to present your plan offering to your prospect, do the Trader Joe’s test:

“Am I being the expert and offering the best solution that will improve their business? Or am I simply compiling available options, not taking a stand on any one, and leaving the prospect with the job of research and decision-making?”

Photo by manwithface.

@wendykeneipp

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Don, a friend of mine, recently hit one of those mile marker ages.  You know, one of those that require a trip to the doctor for a checkup.

Actually, he wasn’t all that concerned about it.  After all, he takes decent care of himself, has always considered himself healthy, and other than some fatigue, felt really good.  So in he goes to see his family doctor, Phil.  Phil had been the family doctor long enough that they really were on a first name basis.

So Phil tells Don, “Overall, you’re in good shape.  Sure you could lose a few pounds and a little more activity wouldn’t hurt.  However, the results of your tests are just a little off.  I really don’t think its anything, but I have a colleague who is a cardiac specialist I would like you to see.  Really, I don’t think its anything at all.  It would just make me feel better.”

Not overly concerned, off Don goes to see the specialist, Dr. Ting.  Dr. Ting asks a whole bunch of questions (some that Don wasn’t able to answer in the way he would have liked; maybe he does have some warning signs), runs a whole bunch of tests, and is much more concerned about Don’s health than was Phil.

The diagnosis

Dr. Ting, “Well, I’m sure this will come as a shock, but you came to see me just in the nick of time.  We’re going to have to install a pacemaker.  It wasn’t easy to detect, but you have an arrhythmia that we need to control.”

After getting over the initial shock and feeling a little anxious about the surgery and thought of a pacemaker, Don was still very relieved to have found out sooner than later.

The solution

Dr. Ting explained that, although there are several pacemaker manufacturers, there are only 2 or 3 that are likely to be the right device for him.  Dr. Ting assured Don that he would meet with the manufacturer reps, explain Don’s circumstances, and pick the right one.  After meeting with Joe, one of the manufacturer’s reps, Dr. Ting knew he had the right device.

Just a week later, Dr. Ting performed the surgery and it was a complete success.  Just a few days later, Don realized that he felt better than he had in 20 years.  Obviously, he hadn’t been as healthy as he had thought.  Good thing he went in for that physical.

Who are you in the diagnosis process?

Okay, so you might be thinking that I’m writing this to encourage you to go get a physical.  Even though that’s a great idea, that’s not my point.  What I want you to consider is which of the three individuals who played a part in Don’s medical situation are most similar to your business model?

Are you Phil, a generalist who can provide a decent amount of help in many different areas, but no depth in any one?

Are you Joe, a vendor whose contribution was to provide the right product?

Or, are you Dr. Ting, a specialist who truly diagnosed the problem and then installed the right solution?

Of course, each of the three played a significant role, but their contributions definitely were not equal.  While you’re thinking about your model, also think about:

• Who was paid the most for their services?
• Who provided the most value for what they were paid?
• To whom do you think Don was the least concerned about paying a large sum of money?

Obviously, the answer to each question is the specialist.  You can identify the problem and even the right solution, but if you don’t ensure that the solution is installed/implemented properly, nothing positive happens.

Photo by Erich Ferdinand.

@kevintrokey

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Having spent my entire career in the insurance industry, I’m not sure how much of an understanding I can claim for other industries.  However, it’s hard for me to imagine an industry where the purchasing decision has historically been tied to the “relationship” as much as it is in ours.

As much as I want to believe that businesses have gotten beyond a decision making process more appropriate for choosing friends in middle school, I’m not sure that’s always the case.  I mean, really, with the economic challenges we have faced over the last few years, wouldn’t you think that business owners would recognize the need to make the best business decision, every single time?  Even if that means breaking a relationship with someone you could count on for a free lunch and an occasional round of golf?

But, the more I think about it, maybe the relationship isn’t mutually exclusive of good business decisions.  Maybe the timing is just out of order.  Think about your personal relationships.  Who are you most committed to in your personal life?  It likely isn’t the friend of convenience who comes around once in a while to take you out to lunch.  You know, the one who you can’t really enjoy the lunch with because you know they wouldn’t have asked if there wasn’t something in it for them?

No, your best relationships are with those friends and family members who you know always have your best interest in mind.  It’s the people who will drop what they are doing to help you with a moments notice.  It’s the people who tell you the brutal truth because you need to hear it.  It’s the people who help you see what is special about you and help you take advantage of those traits.  It’s the people who make you a better person because you spend time with them.  It’s the people who you naturally seek out in times of both need and victory.

Relationships in business aren’t a thing of the past, but I do think there has been a paradigm shift.  Relationships can no longer just happen up front.  They can’t be built by a little glad-handing, big personalities, or a self-serving lunch.  No, relationships have to be earned in the same way you earn trust and true love. 

- Take a genuine interest in your client.
- Be brutally honest when necessary.
- Give the best advice (even when it has nothing to do with you).
- Make them stronger as a business.
- Focus on their needs over yours.
- Help them take advantage of their strengths.

Do so without expectations and you will likely see that the end result is a relationship that will be almost impossible to break.

Who knows, they may even be the one who picks up the tab the next time you go out to lunch.

Photo by Erich Ferdinand.

@kevintrokey

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These are some follow up thoughts on Kevin’s post about having a job or a career. It’s something I think about quite a bit because I really do love my career immensely, and we work with people every day who love their careers, too. We also work with some who are struggling to find that “right fit”.  It’s a common point of discussion around here.

If you don’t have a level of passion about what you’re doing, then you need to take some time and really think about where you do find passion. I’m not talking about blindly following some desire that has no potential for economic success. We’ve talked about finding that center where your passion intersects with both your talents and your economic drivers. That’s where the magic really happens.

When you commit yourself to a career, it might be for a lifetime or it might be for a period of time. Whatever that timeline is, it should be one that includes a great personal enthusiasm and intrinsic motivation for what you are doing.

It should be something that you think about in your “on” hours and your “off” hours. You should be seeing connections to your work everywhere you turn. You should be so thirsty for more information about what you’re doing that no one ever has to remind or coax you to read or study. You should be looking for ways to make your agency and your clients better at what they’re doing and looking for any opportunity to talk about your learning every day with anyone who will listen. Because you want to!

You can reinvent yourself and your career several times over, but whatever you’re doing at the time should be your total focus and commitment. Without both of these things – the focus and commitment – you will perform poorly. And you’re cheating your clients, co-workers, and your company.

I love the philosophy Gary Vaynerchuck shares in his book, The Thank You Economy:

Encouraging people to leave their jobs is not (necessarily) my focus here, but rather encouraging people to do what they love to do each day. Maybe that just requires a focus on the right parts of your job and getting rid of those pesky things that you’re not very good at anyway.

But really, if you’re not doing what you love now, then when are you going to do it?

If you’re considering where you are in your career, you might want to take the time to read Kevin’s article on the intersection of passions, talents, and economic drivers. If you want to delve deeper into a personal branding exercise that will step you through each area and help point you to some conclusions, let us know. We’d be happy to share ours with you. Just This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or leave a comment below.

Photo by Alex & les temps qui passe.

@wendykeneipp

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I guess there are many ways you could describe the difference between the two, but I’m sure you have an immediate difference that comes to mind for you.  At a recent Producer Training Camp, we overheard one of the attendees describe the difference as the following:

“A job is something you learn once and just do it.  A career is something you intentionally choose and commit yourself to constant learning in order to stay current.”

I like that explanation as much as any I’ve ever heard.  I know I wouldn’t want to go to a doctor who quit studying and learning as soon as he had his degree in hand.  It goes without saying that when he committed to being a physician, he committed to a lifetime of learning.

Guess what? You’ve chosen a career.  You are a professional.  You’ve committed to, and your clients deserve, a lifetime of learning.  Just being a reader and a listener, while a great start, isn’t enough.  You have to be very purposeful about your ongoing learning.

I suggest you start by evaluating your current abilities, and the future requirements, in the following areas.

Technical Skills – What are the technical skills that have to be razor sharp?  What are the technical skills that you need to develop to stay on top of your game?

Some examples might include:  alternative financing, actuarial analysis, or compliance issues.

Sales Skills – What is required for you to be able to effectively communicate your value proposition?  What new skills would allow you to position yourself as a true partner with your clients rather than just a vendor?

Some examples might include:  30 second commercial, listening skills, closing strategies, effective networking, asking for referrals, etc.

Business Acumen – What is the general business knowledge that you must have in order to have a peer-to-peer conversations with a business owner?  What knowledge could you obtain that would have them coming to you for advice about “non technical” challenges?

Some examples might include:  national economic trends, operational basics, corporate structure, or perpetuation.

There is no limit to the learning opportunities you need to embrace to make you more effective at what you do and to improve the impact you can have on the business of your clients.

If you’re interested in a tool that would help you assess the areas on which you should be focusing, leave a comment and e-mail address below, and we’ll be happy to share with you.

@kevintrokey

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