MANAGE & LEAD
GOODBYE ( AND GOOD RIDDANCE ) 2020
By : Cheryl Koch , MBA , CPCU , CIC , ARM , AAI , AAM , AIM , ARP , AIS , API , ACSR , AINS , AFIS
We are about to put the finishing touches on what may go down as the most challenging and unusual year in our lifetime . During the pandemic and the multiple lockdowns that many of us experienced , it was often difficult to remain positive . Friends and loved ones were suffering the effects of the virus , business owners were forced to shutter their operations , and our country was becoming further divided politically , socially , and economically . Amid all of that , opportunities were created for those determined to control what they could and not obsess over what they could not .
While it ’ s still too early to tell what the permanent effects of 2020 may be , it ’ s certainly a time to reflect on what we have learned and how we can use this knowledge as a springboard to create a 2021 that will bring each of us , and our agencies , unprecedented success .
5 Be focused . We ’ ve heard this for a while , but now we need to deeply consider how we can become more efficient and effective in the coming years . This involves an increasing commitment to the use of technology , not just to create “ digital paper ” but rather to find new ways to work that eliminate the noise that often distracts us from providing an even higher level of value-added services for our clients . Streamlined workflows and procedures , adhered to by every individual in the organization , will raise the bar on our service levels . Still , they will also allow everyone to focus on the highvalue , core activities necessary to improve agency
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