PIAW June 2015 Professional Agent

professional agent JUNE | 2015

PIA provides me with opportunities to strengthen my leadership skills and meet people who can help me succeed.

What’s Inside?

The Challenge of Change.................................14 Reacting to Disappointing Employees........................... 18 Education Section (see yellow tab pages)..... 22 New CISRs.......................... 24

Grams Insurance Agency Edgerton, WI

I AM PIA. When JULIE ULSET bought her agency, the first thing she did was join PIA. The contacts she made through PIA provide her with valuable intelligence and even helped her get a new company.

Now that’s a smart move!

FIND OUT WHY IT PAYS TO JOIN PIA. WHEN YOU DO, YOU’LL BE PIA, TOO!

www.iampia.com

A Memo From FEMA......... 25 Redefine Success.............. 30 Leadership Lessons........... 34 Is Your Agency E&O Proof?................................... 36

Digital Editions of PIAW Magazine Available at www.piaw.org

GROW YOUR BUSINESS &

RETAIN YOUR IDENTITY

WITH OUR TEAM Visit our website, couriagents.com or give Steve Albinger a call at 800-444-1215.

Scan this with your smartphone QR code reader.

See what our agents are saying about market access, support & great commissions.

2 JUNE 15

From the

President LouAnn Herriges, CIC, CISR — President, PIA of Wisconsin

Together Everyone Achieves More As I near the end of my term as President, I thought it

be a resource, to suggest perseverance to stick to a resolu-

might be appropriate to talk about another important topic –

tion or to make a difference for yourself or for someone else.

TEAMWORK.

And, now this month, working as a part of a team. Recently,

The definition of Teamwork according to the Business Dictionary is “the process of working collaboratively with a group of people in order to achieve a goal”. At PIA of

there have been notices and email blasts to members recruiting volunteers for next years “Team”. Please consider joining one of the best teams ever – PIA of Wisconsin.

Wisconsin we are fortunate to have many individuals that

As Vince Lombardi once said “The achievements of an org-

work together to help make our organization a success. As

anization are the combined efforts of each individual.” Way

you know each year the Board of Directors, the PIA Staff

to go PIA of Wisconsin for organizing a great team this year.

and members of the various committees meet throughout

For some PIA business—have you saved this date on your

the year to work as a team to work on the ongoing needs of our members. Whether it is providing information on legislative happenings in our State, insurance quotes for our members, value added services and benefits, or education of you and your staff, we are working as team to accomplish all of these tasks. Members are and always have been the top priority of PIA.

calendars — August 5th, 6th and 7th, 2015? Are you ready for a good time? That is the date of this year’s PIA Annual Convention at Chula Vista Resort in the Wisconsin Dells.

As I write this article, the convention committee has put the final touches on this year’s convention. I know it will be amazing. We are thankful for our many company sponsors that donate to our organization for this event and through-

At the beginning of my term as President, I thought the

out the year to help us achieve success at our outings and

most difficult task that I faced was writing this article every

events. So pack your beachwear, Hawaiian shirts, flip flops

month. With encouragement from my many friends and

and attend this year’s convention. You are bound to find

teammates, they assured me that I would be able to handle

something of interest and to have a good time.

this task. Each month I was able to grow as a person by

One last quote to end this month’s article:

doing the research and being inspired by the topic. I enjoyed the challenge of trying to provide a topic each month that would reach out to all and provide them with inspiration, opportunity, passion and trust. To reach out, and hopefully

Since 1878

“Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success”. Henry Ford I look forward to seeing all of you soon!

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JUNE 15 3

Memos from

Madison Ron Von Haden, CIC — Executive Vice President, PIA of Wisconsin

Benefits of PIAW Membership THE BENEFITS of PIAW membership are often overlooked.

early May, where it is expected to pass along party lines.

Besides the standard topics of education, legislation, monthly

Since this is a non-binding resolution, the budget does not go

magazine and information research, some other benefits

to the President for his approval or veto, and it merely serves

do not get promoted as much as they should. One area of

as a blueprint for the appropriations process. Unfortunately,

interest is the PIA National Trust.

attempts to cut crop insurance will continue, so we will need

With the PIA Trust Insurance Plans, you have the flexibility to customize your protection to best meet your family’s insurance needs. With the exception of Basic Life, your

to remain vigilant. PIA will continue to monitor the budget process to ensure that crop insurance subsidies do not receive any cuts.

employees are also eligible to apply for all of the plans with

Our efforts to bring talented individuals into our

out your participation. Agency Owners/Managers can

industry are continuous. Veterans are a high priority and we

get $50,000 basic life insurance through the Trust and employees can get up to $30,000 with no medical underwriting. This has to be 100% employer paid and 100% of eligible employees must enroll. Other insurance products include: Business Overhead Expense coverage, Long Term Disability (not medically underwritten), Short Term Disability, Accidental Death & Dismemberment, and Hospital Indemnity. Information about these coverages can be found on our website at www.piaw.org. Look under the Member

send industry materials to County Veterans Service Officers so veterans know the variety of occupations available. We work with colleges and vocational schools to introduce the industry to students. And now, we are partnering with the State Division of Vocational Rehabilitation to promote the opportunities in Wisconsin’s vibrant insurance industry.

We do not exclusively promote the agency side of the business because we all know that folks move from company to agency and agency to company. Outreach to these varied

Benefits tab for each type of coverage.

organizations is vital to replenish the talent pool as we

Crop Insurance Escapes Cuts in Joint Budget Resolution :

our agencies. An influx of new, fresh, dynamic people will

On April 30, 2015, Congress’ Joint Budget Conference released their proposed Fiscal Year 2016 Budget that, in a victory for PIA members, did not include any cuts to crop insurance. Opposing cuts to crop insurance was one of the top priorities at this year’s Federal Legislative Summit (FLS).

fight off the “grey hair” syndrome that affects many of guarantee the future of one of Wisconsin’s most important industries.

Enjoy the summer. Be safe, re-energize and stop to smell the roses.

The House of Representatives passed the proposed budget

AND REMEMBER….. One disadvantage of having nothing

by a 226-197 margin and now awaits a vote in the Senate in

to do is that you can’t stop and rest.

Looking for Success? The Feeling Is Mutual.

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For more information about becoming an independent agent for Rockford Mutual: please contact us at 815/489-3158 or visit www.rockfordmutual.com

4 JUNE 15

West Bend knows Preferred Risk Types: – Wood product manufacturers that primarily specialize in manufacturing finished wood products or components – Secondary woodworking operations that machine, cut, shape, turn, glue, finish, or otherwise work with dimensional lumber to manufacture a finished or component product

Woodworking.

At West Bend, we’re proud of our broad base of knowledge when it comes to commercial risks. Over the years, however, we’ve developed extensive expertise of certain risks and the skills needed to underwrite them.

That’s why we’re more competitive in writing these classes.

Like woodworking.

If you have a woodworking risk, contact your West Bend underwriter. We look forward to sharing our expertise with you, and providing the best coverages necessary to protect your valued customers.

JUNE 15 5

From the

Boardroom Michael Keener, CIC — Director, PIA of Wisconsin

Identifying and Understanding Your Competition Will Help You Win —Now That's A Keener Solution Whether you’re a fan or not, much can be taken away from the inspirational month-that-was in the world of sports. A humble twenty-one year old wins The Masters in dominant fashion and our Wisconsin Badgers make it all the way to the National Championship game. Two clear examples of how hard work and preparation combined with competitive perseverance can take you to the pinnacle of your craft. It’s no different in the insurance world.

No matter the role one plays in their agency it is imperative to be a consistent and reflective practitioner when evaluating the competition. What will it take for your agency to be successful in today’s market? What can I do personally to ensure this success? The competitive world of insurance continues to evolve and without constant reflection it is easy to fall behind. Being great at something and winning in today’s marketplace boils down to preparation.

How will you compete in the next decade to provide your clients with the very best products and pricing? How can we be better at protecting our client’s assets while remaining competitive in pricing? With so many competitors in our industry, including all of the direct writers, we need to prepare our agencies now more than ever.

Enter GOOGLE Auto Compare. At some point this could become one of the largest insurance agencies in America.

Think about the amount of underwriting data they have already acquired on people in this country. The integrity of this particular issue, however, is better left for another article.

We need to clearly identify and understand our competition if we, as independent agents and PIA members, are going to compete. What is your agency’s strategy for success? Are we ready for automobiles that drive themselves? Did we really ever doubt that Walmart would be selling auto insurance after they sell everything else? How prepared are we for the unknown and the changes that lie ahead?

What is your agency’s mission statement?

"I have a Keener solution with every alternative."

There are real threats to our agencies and real competition

6 JUNE 15

coming down the pipeline. We must take off the blinders and not coast to the finish line. We love our clients because they are our friends, our families, our neighbors, our teachers, our police officers and our veterans. Let's show them we care and the trusting experience they receive with us is an element that cannot be duplicated from a large-scale company.

How ready is your agency for the next generation of consumers? It’s a serious consideration that must be part of your agency’s perpetuation plan. How trained is your staff on different buying techniques and behavioral traits of the Y generation?

Here are some things that I have done to help my agency compete and how I’m constantly trying to prepare myself and my agency to win in this marketplace. Maybe one of these can help your agency win an account: • CIC- Knowledge is Power: People buy products they don’t know about from people that can easily explain things to them. People who sound smart typically are smart. Education and more education will lead to more clients. CRM-CIC-CSR-CPCU. Whatever it might be, do something.

• Time is Money: Making the transaction as seamless as possible leads to great referrals. Consumers don’t have nearly as much time as they once did with so many other distractions getting in the way. Have highly effective quote request forms right on your website for prospects to complete in just a few minutes • Actively Market Your Abilities: Share your success with your clients, this will foster loyalty and help generate referrals. Broadcast on your social media pages what you have done for others, and continue to update your testimonials on your webpages. Plug in a link when you email out a proposal to a prospect you think might be on the fence • Accessibility: Insurance claims, questions and concerns never sleep. Now this may not be for everyone but I like to have my office phone forwarded to my

mobile phone when I’m not there and all of my emails

and BLOG on your website. You have the expertise and

coming to my smartphone so that I can be available to my

knowledge so share it with others.

clients 24/7. This is how I can win in this marketplace.

• Make Insurance Fun and Engaging for the

• Educate Your Clients: Consistent emails and constant contact builds rapport as an expert in your craft

Consumer : I always thought the one agency that can

and empowers the consumer to engage in the decision

figure out how to make ‘purchasing a promise from an

making of their future. Allow them to be in control.

insurance company that if something bad happens to them they will be well taken care of’ feel like sipping margaritas on the beach would be a billionaire. Have fun in your conversations and keep the mood light.

Agencies that embrace competition and continue to be innovative will thrive and experience huge success. Agencies that can identify exactly what their competition’s next move is before it’s ever played will experience huge success. Agencies

• Make Social Media Work For You : Put yourself

that have a well thought out game plan that encompasses

out in the social media platform and don’t be afraid to

everyone’s input equally from the owner down to the janitor

fail. It’s better to have failed on social media than to not

will experience huge success. As the old adage goes, an

have tried. Your Google ranking will go up the more

agency is only as strong as its weakest link.

engaging you are on social media.

Let's prepare our agencies to outsmart and defeat our com-

• Get Creative With Your Website : Think about

petition and show all insurance consumers exactly why independent insurance agents bring so much more.

Make your website fun. Engage people on your website

SELL IT BECAUSE WE DO.

Convention l a u n n A th

Register Today!

C hu

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See insert in this issue or register online at www.piaw.org. The PIA Business Meeting will be held on Thursday following the 11:00 a.m. Bloody Mary Bar!

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a V u g u st 5-7, 2 0 1 5 n si ista n o c R esort, Wis

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what people want to see when they are on the Internet.

JUNE 15 7

OCI Administrative

Actions Ted Nickel — Commissioner of the Office of Insurance

Madison, WI—OCI has taken the following administrative actions. In many of these cases the respondent denied the allegations but consented to the action taken. Any forfeitures paid in these administrative actions are deposited in the Common School Fund which is administered by the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands. The earnings from this fund are distributed to all public K-12 schools in Wisconsin and are used by school libraries to purchase books. Copies of the administrative action orders may be viewed online at https://ociaccess.oci.wi.gov/OrderInfo/OrdInfo.oci.

OCI is responsible for overseeing the operations and marketing of insurance companies and agents in Wisconsin. OCI encourages anyone with a question or a complaint regarding an insurance company or agent to contact the office at this toll-free telephone number: 1-800-236-8517.

Allegations

and

Actions Against Agents

Dejoni N. Absher, 15917 E. Sprague Ave., Apt. 14, Spokane

licensing application, agreed to timely report information

Valley, WA 99037, agreed to the issuance of a restricted

to OCI, and agreed to respond promptly to inquiries from

insurance license. This action was taken based on allegations

OCI. These actions were taken based on allegations of fail-

of having a criminal conviction which may be substantially

ing to disclose an administrative action taken by the state of

related to insurance marketing type conduct.

Wisconsin on a licensing application and failing to respond

Amy E. Callahan, 2905 Meadowbrook Rd., Middleton, WI

promptly to inquiries from OCI.

53562, had her insurance license revoked. This action was

Dale G. Froehlich, 1168 Pattee Ave., Elburn, IL 60119, agreed

taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin

to the permanent revocation of his insurance license. This

taxes.

action was taken based on allegations of obtaining a person-

Robert J. Campbell, 2444 Wander Ct., Eau Claire, WI 54703,

al loan from an insurance consumer.

had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken

Lisandra M. Hall, 151 Laurel Dr. S., West Bend, WI 53095,

based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

had her application for an insurance license denied for 31

Jeffrey R. Dobrunz, 229 E. Roeland Ave., Appleton, WI 54915,

days. This action was taken based on allegations of failing

had his application for an insurance license denied. This

to disclose an administrative action taken by the state of

action was taken based on allegations of failing to disclose

Wisconsin on a licensing application.

administrative actions taken by the state of Wisconsin on a

Terrence Havens, 586 Bay Villas Ln., Naples, FL 34108, had

licensing application, having criminal convictions that may

his application for an insurance license denied. This action

be substantially related to insurance marketing type conduct,

was taken based on allegations of failing to respond prompt-

and failing to respond promptly to inquiries from OCI.

ly to inquiries from OCI and failing to provide evidence of

Paul D. Dodge, 47 Bowen St., Oshkosh, WI 54901, was

eligibility to work in the United States.

ordered to pay a forfeiture of $500.00. This action was taken

Charmaine Heath, 2016 Amherst Rd., Hyattsville, MD 20783,

based on allegations of failing to timely report a criminal conviction to OCI.

had her application for an insurance license denied. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to provide

Todd E. Dodge, 1454 Saint Clair Rd., Idaho Falls, ID 83404,

evidence of equivalent resident state licensure and failing to

had his application for an insurance license denied. This

respond promptly to inquiries from OCI.

action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent

Lisa J. Hoffmann, 246 U.S. Hwy. 14, Brooklyn, WI 53521, had

child support.

her application for an insurance license denied for 31 days.

Kristen Fitzhugh, 3420 Wooster Rd., Apt. 605, Rocky River,

This action was taken based on allegations of failing to dis-

OH 44116, agreed to the 30-day denial of her insurance

close a criminal conviction on a licensing application. [continued on page 10]

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OCI Administrative Actions [continued from page 8] Jeffrey L. Knox, 6611 N. 58th St., Milwaukee, WI 53223, had his application for an insurance license denied. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to complete the required criminal background check/fingerprinting and failing to respond promptly to inquiries from OCI. Andrew N. Lingle, 702 Lorillard Ct., Unit E305, Madison, WI 53703, had his application for an insurance license denied.

This action was taken based on allegations of having an active resident insurance license in another state and failing to respond promptly to inquiries from OCI. Christopher J. Lovald, W351N5305 Road C, Oconomowoc, WI 53066, agreed to the issuance of a restricted insurance license with certain reporting requirements. This action was taken based on allegations of having a history of unpaid civil money judgments, criminal convictions, delinquent child support payments, and tax delinquency.

David L. Nichols, 421 Manitowoc St., Reedsville, WI 54230, agreed to the issuance of a restricted insurance license with certain reporting requirements. This action was taken based on allegations of having administrative actions taken by the Office of Lawyer Regulation and having a history of civil money judgments.

Allegations

and

Chancelor P. Schulze, 3058 Shorewood Dr., Oshkosh, WI 54901, had his application for an insurance license denied.

This action was taken based on allegations of failing to disclose a criminal conviction on a licensing application, taking an examination prior to completing prelicensing education, and failing to respond promptly to inquiries from OCI. Muriel J. Stulen, 9438 S. Cty. Rd. E, Solon Springs, WI 54873, had her insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Gary L. Toms, 1054 Zephyr Hill Ave., Eau Claire, WI 54703, had his insurance license revoked. This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Thomas C. Utermoehl, Jr., 18141 Robinson Cir., Dayton, MN 55327, had his application for an insurance license denied.

This action was taken based on allegations of owing delinquent child support and failing to respond promptly to inquiries from OCI. James C. Venden, 7626 Midtown Rd., Apt. 106, Madison, WI 53719, had his application for an insurance license denied.

This action was taken based on allegations of making a material misrepresentation on a licensing application and owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes.

Actions Against Companies

Buiten & Associates, LLC, 5738 Foremost Dr. SE, Grand

reduce the cost of insurance rate to the pre-increase rate, and

Rapids, MI 49546, had its application for an insurance license

had its subject policy form disapproved for use in the state

denied for 31 days. This action was taken based on allegations

of Wisconsin. These actions were taken based on allegations

of failing to disclose an administrative action taken by the

of implementing a cost of insurance rate increase and using

state of Nevada on a licensing application.

advertising in violation of Wisconsin insurance laws.

GEICO Casualty Company, 5260 Western Ave., Chevy Chase,

Victoria Fire & Casualty Company, One West Nationwide

MD 20815, was ordered to pay a forfeiture of $1,000.00 and was ordered to cease and desist denying third-party claims due to noncooperation on the part of its insureds. These actions were taken based on allegations of failing to effectuate a fair and reasonable claims settlement.

Humana Insurance Company, 500 W. Main St., P. O. Box 740036, Louisville, KY 40201, agreed to pay a forfeiture of $2,500.00. This action was taken based on allegations of failing to comply with rate filing requirements.

Blvd., Ste. 1-04-701, Columbus, OH 43215, was ordered to pay a forfeiture of $1,000.00 and was ordered to cease and desist failing to provide written notice when applying a short rate fee to unearned premium refunds for insured cancellation requests. These actions were taken based on allegations of failing to notify consumers of short rate cancellation fees.

Wisconsin Physicians Service Insurance Corporation, 1717 W. Broadway, Madison, WI 53713, agreed to cease and desist using unfiled rates, agreed to develop policies and procedures sufficient to ensure unfiled rate errors do not recur,

PHL Variable Insurance Company, P.O. Box 5056, Hartford,

and agreed to provide quarterly reports to OCI. These actions

CT 06102, was ordered to pay restitution of $534,804.78, was

were taken based on allegations of using unfiled rates and

ordered to pay a forfeiture of $40,000.00, was ordered to

premiums.

10 JUNE 15

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JUNE 15 11

Big I Wis half page 7.5x4.75 texting.pdf

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3/27/15

9:35 AM

WORTH THE PAPER IT'S PRINTED ON? A HISTORY OF THE BANKNOTE Governments print it, misers hoard it under their mattresses, rich people light their cigars with it—but where does the idea of paper money come from, anyway?

China, actually. The banknote apparently originated during the Tang Dynasty (7th century), to replace bulky copper coins carried by merchants. The coins were minted with rectangular holes in their center so they could be strung together on cords, but wealthy merchants found that lugging their coins around was difficult.

A system was born in which merchants left their coins with a trusted agent in exchange for a note stating exactly how much money was being held. The merchant could return the note at any time to redeem his or her coins, and in time paper money called "jiaozi" evolved.

In Europe, banknotes first came into use in the 14th century. The term "Bank note" derives from nota di banco. The holder of a note could redeem it for an amount of silver or gold held on deposit with a bank.

In the New World, the Massachusetts Bay Colony was the first of the American colonies to circulate its own banknotes in the early 1690s, but all 13 colonies were issuing their own notes by the early 1700s.

The First Bank of the United States, chartered by Congress in 1789 shortly after the signing of the Consitution, was authoried to issue banknotes, but the U.S. federal government didn't start printing its own paper money until 1862.

12 JUNE 15

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JUNE 15 13

Prepare Yourself for the

Challenge of Change

by Glenn Gutek

Leaders are change agents. It is impossible to lead people into an unknown future without knowing how to successfully introduce change. It has been said that the one constant in life is change, but why must it be so often, so soon?

There are some personalities that avoid change the way an unprepared student avoids making eye contact with the teacher. There are many that value stability over creativity and for them change can be an excruciating experience.

However, there are some that get bored with predictability and the idea of change is a thrill ride that keeps life fresh and invigorating. No matter your personality preference, adapting to new things, new ideas, new tools, new processes and new possibilities is both necessary and difficult.

The problem with change does not rest in the wiring of our personalities; it rests in our desire for comfort. Even those that embrace the notion of being a change agent will oftentimes find themselves leading in the direction of their own comfort. Leaders often express frustration and shock that the people they lead resist anything different. The real shock is that leaders are often not innovators, but comfort seekers. The unarticulated question rumbling around the brain of many so called “change agents” is, “how do I lead this group to a place where I am most comfortable with the role I will play for a very long time?”

Retailer K-Mart was comfortably resting on top of the discount retail market when the super systems of Wal-Mart made cheap prices even cheaper. Ma Bell and the baby bell’s were comfortably asleep when the world moved from land lines to cellular technology. That same alarm awoke Bill Gates when the world moved from software to the Internet. The former did not hear the alarm and have drifted into irrelevance. The later examples fortunately heard the alarm and made significant changes.

We all understand the need to change. What we may not understand is that many entrepreneurial leaders are reluctant to embrace change. Entrepreneurial leaders risked plenty to launch their enterprise. Many thought their leadership, creativity, and vision would promote change for years to come.

Entrepreneurial leaders may have been lulled to sleep thinking they were masters of change when they were just creating their own place of comfort.

What is pushing you toward change? Where are you finding internal resistance? What worries you the most, and keeps you up at night? These are your wake up calls, and you shouldn’t hit the snooze button. Your slumber will get continuously more uncomfortable.

There is a wealth of research and wisdom on the techniques of navigating change. What is not easily found is advice on how to self-prepare for the challenge of change. Below is a simple and memorable way to think about the work you may want to employ to embrace the change that is to come.

14 JUNE 15

1. Get some distance: How are you at math? If you are like many, the memory of doing math homework is filled

and embracing change. Try quitting something. Your “stop doing” list is far more important than your “start doing” list.

with frustration. No matter how many times the teacher went

4. Try being inconsistent: The sign of brilliance is the

over the formula or covered the material it was very difficult to solve the problem and the harder you tried the further away the solution seemed. Did you ever have the experience of giving up, walking away and in a moment of rest you began to see things with greater clarity? Sometimes, getting away from the problem is all you need to see things differently. If you know change is necessary and you are fighting it, try getting away. A vacation, a mission trip, or sabbatical are all things that can provide some distance and perspective.

2. Go the distance: Countless business leaders have already started marking the time till they sell or retire.

Change requires perspective, and beginning to limit your vision will only provide a limited perspective. You will not navigate change until you can see beyond your own tenure in leadership. Be willing to envision a future that is beyond your leadership expectancy.

3. Stop your persistence: Everybody knows the classic definition of insanity. The first time you initiated change it required that keep the course and demonstrated greater persistence than the forces of resistance. That tendency toward persistence may be the very thing keeping you from seeing

ability to hold two conflicting truths in tension. We need to keep taxes low and increase revenue to eliminate debt. We are taught that it is a sign of weakness, a lack of conviction to play both sides against each other. While there is some truth to that, in our modern world of constant change we need to lean toward the left one day, and the right the next. You will not be able to embrace change until you can honestly contemplate that your historically held position may not be the whole truth. Try advocating for something that you had previously opposed.

Is it possible that you are the one reluctant to change? Let your passion for success and desire to lead others into an unknown future outweigh your desire for comfort.

Glenn Gutek is a speaker and CEO of Awake Consulting & Coaching, a firm that helps small businesses and organizations improve their leadership and business development through training, development and coaching. He is also the author of “WideAwake Leadership,” which teaches leaders how to overcome mediocrity though effective leadership. For more information on speaking and consulting, please visit www.AwakeConsulting.com or contact Glenn at glenn@awakeconsulting.com or 407-901-4357.

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Crash course in service excellence.

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Help clients through the stress of an accident with AAA Accident Assist .

One call brings AAA roadside assistance to their crash site, sets the stage for hassle-free repairs, and reserves a rental car for their immediate use.

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It’s just one of the powerful tools AAA Independent Insurance Agents enjoy.

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JUNE 15 17

When Employees

Disappoint:

How Effective Leaders Respond

T

18 JUNE 15

by Alesia Latson

Disappointment is inevitable for leaders. At times your people will disappoint you, and there will also be instances where you disappoint others. So the fact that disappointment occurs isn’t the challenge. The real issue to address is how you respond to the disappointment.

Unfortunately, far too many leaders react to disappointment with anger and punishment. You’ve likely seen the scenario.

An employee loses a key client, misses an important deadline, or does any number of common things and the leader responds by demoting the employee, removing responsibility, not allowing the employee to take vacation time, firing the employee, or doing other punitive actions.

Such consequences are really nothing more than a knee-jerk reaction on the part of the leader … and a missed opportunity for the leader to shine. In reality, how you handle disappointment speaks volumes of your leadership style and your credibility in your organization.

To make the most of a disappointing situation and use it as the coaching opportunity it is, consider the following suggestions:

• Manage yourself before you confront the employee Before talking with the employee about the disappointing situation, you first have to manage yourself. In other words, you have to be clear on what your intention is of the conversation.

Because you’re in a position of authority, what you say during these moments will have a ripple effect. Of course, this isn’t to say that you aren’t justified in your anger or justified in your disappointment. You most certainly are. However, your expression of those feelings has an impact on how others view you and on what the employee will do in the future. So before initiating the conversation, take some time to step back and get clear about what you want to have happen as a result of the meeting. Are you simply looking to vent your anger?

Is the goal on finding a solution to rectify the current circumstances? Or do you really want to help the employee learn and grow from the situation?

• Assess your role in the disappointment As part of managing yourself, take some time to reflect on your role in the disappointment. Before you declare, “I did nothing. It was entirely the other person’s fault,” realize that as a leader, you are ultimately responsible for your people. So ask yourself, “What role did I play?” and “How did I contribute to this disappointment?” Perhaps you didn’t give the employee enough training. Maybe you threw them into a situation that they were too “green” to handle. Perhaps you didn’t adequately prepare them for the meeting. Whatever the disappointing outcome was, chances are you had some role in it—even a small one. Acknowledge that prior to your conversation.

• Assume good intent When you take the stance that the employee didn’t intentionally cause the disappointment, it naturally takes the edge off of your approach and any anger you may have. And in the majority of cases, that stance is absolutely accurate—the employee didn’t set out to cause harm. They simply made a mistake or a bad judgment call, which resulted in a less than ideal situation. Additionally, realize that the employee knows they messed up, and they’ve probably given themselves a thorough thrashing by now and are terrified to speak with you. Therefore, any anger you display will be mild compared to what they’ve already dished out to themselves. Of course, if there’s been an intentional violation of an important principle, value, or standard that compromises the integrity of the organization, then anger is understandable. However, true anger should be reserved for the most egregious acts.

• When talking to the employee, focus on the disappointment in terms of the outcome, not the person.

Successful school teachers know that when you discipline a student, you focus on the behavior, not the child. The same is true for business leaders. Even if the disappointment occurred because the employee was negligent in some way, you need to separate what happened from the employee personally.

State your disappointment in terms of the outcome, and then explore with the employee the cause in an inquisitive and coaching way rather than a punitive way. Why? Because when employees feel punished or that the boss is scolding them, they become fearful, which decreases creativity and innovation on the job—the exact things you often need to rectify a disappointing situation.

• Learn from Disappointments It’s human nature to lash out during disappointing times, and because a leader can, he or she often does. But remember that how you handle disappointment reflects more on you as a leader than on the person who caused the situation. Additionally, realize that the majority of disappointing moments are actually coaching moments in disguise. Savvy leaders recognize this and make the most of these situations.

So if you want to be viewed as a leader with courage, credibility, and reason, use the suggestions presented here the next time you feel the need to punish an employee for a wrongdoing. When you do, you won’t be disappointed in the results.

Alesia Latson is a speaker, trainer, coach and founder of Latson Leadership Group, a consulting firm specializing in management and leadership development. With more than 20 years of experience, Latson helps organizations and leaders expand their capacity to produce results while enhancing employee engagement. For more information on Alesia’s speaking and consulting, please contact her at alesia@latsonleadershipgroup.com or visit www.latsonleadershipgroup.com.

JUNE 15 19

HIRING MANAGERS FLOODED WITH DECISIONS Rising unemployment rates are making life difficult for people who have jobs—specifically, those who interview and hire job candidates. Development Dimensions International, surveying more than 1,900 hiring managers and interviewers in the U.S., Europe, and Australia, found that two-thirds worry that they are missing important information that could create problems after a candidate gets hired.

In the rush to fill positions, 47 percent said they spend less than 30 minutes deciding whether to hire a person, and 44 percent admit they depend on their gut instincts when selecting candidates.

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AUTO • HOME • BUSINESS • LIFE • HEALTH JUNE 15 21

education

Certified Insurance Counselor Each Approved for 20 Wisconsin CE Credits

PERSONAL LINES

COMMERCIAL CASUALTY

June 17-19, 2015 Holiday Inn Wausau – Rothschild, WI 715-355-1111 $89 rate through 5/16/15 Includes deluxe continental breakfast.

July 21-23, 2015 920-733-8000 $102 single room rate through 6/22/15 includes breakfast.

EAA is this week, make your reservations early!

• COMMERCIAL GENERAL LIABILITY • aDDITIONAL INSUREDS Jean Sundlof, CIC

• workers compensation John Dismukes, CIC, CPCU, AAI, AIS

• PERSONAL RESIDENTIAL COVERAGES

JoAnn Clarke, CIC, CRM, CISR, CSRM, CPCU, ARM, AAI, CPIW, ARe • PERSONAL AUTOMOBILE COVERAGES • RENTAL CAR COVERAGE

Russell Deaton, CIC

• BUSINESS AUTOMOBILE COVERAGES • EXCESS LIABILITY/COMMERCIAL UMBRELLA COVERAGES • COMMERCIAL CASUALTY CASE STUDY Davis Pauly, CIC, CPCU, ARM

• FLOOD • PERSONAL UMBRELLA/EXCESS COVERAGES

John Dismukes, CIC, CPCU, AAI, AIS

WI CE Course # 69299

WI CE Course # 69169

Day One: 8:00 – 5:15

Day Two: 8:00 – 5:00

Day Three: 8:00 – noon, Optional Exam 2:00 – 4:00

$405.00 per institute. Register at www.piaw.org or call 800-261-7429.

Utica

Gives You the Credit You Deserve!

The following PIAW education classes are approved for the Utica premium credit.

• • • • • • • •

22 JUNE 15

PIAW 2015 Convention “Mock E&O Trial” PIAW 2015 Agency Internet Boot Camp Any CIC Update CIC Agency Management CISR Agency Operations Dynamics of Service Select PIAW Webinars PIAW Conducted Ethics and E&O Seminars (classroom or in house) To register online and view upcoming CE courses visit www.piaw.org

Please contact Darcy at PIAW to find out how you can benefit from Utica’s E&O Loss Control Program. dbrown@piaw.org or 1-800-261-7429

Open to Anyone & Everyone ! www.piaw.org

For The New Employee - No CE 6-8 Week Virtual Classroom •

• • •

New Agency Employee Orientation Delivering Quality Service Personal Lines Coverage Basics Commercial Lines Coverage Basics

Pre-Licensing Education Webinars: 2-3 WI CE, No Exam, No Proctor •

Over 20 Topics

Hot Topics: 4 WI CE • • •

Variety of Coverage Topics Ethics Flood

All 9 CISR Courses – 8 WI CE All 5 CIC Institutes – 20 WI CE

Through a new partnership with Vertafore, PIAW is offering FREE access to Sircon online licensing and continuing education management services.

Login to: www.piaw.org and get started today!

USING SIRCON SERVICES, YOU CAN: • APPLY FOR A LICENSE • RENEW YOUR LICENSE • LOOK UP AVAILABLE COURSES • CHECK LICENSE RENEWAL STATUS • CHECK LICENSE APPLICATION STATUS • REQUEST A LETTER OF CERTIFICATION CERTIFI • UPDATE YOUR NAME OR ADDRESS • FIND YOUR LICENSE NUMBER/NPN • CHECK YOUR STATUS WITH A STATE • MAINTAIN YOUR FIRM ASSOCIATION • UPDATE YOUR ADDRESS • UPDATE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS • PRINT YOUR LICENSE © 2011 Vertafore, Inc. Vertafore, the Vertafore logo and design, Unleash your potential, and the Vertafore trademarks listed are owned by Vertafore, Inc.

JUNE 15 23

education

O n -L i n e e d u c a t i O n

education

On-Line Insurance Pre-licensing Education

www.piaw.org

Exam FX

Online Training & Assessment

Pass your insurance test fast.

Start producing faster.

Insurance and Securities Pre-license Training

NEW CISRs

The CISR Program empowers outstanding individuals to provide exceptional customer service.

Join the many thousands of insurance professionals who have already experienced the benefits.

Rita Brickheimer, CISR

Mark Jeffery, CISR

Jessica Corey, CISR

Jessica McKinney, CISR

Julie Davis, CISR

Olivia Nordeng, CISR

Church Mutual Insurance Co. Merrill, WI

Sheboygan Falls Insurance Company Sheboygan Falls, WI

The Neckerman Agency Madison, WI

Westland Insurance Services, Inc. Wisconsin Rapids, WI

West Bend - A Mutual Insurance Company West Bend, WI

The Neckerman Agency Madison, WI

This new status is for CISRs who aspire to be more, and passed all nine CISR courses.

Shannon Suber, CISR Elite, CRIS The Brehmer Agency Waukesha, WI

Attention CICs!

Exciting update options; they fill up quickly.

CIC Ruble Seminars October 14 & 15 | Graduate| Radisson ­­– Green Bay, WI January 20 & 21 | Graduate | Crowne Plaza – Milwaukee, WI 16 WI CE (Includes 4 optional Ethics)

visit www.piaw.org or call PIA at 1-800-261-7429

24

JUNE 15

education

A Memo: From FEMA’s FloodSmart Program Are your clients FloodSmart for the Warm Weather?

As temperatures begin to rise and spring storms develop, the risk of flooding increases. Prepare your clients for spring flooding and encourage them to purchase a flood insurance policy.

Areas in Wisconsin have seen firsthand the impact of spring flooding in recent years. In 2008, severe flooding throughout Wisconsin led to disaster declarations in 30 counties, with more than $93 million distributed in disaster aid. Without flood insurance, your clients will have to pay for this type of damage themselves.

In addition to heavy spring rains, melting snow can cause flooding this time of year. The runoff can cause streams, rivers, and lakes to overflow and flood nearby homes and businesses. Talk to your clients about their spring flood risks and ensure they’re covered for flood damage. Remember: typically there is a 30-day waiting period before flood insurance goes into effect, so there is no time to delay.

Agents.FloodSmart.gov has many tools and resources to help you have the flood talk with your clients. Using the free Flood Risk Scenarios tool, you can show your clients detailed situations in which a flood can occur. For example, the snowmelt scenario illustrates how a home exposed to heavy snowfall can experience a slow flood that could last for a week or more once the snow begins to melt.

Just a few inches of water can cost your clients tens of thousands of dollars in damage. By helping clients better understand their risk, you will help them to see the need for flood insurance. The new Should You Have the Flood Talk? video explains the importance of talking to your clients about flood coverage.

You can also connect with free qualified leads by registering for the Agent Referral Program. Prospects will find you using the One-Step Flood Risk Profile or Agent Locator tool on FloodSmart. gov, on FloodSmart direct mailings, and when they call the National Flood Insurance Program Referral Call Center.

Registration is easy. If you have completed at least 2 hours of flood insurance training that is technical in nature in the past 2 years and can provide proof of training (it does not have to be for Continuing Education), visit Agents.FloodSmart.gov and sign up now. Simply click the “Register” tab, complete the form, and upload your certificate directly to your profile.

Before the snow begins to melt, have the flood talk with your clients. Explain their flood risks and encourage them to financially protect their property by purchasing flood insurance.

More and more owners, managers, and producers are taking advantage of the solid education provided by the CISR designation program—and for good reason. The “S” in CISR could stand for “Sales” as well as “Service.” CISR courses are a perfect blend of foundational technical training and the skills producers need to create long-term relationships.

CISR courses are convenient one-day classroom courses—also available in self-paced online and in-house formats. The practical knowledge of risks, coverages, and exposures, complement the cross-selling and account-rounding skills taught in CISR courses.

CISR is a solution to satisfaction for your clients, the agency, companies, and you!

Contact PIA of Wisconsin today!

1-800-261-7429 • www.piaw.org

JUNE 15 25

education

Certified Insurance Service Representative Open to Anyone!

7 WI CE Credits Course #69328

INSURING PERSONAL RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY

This course gives you the expertise you need to guide your customers through the often complex and confusing process of purchasing homeowners insurance — and help them make decisions that insure their most valuable assets.

• Introduction to the Homeowners Policy • Homeowners Policy Section 1 & 2 • Tenants, Unit-Owners, Dwelling Policy

JUNE 16 • wausau $170 Per Course

CLASS SCHEDULE Instruction Group Lunch Optional Exam

Course Instructor

8:00 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.

Includes Lunch

12:00 p.m. – 12:45 p.m.

4:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m.

John Dismukes CIC, CPCU, AIS Dismukes Training & Consulting Tulsa, OK

Register at www.piaw.org or call 800-261-7429

Certified Insurance Service Representative Open to Anyone!

7 WI CE Credits Course #69367

INSURING PERSONAL AUTO EXPOSURES

After taking this course, attendees will be able to assist clients in identifyiing their exposures and more effectively advise them in the processes of analyzing, obtaining, and modifying their personal automobile policies.

• • • • • •

Introduction to the Personal Auto Policy Liability Coverages Medical Payments/Personal Injury Protection Uninsured/Underinsured Motorists Coverage Coverage for Damage to Your Auto Coverage for a Rented Vehicle

CLASS SCHEDULE Instruction

Course Instructor Denise Semrow CIC, CISR, ASI SECURA Insurance

26 JUNE 15

Group Lunch Optional Exam

8:00 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.

12:00 p.m. – 12:45 p.m.

aug 18 • green Bay aug 19 • brookfield

$170 Per Course Includes Lunch

4:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m.

Register at www.piaw.org or call 800-261-7429

education

PEOPLE WHO EARNED THIS ALSO EARNED MORE

30,900 MORE OF THESE

PER YEAR.

If you’re looking to jump start a new career or make more with the one you are in, education is your best investment. Now, more than ever, it is important to invest in your greatest assets—yourself and your people. According to The National Alliance Producer Profile, commercial lines producers with the Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) designation earn 30% more than those without the designation. To learn more about the CIC Program, call or visit us on the web.

The most successful training programs for insurance professionals

Register at www.piaw.org or call 1-800-261-7429

There is

more than one thing

new at piaw.org

PIA of Wisconsin now offers: Certified Risk Manager (CRM) Courses and Ruble Specialty Seminars.

800-261-7429

Step Up To Elite Status CISR Elite, That is.

For CISRs who aspire to be more-who seek to distinguish themselves as Elite.

When you love what you do, and want to be the best, It’s time to step up. it time to Become a CISR Elite.

www.piaw.org 800-261-7429

JUNE 15 27

education

Each Approved approvedfor for2*3 or WI3CE Live.

NoNo Test.

NoNo proctor.

Each WI Credits.

CE Credits.

Live.

Test.

Proctor.

Visit the Education tab at www.piaw.org for schedules descriptions, webinar demo and to register. Schedules are available two months out.

Ethics is offered each month.

•

Annuities: Turning Assets Into Income

•

BIP(idy) BOP(idy) BOO(ze): Turning Three Mundane Coverages Into Magic

•

CHAOS: Contracts, Hold Harmless, Additional Insureds and More

•

Contractors: Insuring the Liability Exposures

•

Contractors: Insuring the Property Exposures

•

Current Issues in Health Insurance

•

Cyber Master: Recognizing and Insuring Digital Assets and Electronic Risk

•

Ethics for Insurance Professionals (Ethics CE and Utica approved)

•

Ethics: Taking it to the Streets (Ethics CE and Utica approved)

•

Food Borne Illness and Insurance Coverage

•

Get in the Ring: Property Claims, Fights and Decisions

•

Group Insurance and Pensions

•

Lawncare to Lipstick: Coverage Concerns for the Self-Employed *2

•

Life Insurance Concepts for the P&C Agent

•

Not Your Grandpas’ Globe: Recognizing and Insuring Supply Chain Interruption *2

•

Personal Lines Complications: Because Simple is Just Too Darn Easy

•

Personal Lines Problems & Pitfalls *2

•

Seven Ways to Get Sued and How to Avoid Them (Utica approved)

•

Social Networking: OMG or E&O? (Utica approved)

•

The Ever-Evolving Affordable Care Act

•

The Human Asset Puzzle: Risk Managing Life, Health and Disability Insurance

•

Words Mean Things and Insurance is a Foreign Language (Utica approved)

Fee per Webinar: $50 PIAW Member, $60 Non Member Contact Brenda at 1-800-261-7429 or bsteinbach@piaw.org for in-house webinar opportunities!

28 JUNE 15

Agency Internet Boot Camp

Steve is the leading authority on insurance technology, productivity & profitability.

with Steve Anderson, CIC

October 13, 2015 Radisson – Green Bay, WI 8:30 – 4:00 (45 minute lunch, on your own) • Approved for 6 WI CE Credits #71537 & Utica Discount • CPIA Update Option This Seminar will provide a hands-on opportunity for participants to learn various applications that will successfully extend the physical insurance office to a new online office environment.

Students will explore solutions that allow prospects and customers to access the same, and more, services in a 24/7/365 online environment as they currently enjoy when visiting a physical office or calling on the phone. Of vital importance will be the errors and omissions loss prevention considerations necessary, and privacy/security concerns.

PIAW Member $155.00 Non Member $190.00 Register online at www.piaw.org or call 1-800-261-7429

Certified Risk Manager The CRM designation demonstrates you are knowedgeable in all areas of managing risks, hazards, and exposures.

20 WI CE. Principles

of Risk Management

August 26-29, 2015 Hilton Garden Inn Milwaukee Park Place For more information on the five parts of CRM and to register visit the Education tab at piaw.org

JUNE 15 29

education

The Crooked

Yardstick

Redefining Success

by Gerry Sandusky

Take inventory of your successes. What comes to mind? The title of your position in your company? How much money you make? The value of your home?

An award you won? If you had to measure your success, would you place yourself in the top ten percent?

Top five percent? Did your company or your team meet this quarter’s sales goals? Regardless of which success percentile you stand in, does the nagging sensation that something isn’t quite right tug at you? You’re not alone.

30 JUNE 15

A recent Harris poll shows a downward trend in happiness in America. Only thirty-five percent of Americans say they’re happy—two percent fewer than five years ago. A Gallup poll taken last year shows only thirteen percent of employees in the world feel engaged and invested in their jobs.

Abraham Lincoln had a keen insight into happiness. He said, “I reckon most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” The same can be said of success.

Ruth McClain, a talented seamstress who grew up an orphan in Philadelphia, used to lose track of time standing at the metal racks in fabric stores that held wooden yardsticks. To the casual observer they all looked the same. Not to Ruth McClain. She examined them, observing a curve in one, a bow in another, a nick in another.

Asked about her fixation with the yardsticks she explained once, “If you measure garments with a crooked yardstick, the garment will look right when you finish making it. It will come out the right size, but the person who wears it will feel like something isn’t quite right. They won’t know what it is, but they’ll feel it. When you measure with a crooked yardstick the finished product never feels quite right.”

Goals and benchmarks others set for us create a similar effect as measuring garments with a crooked yardstick, because even if you hit the benchmarks something still won’t feel quite right. Eventually, like running into the wind, that feeling will fatigue you, overwhelm you—burn you out.

Sales goals, income levels, and possessions never fully satisfy us when someone else sets them as a standard of success. Who said you had to become a multi-millionaire, or that your company had to grow by seven percent a year? That the unemployment rate had to go down? If it wasn’t you, then stop using those data points as measurements! They’re crooked yardsticks. Sure, they reflect something, but they may not reflect what matters to you.

Here are four questions that will help straighten out your yardstick:

1. Who are you?

Not just your name or your logo but your essence. What are the essential things you want people to remember about you or your organization long after you’re gone? What do you stand for? What really matters? What makes you feel special and fulfilled?

2. Where are you, and how long have you been there?

That’s your present and your past. Know it and honor it. Make peace with it. Now stop letting it limit you. It’s just your starting point for the future. To get accurate directions you need to know a starting point and an ending point. Your starting point doesn’t define you.

3. Where are you going?

A lot of people and organizations can’t answer this. Stop

until you can. If you don’t know where you want to go how will you know if you’re on course or off course? You won’t.

Instead, you’ll fall for the trap of using goals and measurements set by other people to define your success.

Imagine outcomes that feel true, authentic, that feel like wearing a perfect fitting jacket while you walk through the woods on a chilly, fall afternoon. There’s no one else around to see you in that jacket. Just you. Does it feel tailored for your body, warm, just enough to keep you comfortable with your hands tucked into the pockets but not too much to bog you down?

Someone made that jacket using a straight yardstick! That’s what success feels like. It can look like a thousand different things. That’s your choice. But make sure your vision of it feels right.

4. How will you get there?

Probably the same way Ruth McClain did: measuring everything with a straight yardstick. You will remain the product of a crooked yardstick until you have the courage to define success on your terms and measure it only by your terms. No matter how good everything looks, it won’t feel quite right, and achieving more won’t change that.

Answer those questions honestly at an individual level and you will quiet the noise caused by exterior expectations or crooked yardsticks. Answer them at a company or organization level and you will unleash purpose and commitment beyond anything you have experienced before because these answers come from a place deeper than the bottom line.

Ruth McClain had fewer than five hundred dollars in her checking account when she died at the young age of fiftyeight, but she died happy and she died fulfilled. She died knowing she had given the world something the world didn’t give her: the gift of a mother. She raised a good family, loved her husband and five children. She died knowing the shirts and blouses, the dress and the drapes she made brought beauty and joy to the lives of others. And she died knowing her life, like those garments, was measured using a yardstick she carefully selected.

By many measurements—income, assets, fame, power—Ruth McClain’s life may not look like much of a success, but by her measurement it was as true as a perfect yardstick; a yardstick I keep to this day to remind me of her—my mom—a genuinely happy, successful person.

Choose your yardstick carefully. Your success and happiness depend on it.

Gerry Sandusky is the play-by-play voice of the Baltimore Ravens, and a speaker, corporate trainer and author of The New York Times bestseller, Forgotten Sundays. He is the recipient of two regional Edward R. Murrow and Emmy Awards for his accomplishments in broadcast journalism. Gerry’s energetic and insightful presentations will impart the value of effective leadership techniques and communication on your audience. For more information on Gerry, please visit www.GerrySandusky.com.

JUNE 15 31

the We look for the best independent agents and build relationships that last the duration. We are committed to the independent agency system as the only means to deliver our products. Because of that, we work hand-inhand to help our agencies grow profitably.

Our agents set us apart.

For information about becoming a Partners Mutual Insurance Agent please contact Brian Martin at 262.432.3439; Martin.Brian@PartnersMutual.com or Mike Ottman at 262.432.3418; Ottman.Michael@PartnersMutual.com.

Your mother was right: Eat Your Broccoli!

A scientific study has found that eating 2 ounces of broccoli sprouts a day can protect the stomach against a bacterium that's linked to stomach cancer, as well as to ulcers and gastritis. The bacterium is called H. pylori, and the sprouts supply a biochemical called sulforaphane, which can stimulate a body's protective enzymes. Researchers point out that they don't have absolute proof that broccoli sprouts cure gastrointestinal disease, or prevent stomach cancer—but eating more vegetables in general can't hurt.

32 JUNE 15

here when it matters most there when it matters most there when it matters most there when i

Competitive

In today’s crowded marketplace, Sheboygan Falls remains highly competitive in price and product offering.

Price - Personal and commercial lines rates consistently among the most competitive in the state.

Product – Superior products with enhanced coverages.

And Sheboygan Falls agencies benefit from a total compensation package that’s one of the best in the industry.

To learn more visit www.sheboyganfallsinsurance.com or call Connie Jones at 800-242-7698 ext. 2800

Remaining competitive in price, product and agency compensation… another way Sheboygan Falls is “There When It Matters Most.”

Help Build Your Family’s Financial Future With

PIA Trust Insurance Plans INSURANCE PLANS DESIGNED WITH LOCAL AGENTS IN MIND As a PIA Member* serving Main Street America, you and your employees have access to a variety of highquality, competitively priced insurance plans.

Plans available include: > Basic Term Life** > Voluntary Term Life > Dependent Term Life > Hospital Indemnity > Long Term Disability > Short Term Disability > Business Overhead Expense > Accidental Death & Dismemberment

PIA SERVICES GROUP INSURANCE FUND

*PIA National membership, when required, must be current at all times. **Only available if 100% employer paid and if the employer and 100% of the employees enroll.

No medical underwriting necessary up to guaranteed issue limits.

For additional information about PIA Trust Insurance Plans, please contact your local PIA Affiliate or call the Plan Administrator at 1-800-336-4759. Additional information is also available on-line at www.piatrust.com.

Policies or provisions may vary or be unavailable in some states. Policies have exclusions or limitations which may affect any benefits payable.

Underwritten by Unimerica Insurance Company, Portland, ME. Administered by Lockton Risk Services.

JUNE 15 33

The Frank Principles of

Business Blunt Leadership Lessons Learned Over a Lifetime

by Richard J. Bryan

One of the most effective ways to harness the potential of an organization is to get everyone pulling in the same direction.

Frank was ex-Special Forces with a fine arts degree—an unusual mix. He achieved a lot in his business career by following five simple principles that he was able to apply to any business, and many have achieved a lot by learning to do the same.

If you can apply these same principles consistently to your organization, you will find that you are able to move away from being a micro-manager and instead become far more strategic in the way your run your own business.

So what are these magic principles? Really, they are just good common sense, but as Frank was fond of saying, “Good business is just common sense, unfortunately common sense is not common practice.�

34 JUNE 15

Principle 1 – Define Your Role Too often, business owners do not have clarity on the difference between management issues and ownership issues. Management issues are things like dealing with the daily HR concerns, accounting and administration and the sales process. They are seemingly urgent matters that must be dealt with in a timely fashion. The person overseeing these functions can be the business owner or an appointed manager.

Ownership issues are the things that only the business owner can do, such as dealing with the shareholders, banking partners and setting the long-term strategy for the organization.

Frank’s approach was simple: have a clear split between ownership of the business and management of the business and find the most talented people to run day-to-day operations. This sometimes means that the owner needs to step aside from management and make way for a better-qualified leader. A good example of this would be the way that Bill Ford stepped aside as CEO of Ford Motor Company to allow Alan Mulally to take on the role back in 2006. The result was one of the most successful business turnarounds in US corporate history, as Mulally took Ford from near bankruptcy to record profits in 2013.

Concentrate on an area where you are talented and do what you are passionate about. Let others take care of the things that you are not so good at and which conform to their strengths.

Everyone will benefit.

Principle 2 – Create a Compelling Vision One of the most effective ways to harness the potential of an organization is to get everyone pulling in the same direction.

However, without a compelling vision this can be difficult to achieve.

Frank realized that vision is a crucial component in getting employees to understand the direction the company is trying to go and therefore encouraging them to generate meaningful suggestions as to how to get there. It doesn’t matter if your vision revolves around customer service excellence or creating innovative products–as long as it is both inspiring and challenging.

Frank did not believe in having a vision that was just there to tick the box and display on a plaque behind reception. Rather, it was an important part of the overall company strategy.

Put some time aside to work on your business rather than in your business by developing a vision that enables you to grow your business and achieve your life goals. Don’t make the excuse that you are too busy to spend this time crafting a quality vision—it will be the best investment of time you ever make.

Principle 3 – Hire “A Players” Frank believed that the key to running an organization successfully in the longer term is to hire great people. As he was fond of saying, “If you can surround yourself with people that are smarter than you are then the chances are your business will do just fine.”

Many leaders feel insecure about hiring really smart people, as they believe that it will undermine their credibility, but Frank knew that building a great team enhances your reputation as a leader.

A CEO of a $100 million remarked recently that when he first took on his role 10 years ago he believed was the smartest person on the management team, and that made him very nervous as everything revolved around him. “Frankly it was exhausting!” he said. However, he has invested in hiring great people, and now he considers himself to be surrounded by people that are much smarter than him.

Make sure that hiring “A Players” is a priority for you as a business owner or leader.

Principle 4 – Develop Trust The key to leading your team of “A Players” is to develop trust. This is what keeps them working for you in the longer term. Frank knew that if you can become a better coach and mentor rather than try and micro-manage your best people you will find that they trust you and are more loyal to the organization. “After all,” Frank would say, “People leave bosses not organizations!”

“A Players” know their market value. What keeps them working for you is not money, but the ability to work independently and express their talents in their own individual way. They are self-motivated and driven to achieve excellent results. Too much interference from their immediate superior can be very demotivating—an “A Players” drive comes from within.

Principle 5 – Have Some Fun! Frank was always firm but fair in the way he led his people. One of his greatest strengths was knowing when to have some fun.

Celebrating success—such as winning a major new customer or having a particularly profitable quarter—was always something that he believed in doing as a way to reinforce the positive behavior that caused it.

Even when under extreme pressure to perform, Frank knew the value of a joke or light-hearted moment to relieve the tension.

Look for opportunities in your own business to have some fun, as this can be a key retention strategy for your “A Players.”

By following Frank’s simple principles you can not only grow your business, but you will also find you have a lot more time available to enjoy spending with your family and pursuing other interests. As Frank would say, “You only live once and life is short so you had better enjoy it!”

Richard J. Bryan is an international speaker, executive coach and author of the forthcoming book, Being Frank: Real Life Lessons to Grow Your Business and Yourself. Through his experiences as the 4th Generation CEO in a family-owned business, Richard gained a wealth of knowledge and developed into a true leader. By applying his creative strategies, Richard helps businesses hire the right people, forge dynamic teams and increase their profits. For more information, please visit www.richardjbryan.com.

JUNE 15 35

Is Your Agency as

"E&O Proof "

as you think?

by Curtis M. Pearsall

Wouldn’t it be nice to know where your agency is on the errors-and-omissions loss control continuum? This is a question to which every agency owner/manager would likely want to know the answer. While assessing the degree to which your agency is E&O proof is not a perfect science, there are ways to get a handle on this important issue.

A great starting point is to ask “Is the agency a better E&O risk today compared to a year ago?” It is crucial to be honest because many issues factor into determining this. A key aspect of E&O loss prevention involves maintaining a culture of constant improvement.

Here are some areas to review to help determine whether your agency is realizing E&O growth:

Management/Leadership An insurance agency’s E&O culture starts with its management. Management must clearly and frequently demonstrate its E&O commitment by “walking the walk” and “talking the talk.” Without this commitment, it will be difficult for the staff to embrace a strong E&O culture and achieve the agency’s desired commitment level.

Staff Commitment and Education In the world of agents’ E&O, these are significant areas because agencies don’t make mistakes, people do. Very simply, every staff member must perform his or her duties ethically and professionally.

The work of an agency’s staff involves many different functions and disciplines. As a result, an assessment of the agency culture requires an assessment of each person. Ideally, each member of your agency had an “E&O goal” over the past year. Maybe this involved technical or sales training, or attending an E&O class. Did every member of the staff accomplish his or her E&O objectives and grow in his or her E&O commitment?

Technical proficiency is vital because your customers count on the staff’s expertise on a variety of insurance matters.

Since an agency can be liable for what it says and what it puts in print, the manner in which the agency staff responds to customers’ questions is important. However, technical training may not be enough. It is also important for the staff 36 JUNE 15

to receive the necessary training in sales, customer service and systems.

Exposure Analysis Checklists are a Must These checklists have often been referred to as the “silver bullet” for preventing E&O claims. They are a great source of information, enabling producers and account executives to understand the various exposures of over 650 different SIC classes of business. They also provide questions to ask the client for that specific class of business. If an agency really wants to make a strong commitment to E&O loss prevention, securing and effectively using of one of the many industry exposure analysis checklists is a great positive step.

Educating Your Customers To what degree are your customers being held accountable for their insurance decisions? One of the best means to enhance this accountability is through actively educating customers on the various coverages and how these coverages respond. There are many approaches to accomplish this, including newsletters and social media. Even starting with a simple weekly “Did you know?” e-mail message helps clients better understand insurance coverages and exposures.

While many agencies want to perform an annual agency review for clients, this can cause some logistical issues. One approach agencies use is sending a checklist each year to clients asking them to what degree their exposures have changed while bringing to clients’ attention a variety of key coverages such as umbrella, flood, earthquake, fine arts, etc.

Providing each client with this checklist will help in the agency’s defense should a problem arise down the road and the customer contends that he or she was unaware of specific lines of insurance protection. In fact, some exposure analysis checklists contain sample checklists that can be mailed to each customer.

Another common approach is to use your agency management system to identify how many customers are missing certain coverages. For example, you can identify customers that have auto and homeowners coverage, but no umbrella, or how many have UM/UIM at a limit that is less than the policy limits. Most agency systems have this capability.

Documentation Because accurate, complete, timely and professional documentation is one of the most important, if not the most important, aspects of quality E&O loss prevention, agencies should determine how well agency standards and expectations for documentation are being met. Here are two good rules of thumb regarding documentation: ­­• Another staff member should be able to review the documentation and exactly know the account’s issues and open items.

• If your documentation was displayed for a jury to read, you wouldn’t cringe at the revelation of it.

Other Key Aspects to Consider • Does your agency provide a cover letter that goes out with all policies?

• Are agency procedures documented and being followed consistently by staff? Does your agency have an audit program to verify your beliefs?

• Does the agency provide limit options for customers? This forces customers to make a decision on what limit they want and those they don’t.

• Is your agency using a standard template for the proposals you provide? Have your proposals been enhanced with some explanations and definitions of key words and phrases? This will not only help educate your customers, it will help make your customers more accountable for their buying decisions.

• Are your producers securing sign-offs from customers for unwanted coverages?

• Does your agency hold periodic staff meetings? These have been shown to be effective in ensuring that all staff members are on the same page on various issues.

Following even some of the suggestions above can help improve your agency’s E&O culture. Then, next year when you ask “Is the agency a better E&O risk today compared to a year ago?”, your answer will be a resounding “Yes!” Curtis M. Pearsall, CPCU, AIAF, CPIA President, Pearsall Associates Inc. and Special Consultant to the Utica National E&O Program

Find an Agency Management System Vendor . . .

with help from Since our hugely successful and informational Automation Seminar in May, PIA of Wisconsin has been receiving many inquiries regarding the PIAW. Agency Management System vendors. As a service to our members, we have developed a special section on our web site to list the name, contact information and short description of vendors that agencies can contact for questions and inquires.

Please visit our website to view the list, www.piaw.org.

JUNE 15 37

PROFESSIONAL INSURANCE AGENTS OF WISCONSIN, INC. OFFICERS

DIRECTORS

Ms. LouAnn Herriges, CIC, CISR President Anderson's Insurance Associates 17500 W. Liberty Lane New Berlin, WI 53151 Phone 262-789-8500 Fax 262-754-6038 louannh@iaanetwork.com Mr. Rick Clements, LUTCF, MDRT Vice President Clements Ins. Agency, Inc. 317 N. 6th St. Wausau, WI 54402 Phone 715-842-1664 Fax 715-848-3337 rick@clementsagency.com

38 JUNE 15

June 2015 July 2015 August 2015

September 2015

October 2015

Coming Events 38 JUNE 15

Mr. Jeremy Cordova, CIC Cordova Agency, Inc. 716 E 2nd St. Merrill, WI Phone 715-536-9576 Fax 715-539-3349 jeremy.cordova@cordovaagency.com

Mr. Dennis Kuhnke, CIC, CPIA PIAW National Director Robertson Ryan & Associates Inc. 330 E Kilbourn Ave. Suite 650 Milwaukee, WI 53202 414-271-1561 Fax 414-271-3012 dkuhnke@robertsonryan.com

Mr. Jeff J. Glass A.F. Glass Insurance Agency PO Box 1149 Lake Geneva, WI 53147 Phone 262-248-5555 Fax 262-248-5544 jglass@glassinsurancecenter.com

Ms. Jodi Cordes, CIC, CRM Secretary A.F. Glass Insurance Center P.O. Box 1149 Lake Geneva, WI 53147 Phone 262-248-5555 Fax 262-248-5544 jcordes@glassinsurancecenter.com

Mr. John W. Klinzing, CIC Affiliated Ins. Agencies of WI, LLC 3830 Atwood Ave. Madison, WI 53714 Phone 608-310-3924 Fax 608-441-8787 johnk@affiliatedllc.com

Mr. Matt Cranney, CIC, CRM M3 Insurance Solutions, Inc. 3133 W Beltline Hwy Madison, WI 53713 Phone 608-273-0655 Fax 608-273-7783 matt.cranney@m3ins.com

Mr. Brian MacGillis, CPIA Treasurer MacGillis Agency, Inc. W3934 County Highway H PO Box 100 Fredonia, WI 53021-0100 Phone 262-790-0000 Fax 262-790-0004 brian@macgillisinsurance.com

Mr. Thomas Budzisz BWO Insurance Group, LLC 2111 E Rawson Ave. Oak Creek, WI 53154 Phone 414-768-8100 Fax 414-768-8110 tom@bwoinsurance.com

Mr. Michael Keener, CIC Keener Insurance Solutions, LLC W 175 N11081 Stonewood Dr Ste 105 Germantown, WI Phone 262-293-9144 Fax 262-293-9254 michael@keenersolutions.com

Ms. Kathy M. Mulder Nolan Insurance Agency LLC PO Box 238 Brandon, WI 53919 Phone 920-346-2241 Fax 920-346-5600 kmulder@nolanins.com Mr. Trey Neher, CIC, CISR THZ Insurance Group 420 E. Northland Ave. Appleton, WI 54911 Phone 920-730-0123 Fax 920-833-6870 tneher@thzins.com

STAFF PIA of Wisconsin, Inc. 6401 Odana Road Madison WI 53719 Phone: 608-274-8188 Toll Free: 800-261-7429 Fax: 608-274-8195 Toll Free Fax: 866-203-7461 www.piaw.org Ronald Von Haden, CIC Executive Vice President rvonhaden@piaw.org Darcy Brown, CPIA Member Benefits Coordinator dbrown@piaw.org Heather Falk, CISR Bookkeeping hfalk@piaw.org Mandy Penn Executive Assistant mpenn@piaw.org Becca Prestbroten Administrative Assistant bprestbroten@piaw.org Brenda Steinbach Education & Convention Director bsteinbach@piaw.org

3, 4

CISR COMMERCIAL PROPERTY Green Bay, Madison (7 WI CE)

16

CISR PERSONAL RESIDENTIAL Wausau (7 WI CE)

17-19

CIC PERSONAL LINES Rothschild (20 WI CE)

21-23

CIC COMMERCIAL CASUALTY Appleton (20 WI CE)

5

YPC 12 th Annual Golf Outing Wisconsin Dells

5-7

66TH ANNUAL CONVENTION Wisconsin Dells (3 WI CE)

18, 19

CISR PERSONAL AUTO Green Bay, Brookfield (7 WI CE)

26

CRM PRINCIPLES OF RISK MANAGEMENT Milwaukee (20 WI CE, 1 of 20 is Ethics)

22

HOT TOPIC / WILLIAM T.HOLD SEMINAR Brookfield (7 WI CE, 3 are Ethics)

23

CIC AGENCY MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE Milwaukee (20 WI CE, 4 are Ethics)

13

AGENCY INTERNET BOOT CAMP Green Bay (6 WI CE)

13, 14

CISR LIFE & HEALTH ESSENTIALS Madison (7 WI CE)

14-15

CIC JAMES K. RUBLE GRADUATE SEMINAR Green Bay (16 WI CE, 4 of 16 are optional Ethics)

Clients want more value, and one valuable way in which EMC helps clients is providing access to online loss control services.

From training programs to safety posters, the materials your clients need to reduce losses are within reach. It’s just one of the many reasons policyholders Count on EMC®.

DAVE YOUNG Risk Improvement Manager EMC Milwaukee Branch

LOSS CONTROL SERVICES

WHERE YOU NEED THEM.

YOUR NEAREST BRANCH OFFICE:

www.emcins.com

Milwaukee Branch: 800.495.1800 | Home Office: Des Moines, IA

© Copyright Employers Mutual Casualty Company 2015. All rights reserved.

JUNE 15 39

6401 Odana Road Madison, WI 53719 Change Service Requested

Professional Insurance Agents of Wisconsin, Inc. 6401 Odana Road • Madison, WI 53719 (608) 274-8188 • (800) 261-PIAW • FAX (608) 274-8195 • TOLL FREE FAX: (866) 203-7461 www.piaw.org

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION Agency Name_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Street Address_______________________________________________ PO Box_______________________________________________________ City, State, Zip_______________________________________________ County_______________________________________________________ Phone_______________________________________________________ FAX_________________________________________________________ E-mail Address_______________________________________________ Website Address______________________________________________

Primary Contact Information:

The Primary Contact will receive a copy of the Wisconsin Professional Agent magazine and all mailings from PIA State and National. The Primary Contact has voting rights at PIA national meetings. Primary Contact and all agency staff have voting rights at PIA of Wisconsin meetings.

Name & Designation

DOB

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Male

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Corporation

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o o

Part-time

Licensed Owner

Magazine

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Agency Information: Agency Type:o Sole Owner

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Top 3 P&C Companies (list in order)

Partnership

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Which Agency Management System are you using____________________ E&O Carrier_______________________________________Exp. Date______________ Annual P&C Prem. Vol._____________________________

Calculate Membership Amount Due:

Part-time employees count as one-half. If count ends in half, drop half. # Owners_________+ # Producers_________+ # Licensed staff_________+ # Unlicensed staff_________= Total Agency Size_______________ DUES SCHEDULE

Total Agency Size $Amount Total Agency Size $ Amount 1 385 16 1025 2 430 17 1070 3 475 18 1110 4 520 19 1155 5 565 20 1185 6 605 21 1230 7 655 22 1270 8 695 23 1320 9 735 24 1360 10 775 25 1405 11 820 26 1445 12 865 27 1490 13 900 28 1530 14 940 29 1575

15 985 30 & Over 1610 I certify that the information on this application is true and correct.

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Card No._________________________________________________________ Exp. Date_________________________________________________________ Name as it appears on card:__________________________________________________ Billing address if different from above: __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ Payments to PIA are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. However, they may be deductible under the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code as a business expense.