KIA&B 2019 November/December 2019 | Page 23

| MANAGE & LEAD | While the organization as a whole must be ready and committed to the planning process and change, it is even more imperative that the owners be similarly dedicated. More than providing a vision that looks beyond the present to the desired future, owners must help set the goals to articulate that future and the processes to measure progress toward it. They must have the integrity to know what is right and proceed in the right way, both in the planning process and implementation. They must have the courage to initiate change and remove obstacles. Owners must know themselves, be able to deploy staff appropriately, be courageous and open to feedback, and be able to use that feedback effectively. Staff members need to have the confidence to challenge authority and the status quo when appropriate. horizon, which competitors could cause the highest level of disruption, and what factors (economic or otherwise) could impact the agency’s attainment of its goals. If you think your agency is ready to take the plunge and commit to creating a challenging but achievable set of goals and strategies for agency growth, congratulations! You have probably just moved your agency to a place where many independent agencies in the country have not gone. In the words of the Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu, “the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” One of the best starting points for developing your agency’s business plan is the well-respected and much-used SWOT analysis – Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. For some agencies, this may be as far as the planning process goes, still much good can come from it even if it is the only annual planning activity. Strengths and weaknesses are internal factors – what does the agency do well and in what areas is there room for improvement. This requires an honest assessment of where the agency is today, what challenges and issues need to be resolved, and whether or not your Bremen Farmers Mutual internal environment will help you Insurance Company achieve your agency’s goals. This can be the most time-consuming part of Serving Kansas since 1888 business planning and is not without a certain amount of pain. But from that • Homeowners • Agri–Pak (Farmowners) pain comes greater insight into what • Preferred Homeowners • Inland Marine must be done. Understanding the external environment is also critical to sound planning. What opportunities exist in the marketplace – new industries, community growth, general economic trends, and the like will form the basis of this portion of the analysis. When considering threats, what legal or regulatory challenges may be on the • Dwelling Fire • Business Owners • Online quoting, application submission, and document view available Curtis Holle • President Becky Scheele • Claims Mgr. Bryce Peters • Underwriting Mgr. 201 Brenneke St. | Bremen, KS 66412 T: 800.562.5712 | F: 785.337.2414 www.bfmic.com Email: [email protected] 23