My daughter Emily is (was) a high school senior this year, and I just attended her graduation and an orchestra banquet over the weekend, and a lacrosse banquet a couple nights earlier. As a parent, you attend these events and sit and watch with pride at what they have accomplished and amazement at how fast the time has gone. You can't help but marvel at how wise and insightful these young people are yet, at the same time, think about how many lessons and experiences await them. One of the student speakers at the graduation commented on how we tend…

You may think information about college graduates and new hires has nothing to do with you as an established professional. But I urge you to find out how this is, in fact, directly relevant to you. A recent article in the WSJ, Your College Major Is a Minor Issue, Employers Say, reported on the results of a survey done where they queried 318 companies that hire new graduates. The results were telling of an era that is quickly becoming the new norm. Here are some of the key points I see as critical from the survey: 93% of employers cite…

I know a young lady who has recently graduated from college and is embarking on her career. A career, which by this time has been well in the works for a few years as she has taken advantage of many opportunities throughout college to pursue interests and demonstrate her motivation, drive, and skills. She is very impressive, and I have already put out recommendations on her behalf. As she was preparing for graduation, we had one of our regular coffee chats, and she was telling me about her career search. The conversation turned to her schooling and the path she'd…

One reason to say yes. Sometimes that all it takes. We can usually come up with a laundry list of reasons why we shouldn't or couldn't do something. But the real challenge lies in asking ourselves why we should do something. You might find that the one reason you should do it makes up for a list of reasons you shouldn't, or couldn't, or don't want to do it. We tell producers and agency leaders this all the time. And sometimes we're faced with our own situations where we need to take our own advice. My daughter is graduating from…

You aren't alone. Or, at least you don't have to be. I have traveled more over the last couple of weeks than I ever have at one time in my life. I have traveled to four cities to attend and present at four different conferences. While the travel itself can be tiring, I have finished more energized than ever before. And that energy is coming from the adrenaline flowing from being around such amazing people. For all of the doom and gloom that surrounds our industry right now, I attended four similar, yet very different, conferences where I witnessed very…

We've recently discussed an article that was published in HBR, "The End of Solution Sales". It was written by the authors of The Challenger Sale where they take the ideas from the book and build even further on how it's critical to meet clients and prospects at an intellectual crossroads in the development of their purchasing decisions. The authors call this insight selling, which is leading conversations with "insights meant to upend a customer's approach to its business," and being willing to push customers out of their comfort zone. There are many excellent points and concepts in the article, and…

When I ask you to quickly describe the stereotypical insurance agent, what comes to mind? As a whole, the industry is pretty conservative, buttoned up, slow to change, and, dare I say it, boring. I know there are exceptions out there, but this is basically what a prospect who is meeting you for the first time is expecting, whether they are meeting you in person, via social media, or on your website. And, I have been in this industry long enough to know that as accurate as the first stereotypes I mentioned might be, most in this industry are not…

A leader's job is to instill confidence in his/her team that there is a future worth working and fighting for. If the future looks bleak, people will seek that confidence elsewhere. Maybe there is a vivid future ahead, but if it's not being talked about, then it may as well not exist in the eyes of your staff. The leader needs to help the team see the light. Have a vision and communicate it with enthusiasm. Keep the team regularly updated on the progress toward the vision. Bring the team in to help create parts of the structure where appropriate.…

Is it just me, or does anybody else get frustrated with the state of business communication? I am convinced it has to do with new technology and a resulting informality of how we communicate. Don't get me wrong; I appreciate e-mail, texting, and social media as much as anyone. However, I don't think that using these great resources should be a license to forego common courtesies, protocols, and a professional manner. Here are a few of my communication pet peeves. A sense that sending a reply email means you are no longer responsible. Saying things in a text or email…

Yes, this is a scary time in our industry, but let's face it: Fear is just a natural part of doing business. Whether you're building a business or a book of business, there's nothing easy about it. There are always threats, and if we let our fears get in the way, we'll never achieve anything. Fear itself shouldn't automatically be seen as negative. A healthy level of fear can keep you sharp and focused and may actually help ensure your survival. To paraphrase the old saying, courage isn't the absence of fear, it's willingness to face the fear. Fear is…