The
7 P’s
of AGENCY
SUCCESS
The greatest challenge for agency leaders today isn’t technology, tools, or competition - it’s focus. I think speaker and author Darren Hardy said it best: “In a daily barrage of distractions, the one who can focus the most wins.”
vision is so important. Where do you want to be in three years? Does that excite you and your team? Purpose is the heartbeat of your agency. It’s the energy that is pumped into your organization, your clients, and your community.
Obtaining information isn’t the problem. With digital technology, we have access to knowledge and resources in seconds. The problem lies in distilling all of it into a few key ideas that you can execute.
PRODUCTIVITY
It comes down to clarity on where you’re going, consistency in the critical behaviors that will get you there, and a commitment to stay focused. I believe there are seven core areas that require an agency’s sustained laser focus. To keep things simple, all of them start with the letter P.
PURPOSE What’s your mission? Author Simon Sinek asks: “Why do you wake up every morning, and why should anyone else care?” It’s a simple yet powerful question. What’s your agency’s mission? Why do you do what you do? When I ask this question of agency leaders, they usually respond with a blank stare. Take time to think about what your agency represents—and what it doesn’t. What’s your vision? Humans are moved by emotion. Insurance professionals don’t want to just do something; they want to be part of something that matters. That’s why 16
insight
Do your behaviors support your desired outcome? If you’re a producer, you should be spending most of your time producing. But if you’re an agency leader and your job is to motivate your staff, is that how you spend your days, or are you engaged in other activities? Are you spending your time primarily on results-based functions or activity-based functions? If you look at your calendar, will it show that you’re spending most of your time doing things that produce results? If your calendar is filled with empty spots, chances are you will fill it with activities that won’t necessarily contribute to your agency’s growth. Does your agency have a high-performance team or a high-maintenance team? High-performance teams maximize their unique strengths and abilities that generate positive energy. They also choose to spend their time preparing rather than repairing. They know where they’re going and what they’re doing each week. They communicate proactively.
april 2021
