PROF. DEVELOPMENT
ARE YOU BUSY, OR ARE YOU GETTING BETTER? written by Roger Sitkins, Sitkins Group
By the middle of the year, most agency leaders start to feel it. January felt different, there was energy, there were goals. You had conversations with your team about doing things better this year; about being more intentional, more disciplined, more focused. Maybe you even introduced a few new ideas or initiatives that you were confident would create real improvement.
But now it’ s mid-year, and if you’ re being honest, you’ re starting to wonder what has really changed. Yes, you’ ve been busy. Your team has been busy. There has been no shortage of activity: meetings, proposals, renewals, service work, and constant communication. On the surface, it feels like progress. But when you step back and look at the results, it often feels like you’ re running hard without gaining much ground. That’ s where the frustration sets in.
Because deep down, most agency leaders already know the truth. It’ s not about effort. It’ s not about caring. It’ s about the fact that, despite everyone’ s best intentions, the agency is still operating much the same way it always has.
The problem isn’ t your people.
One of the biggest mistakes agency leaders make at this point in the year is assuming that the issue is their team. They start to think they need better producers, more experienced account managers, or stronger leadership at different levels. In reality, that’ s rarely the core issue.
Most agencies have good people. They are capable, committed, and willing to work hard. The problem is that those people are not operating within a consistent, structured system that allows them to perform at a higher level together.
Producers are selling, but they are doing it in different ways. Some rely on relationships, others on quoting, and a few follow a more consultative approach. There is no consistency in how opportunities are developed or how value is communicated.
Account managers are working hard to keep up with service demands, but they are often reactive rather than proactive. They are focused on getting through the day instead of strengthening relationships or contributing to growth.
18 KANSAS INSURANCE AGENT & BROKER