From Strategic Initiatives Which Way Should I Go?

Sara Bradshaw Ray, CIC, CKC BIGiOK Senior Vice President of Strategic Initiatives

“That depends a good deal on where you want to get to, “ said the Cat.

“I don’t much care where—" said Alice.

"Then is doesn't matter which way you go," said the Cat.

~ Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Chapter 6

In Lewis Carroll’s beloved classic, Alice in Wonderland, Alice is wandering through the forest and happens onto the beguiling Cheshire Cat when she famously asks which way she ought to go; the Cheshire Cat responds, “Well, that all depends on where you want to get to.”

Alice, feeling lost and unsure, replies that “it really doesn’t matter” and the Cheshire Cat wisely responds, “Then it really doesn’t matter which way you go.”

This exchange is a poignant reminder of how directionless we can feel when we don’t know where to start in resolving a problem. Like Alice, many of our members who contact BIGiOK Consulting often find themselves in a similar predicament, knowing that they have an issue that needs to be addressed but feeling overwhelmed and uncertain about where to begin.

BIGiOK Consulting can provide valuable assistance and resources to our member agencies regardless of your level of clarity about your challenges or opportunities. If you know exactly what your situation is but just need a little guidance on how to tackle it, BIGiOK Consulting can offer tailored solutions and expert advice to help you overcome the obstacles you face. On the other hand, if you already know what your challenge or opportunity is but don’t know where to begin resolving it, we’re here to help there too!

Our BIGiOK Consulting team is also complemented by an amazing group of colleagues called the Elite Professionals Network. In addition to our own purview, our EPN is made up of individuals who specialize in areas of insurance agency management, including productivity, professional development, strategic planning and culture assessments, and are wellequipped to provide comprehensive solutions that cater to the unique needs of each agency and exactly where you’re headed, even if you’re not quite sure when we first begin our conversations.

Over the course of my professional career, I’ve been called a lot of things, but the one that caught me by surprise most recently was included in an introduction as I prepared to speak to a group where I was referred to as an Agency Productivity Evangelist!

Now, sure, I was raised as the granddaughter of a southern Baptist preacher and my speaking style has occasionally been likened to those roots, so I’ll own that proudly. But, after my presentation that day and those that followed, I began to think a little harder about that reference and realized that it really is the outpouring of my passion for helping agencies realize their full potential. I also realized that this moniker is particularly significant because it underscores the importance of recognizing the incredible opportunity for enhanced productivity, effectiveness and profitability that exists within any agency.

So many times, in my own experience, owning and operating our family’s agency for 25 years and more recently in agency management consulting, I see so many agency owners who become so focused on day-to-day tasks that they fail to take a step back and assess their organization as a whole when by simply taking the time to step back for a fresh perspective to evaluate their practices, address outdated or redundant processes, and build on existing strengths, those agencies can experience remarkable growth and our member agents tap into their potential and create thriving, highperformance organizations. Whether you’re like Alice and need a little how BIGiOK Consulting, and our Elite Professionals Network can help you get on the right track to get or keep growing to the next level cobrand.iiaba.net/made-for-you/i-am

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