It is Friday afternoon and I am wondering why I am hungry today. Isn’t portion control a core value for healthy eating – well I seem to have forgotten that value, at least yesterday? Rare is the person who doesn’t enjoy the feast of thanksgiving usually spent with friends and family. Even if you are the host, it is a wonderful event. It is the one meal in our house that our kids help clean up without a direct order. Many love to cook, but few, if any, like the after dinner chore of making it all go away. having the help cleaning up is part of what makes the day special. We know that cleanup is a tough job when you are fighting the tide created by tryptophan. Thanksgiving is also a great day to reflect and count our blessings.
For me, 2010 will surely go down as one of the more interesting years of my working life. Like every year, there was so much promise on January 1. We added the Bryden’s and things looked like it would be onward and upward from there. But things rarely turn out just the way we plan. Who isn’t familiar with this nugget? "The best laid schemes o' mice an' men / Gang aft agley." (The best laid schemes of mice and men / Go oft awry.) taken from a Robert Burns poem. So here we are at the end of a year and taking account for what we have endeavored to accomplish and counting our many blessings. In spite of our challenges, aren’t we blessed with far more abundance? Even through loss, haven’t we gained?
We said good bye to Nancy Kaminkow early this year. Aren’t we better for having her part of our lives for over 20+ years? Wasn’t her humble service to Jerry and Sal and their customers a constant reminder to us all? Serve others without counting the cost is a measure of true virtue. How about Karey Fox? Will we soon forget her dignity and strength through most difficult circumstances? Grief takes time to process. Paul and I were speaking the other day about how all of his files are graced with Karey’s touch. The Friday after Thanksgiving is the quietest day of the year to work. I confess to taking part of the day today to walk around and remind myself that over the course of a year many things change. No one can predict how or maybe even why that is a recurring fact of life. In particular, since we would never wish for loss, right? We want more and better without sacrificing what we currently have and enjoy. When the trees lose their leaves do they shed a tear or do they look forward to spring when new leaves will blossom and they grow a little taller.
As for me, I am counting my blessings and am grateful to work with so many exceptional people and in the knowledge, emphasized by circumstance in 2010, that there can be gain through loss. I thank Nancy and Karey for that gift.
Friday, November 26, 2010
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Don’t Bring a Cell Phone to an IPAD Fight
We are in the service business and one of the more interesting perspectives I see is the lack of evolution in the manner used to satisfy clients and attract new ones. We believe past success predicts future advances when largely in the world around us we expect so much more. I bought my first mobile phone, it wasn’t even called a cell phone then, to leverage my time. Since our role requires significant time away from the office, I could make valuable use of commuting time to connect and handle issues that used to require sitting at my desk. That phone was permanently installed in my vehicle and it cost a lot on money to purchase. Access to the calling network was very expensive as well. It performed the basic functions quite well. I was able to make calls and accept calls and I was now connected to my work world even when I wasn’t at the office. The value proposition was simple and fair, for the investment, I could now get things done that required a phone call and I didn’t have to be in my office. I am not really sure when I purchased that phone, but I am sure it was well after I started in this business. You know what’s funny; today you couldn’t give that phone away for free. A phone connected to your vehicle and one where there were substantial places where calls wouldn’t go through. I was at a meeting recently and many of the attendees were armed with their IPads. I felt like a little out of touch because I was taking notes on a yellow sheet of paper. At night I transferred the notes to my laptop while listening to my IPod. Throughout the day I made calls and returned e-mails on my BlackBerry. At the last meeting, there were few, if any IPads and I am willing to bet that at the next meeting IPads will be used in the majority and I can hope that I will be one of those users. This is but one example of the type of change and innovation that defines the product realm. Yet in the service industry, we act like we are immune to these same forces. We ignore the warning signs all around us and believe our industry is different.
Perhaps the evidence demands another review. The new Federal Health Insurance Mandate requires insurers to spend 85% of their income on losses. 15% is left over to run the company, make a profit and pay agents – a tight squeeze for sure. For groups of under 50 lives where every company essentially gets the same rates and there is no opportunity to add value beyond shopping for rates among the 2 or 3 options, guess what is getting squeezed out? Yes, us. Most industry experts believe that the under 50 marketplace will no longer be fertile ground for agents. For groups over 50, commissions are being cut by 15% to meet the Federal mandate so no health plan is immune to the impact of the new program. One day you make a $1,00 and the next you make 85 cents. But wait, an election passed and major changes abound. Thank goodness the republicans will save us from this incredible injustice. I am sure at the top of the republican platform is a plank to save the independent agent. And thank goodness property and casualty is different. Customers still value our professionalism and skill in placing coverage that protects their businesses. Everything works great and they still trust our industry to protect then at market rates. Yet, why do they go get other quotes? Perhaps it is because there are flaws in the industry that get exploited when a customer shops their coverage. Why do clients shop their coverage – because it works. The tangible benefits are quantifiable while we would like the intangible qualities to rule the day. It seems to me if we do the majority of our work within 90 days of the renewal and 5 or 10 days thereafter, we should expect the behavior of our clients to remain the same. We used to craft a program to be specifically designed for a client and today most insurers have target market programs with enough value added coverage included to drastically minimize the need for customization. In some respects the policies we offer have become IPads and have this discounted our intellectual contribution to the protection of our clients. So what to do?
If we take a page from Apple, we should remain relentlessly focused on the customer. If we are in the business of protecting or managing risk then we should be able to site in very short order the largest risks our clients face. It might have nothing to do with an issue that can be protected by an insurance policy directly, but with the margin of success so razor thin, perhaps it might have everything to do with the issue. Who can afford an unexpected loss, or an increasing mod rate or a deductible payment? If people are holding on to their vehicles longer, this diminishes the settlement value increasing the consequence of an auto loss. It seems to me that it is highly likely that many design choices were made at a completely different time, and under completely different circumstances. So to fight against the tide of irrelevance, perhaps the best App might be “The Ask?” Or maybe it might be “The Discarding of Assumption.” The great Jim Rohn perhaps said it best. If you don’t have a plan, then we fall victims to the plans of others and guess what they have planned for others? Not much. Even back then, cell phones made calls just like today, yet the Smartphone of today does so much more –we should too.
Perhaps the evidence demands another review. The new Federal Health Insurance Mandate requires insurers to spend 85% of their income on losses. 15% is left over to run the company, make a profit and pay agents – a tight squeeze for sure. For groups of under 50 lives where every company essentially gets the same rates and there is no opportunity to add value beyond shopping for rates among the 2 or 3 options, guess what is getting squeezed out? Yes, us. Most industry experts believe that the under 50 marketplace will no longer be fertile ground for agents. For groups over 50, commissions are being cut by 15% to meet the Federal mandate so no health plan is immune to the impact of the new program. One day you make a $1,00 and the next you make 85 cents. But wait, an election passed and major changes abound. Thank goodness the republicans will save us from this incredible injustice. I am sure at the top of the republican platform is a plank to save the independent agent. And thank goodness property and casualty is different. Customers still value our professionalism and skill in placing coverage that protects their businesses. Everything works great and they still trust our industry to protect then at market rates. Yet, why do they go get other quotes? Perhaps it is because there are flaws in the industry that get exploited when a customer shops their coverage. Why do clients shop their coverage – because it works. The tangible benefits are quantifiable while we would like the intangible qualities to rule the day. It seems to me if we do the majority of our work within 90 days of the renewal and 5 or 10 days thereafter, we should expect the behavior of our clients to remain the same. We used to craft a program to be specifically designed for a client and today most insurers have target market programs with enough value added coverage included to drastically minimize the need for customization. In some respects the policies we offer have become IPads and have this discounted our intellectual contribution to the protection of our clients. So what to do?
If we take a page from Apple, we should remain relentlessly focused on the customer. If we are in the business of protecting or managing risk then we should be able to site in very short order the largest risks our clients face. It might have nothing to do with an issue that can be protected by an insurance policy directly, but with the margin of success so razor thin, perhaps it might have everything to do with the issue. Who can afford an unexpected loss, or an increasing mod rate or a deductible payment? If people are holding on to their vehicles longer, this diminishes the settlement value increasing the consequence of an auto loss. It seems to me that it is highly likely that many design choices were made at a completely different time, and under completely different circumstances. So to fight against the tide of irrelevance, perhaps the best App might be “The Ask?” Or maybe it might be “The Discarding of Assumption.” The great Jim Rohn perhaps said it best. If you don’t have a plan, then we fall victims to the plans of others and guess what they have planned for others? Not much. Even back then, cell phones made calls just like today, yet the Smartphone of today does so much more –we should too.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Relevant Lessons from Fly Fishing
Recently I was having breakfast with a friend and we were conversing on a range of topics. Like many recent discussions, the conversation included all of the relevant topics of the day including the global financial meltdown and the impact on all of us. We also discussed mutual friends, family experiences and a mutual interest in books. (He recommended an excellent book, The Long Gray Line: The American Journey of West Point's Class of 1966 by Rick Atkinson – definitely added to my reading list). The normal fare of relationship building and connections through common interest and perspective.
In the course of our conversation he related a story about an annual fishing trip he takes with a group of friends. While not an avid fisherman, he looks forward to this trip because of the value he places on the relationships with the other participants. The nature of the location forces the group to completely disconnect from our electronic world and focus on only a few things. Among these are the other participants, the river, the fish, the scenery, the weather and the experience created by the guide company. In this simple story, I found great inspiration for facing the challenges of these times.
The first lesson relates to the value of being present. Technology is a distraction. How many times in a day am I distracted by the intrusion of technology? When I started my career, I dealt with a ringing telephone, daily mail, infrequent faxes and the coworker with a question. This amounted to a finite number of interruptions and distractions. Today, the phone still rings, the mail is still delivered (though there is not much), the faxes are few and far between, also I may interact with a few more of my coworkers - not too bad…except for that little mailbox that constantly appears on my computer. The entire planet now has access to my attention and all it takes is a tiny envelope. From requests to delivery of information to offers of prosperity, the mailbox is constantly shouting at me for attention. I am drawn into this hypnotic trance that requires me to inevitably peak and frequently act. Sometimes I just want to see what the nature of the message might be, others times, I feel compelled to act immediately. Occasionally these glances last only a few seconds, others require immediate, thoughtful attention. All eat away at the day. On some days this box tantalizes me over 100 times. Would you let people interrupt you 100 times a day for just a few seconds? What is the consequence of allowing this to happen? At the very least, this is a substantial inhibitor to being present for more important matters. The absence of this distraction has profound and positive benefits – particularly when building relationships. So as this band of brothers drifts downstream their disconnection allows them to be present with each other and the benefits are profound. They know each other in ways that are nearly impossible in an electronic world. Do I give my friends, family, coworkers the same?
The second lesson is directly related to the global financial meltdown. I recall my sense of doom and gloom when the stock market was plummeting, mortgages were under water and pillars of American Enterprise were dying or too large to fail. As a side note, it is funny how a little time allows for better perspective on situations. O.K., back to fishing. My new friend was telling me that fishing is not a passion; however, he would not miss this trip because the guide they use is so exceptional. For the entirety of their trip, every detail is planned and nothing is taken for granted. The gear is waiting and in excellent working order, the food is exceptional, the campsites are preplanned and well organized – I mean, everything has been considered and delivered with skill and to a very high standard.
On one trip, the weather did not cooperate, so the fishing conditions were less than satisfactory. Faced with a choice of staying on a small part of the route where there was some chance for fish or drifting down the entire route the group chose the entire route. They wanted their daily campsites, the excellent food, the variety of the terrain, the natural beauty of the route. They wanted that more than the fishing. And here is the interesting part – the guide wasn’t that surprised. He related a lesson he learned to my friend that really rings true. He learned that he couldn’t control the weather, the fishing conditions, the river, the participants or the fish – he could only control the experience. Now that got me to thinking. What can we control and when do we need to accept our lack of control. In our business, we can’t control the economy, or rates, our clients, or our competition. We control only our own behavior. The daily activities we take to retain and obtain our clients is the only thing we control. Do our clients rave about their experience? One has to wonder and continually challenge ourselves to make that experience the most pleasing it can be by accounting for every detail. One good way is to ignore the parts we can’t control and focus on the things we can. Just like the guide who learned long ago that most of the elements were outside his control, so he focuses on what matters and what he can control.
Good advice for the times.
In the course of our conversation he related a story about an annual fishing trip he takes with a group of friends. While not an avid fisherman, he looks forward to this trip because of the value he places on the relationships with the other participants. The nature of the location forces the group to completely disconnect from our electronic world and focus on only a few things. Among these are the other participants, the river, the fish, the scenery, the weather and the experience created by the guide company. In this simple story, I found great inspiration for facing the challenges of these times.
The first lesson relates to the value of being present. Technology is a distraction. How many times in a day am I distracted by the intrusion of technology? When I started my career, I dealt with a ringing telephone, daily mail, infrequent faxes and the coworker with a question. This amounted to a finite number of interruptions and distractions. Today, the phone still rings, the mail is still delivered (though there is not much), the faxes are few and far between, also I may interact with a few more of my coworkers - not too bad…except for that little mailbox that constantly appears on my computer. The entire planet now has access to my attention and all it takes is a tiny envelope. From requests to delivery of information to offers of prosperity, the mailbox is constantly shouting at me for attention. I am drawn into this hypnotic trance that requires me to inevitably peak and frequently act. Sometimes I just want to see what the nature of the message might be, others times, I feel compelled to act immediately. Occasionally these glances last only a few seconds, others require immediate, thoughtful attention. All eat away at the day. On some days this box tantalizes me over 100 times. Would you let people interrupt you 100 times a day for just a few seconds? What is the consequence of allowing this to happen? At the very least, this is a substantial inhibitor to being present for more important matters. The absence of this distraction has profound and positive benefits – particularly when building relationships. So as this band of brothers drifts downstream their disconnection allows them to be present with each other and the benefits are profound. They know each other in ways that are nearly impossible in an electronic world. Do I give my friends, family, coworkers the same?
The second lesson is directly related to the global financial meltdown. I recall my sense of doom and gloom when the stock market was plummeting, mortgages were under water and pillars of American Enterprise were dying or too large to fail. As a side note, it is funny how a little time allows for better perspective on situations. O.K., back to fishing. My new friend was telling me that fishing is not a passion; however, he would not miss this trip because the guide they use is so exceptional. For the entirety of their trip, every detail is planned and nothing is taken for granted. The gear is waiting and in excellent working order, the food is exceptional, the campsites are preplanned and well organized – I mean, everything has been considered and delivered with skill and to a very high standard.
On one trip, the weather did not cooperate, so the fishing conditions were less than satisfactory. Faced with a choice of staying on a small part of the route where there was some chance for fish or drifting down the entire route the group chose the entire route. They wanted their daily campsites, the excellent food, the variety of the terrain, the natural beauty of the route. They wanted that more than the fishing. And here is the interesting part – the guide wasn’t that surprised. He related a lesson he learned to my friend that really rings true. He learned that he couldn’t control the weather, the fishing conditions, the river, the participants or the fish – he could only control the experience. Now that got me to thinking. What can we control and when do we need to accept our lack of control. In our business, we can’t control the economy, or rates, our clients, or our competition. We control only our own behavior. The daily activities we take to retain and obtain our clients is the only thing we control. Do our clients rave about their experience? One has to wonder and continually challenge ourselves to make that experience the most pleasing it can be by accounting for every detail. One good way is to ignore the parts we can’t control and focus on the things we can. Just like the guide who learned long ago that most of the elements were outside his control, so he focuses on what matters and what he can control.
Good advice for the times.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Winning and Losing - The Numbers Tell it All
I attended a session this week and the speaker broke down winning and losing in sales to two very simple statistics. One highlighted the most important factor in winning and the second reinforced the reason we lose customers. The format I am using is in honor of my Loyola Professors.
What:
Winning – 86% of the time when asked what the most important factor was in making a purchasing decision the respondents answered – the representative.
Losing – 2/3rd of the time we lose a customer, the respondents stated a breakdown in communication with the representative was the deciding factor.
So What:
Winning and losing is all about us. We can blame poor pricing, the wrong carrier distribution, lack of cooperation, game playing, lying, cheating, ignorant buyers and bad luck as the reasons we lose. Let’s face the facts. All that stuff makes us feel better in defeat, but is little more than a litany of poor excuses. It reminds me of listening to our son’s lacrosse team who never lost a game against “legal” competition. They always lost to older boys – in fact, I think we lost to a couple of high school teams before his 12th birthday. He and his friends could easily convince themselves that any tournament allowed college teams in the youth divisions. I was watching the interviews of the Tennessee Titans following their loss to the Ravens and found the comments of their running back, Lendell White to be very interesting. He was asked about the costly turnovers and mistakes made by the Titans in the game. Did he think those cost the Titans the game. His response showed tremendous character. He said, he felt as it was his turnover that cost them the game. Accountability. More importantly, accountability to himself. I liked that. I thought that showed incredible character. He was the reason they lost, in his mind.
Now What:
Now I don’t know what a football player does in the offseason to not fumble. Maybe they lift weights to make their arms stronger. Maybe they watch film to see if they expose the football in certain situations making them vulnerable to fumbles. Maybe they set a goal to lower their fumble numbers. I really don’t know. I think the statistics noted above suggest some very powerful indicators of why we win or lose so if we accept the same level of personal accountability, what can we do? We are the most important element of the victory and our failures are the most significant factor in defeat. It seems to me this leaves only one option – get better. Everyone likes to win and no one likes to lose – forget this notion of some people like to win more than others. Or that some hate losing more than others. If this were true, then they only give drivers licenses to the ultra competitive. Watch drivers compete for a parking spot or for the right-of-way. People want it their way. It’s just that some may handle the outcome better.
Winning for a sales organization is defined as growing the number of ideal customers we serve. To win more often and to lose less frequently – we must continually get better. Because, guess what, if you don’t, then you are only one “communication breakdown” away from losing. We must relentlessly question what we are doing. Is what we do, good enough for today? Do we wear the same clothes, drive the same kind of cars, eat the same food, enjoy the same music, TV shows, movies, etc? My guess is that in most cases our tastes and needs have changed. Why then should we expect to do the same things we did in the past and get the better results? For me the “now what’ is to recognize I am 86% of the reason for success and also 66% of the reason for failure. If I get better, improve in some way, can I increase my effectiveness and limit my errors? We will see and as a consequence I look forward to 2009.
What:
Winning – 86% of the time when asked what the most important factor was in making a purchasing decision the respondents answered – the representative.
Losing – 2/3rd of the time we lose a customer, the respondents stated a breakdown in communication with the representative was the deciding factor.
So What:
Winning and losing is all about us. We can blame poor pricing, the wrong carrier distribution, lack of cooperation, game playing, lying, cheating, ignorant buyers and bad luck as the reasons we lose. Let’s face the facts. All that stuff makes us feel better in defeat, but is little more than a litany of poor excuses. It reminds me of listening to our son’s lacrosse team who never lost a game against “legal” competition. They always lost to older boys – in fact, I think we lost to a couple of high school teams before his 12th birthday. He and his friends could easily convince themselves that any tournament allowed college teams in the youth divisions. I was watching the interviews of the Tennessee Titans following their loss to the Ravens and found the comments of their running back, Lendell White to be very interesting. He was asked about the costly turnovers and mistakes made by the Titans in the game. Did he think those cost the Titans the game. His response showed tremendous character. He said, he felt as it was his turnover that cost them the game. Accountability. More importantly, accountability to himself. I liked that. I thought that showed incredible character. He was the reason they lost, in his mind.
Now What:
Now I don’t know what a football player does in the offseason to not fumble. Maybe they lift weights to make their arms stronger. Maybe they watch film to see if they expose the football in certain situations making them vulnerable to fumbles. Maybe they set a goal to lower their fumble numbers. I really don’t know. I think the statistics noted above suggest some very powerful indicators of why we win or lose so if we accept the same level of personal accountability, what can we do? We are the most important element of the victory and our failures are the most significant factor in defeat. It seems to me this leaves only one option – get better. Everyone likes to win and no one likes to lose – forget this notion of some people like to win more than others. Or that some hate losing more than others. If this were true, then they only give drivers licenses to the ultra competitive. Watch drivers compete for a parking spot or for the right-of-way. People want it their way. It’s just that some may handle the outcome better.
Winning for a sales organization is defined as growing the number of ideal customers we serve. To win more often and to lose less frequently – we must continually get better. Because, guess what, if you don’t, then you are only one “communication breakdown” away from losing. We must relentlessly question what we are doing. Is what we do, good enough for today? Do we wear the same clothes, drive the same kind of cars, eat the same food, enjoy the same music, TV shows, movies, etc? My guess is that in most cases our tastes and needs have changed. Why then should we expect to do the same things we did in the past and get the better results? For me the “now what’ is to recognize I am 86% of the reason for success and also 66% of the reason for failure. If I get better, improve in some way, can I increase my effectiveness and limit my errors? We will see and as a consequence I look forward to 2009.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
It’s Not What You Get
A wise person once said that in life the value of pursuing your goals or dreams is not what you get when you reach the goal, but rather what you become along the journey. This week, I was once again reminded of the wisdom and value in this statement. What prompted this thought, you might ask? It was the news that Phyllis Jeddry passed her last class and has achieved the status of CPCU – Chartered Property & Casualty Underwriter. She is the third person in a year to achieve this prestigious designation. Her personal story captures a more compelling drama and represents the process of achievement that if noted, can inspire others. Becoming a CPCU is a lofty professional honor, to be sure, but that doesn’t even begin to tell Phyllis’ story. It did get me to thinking.
You see, when I started at DII in 1986, Phyllis was already a veteran of the agency. She has among the most often told stories of her hiring, first day and recruiting of her sister Karen in our lore. I think she would kill me if I recounted any of the details here, so I will spare her - for now. What I know about Phyllis is that since her hiring, she has performed just about every job in the Agency. She started doing filing and has steadily worked her way up through the ranks to be one of our most proficient and professional Account Executives. Somewhere along the way, Phyllis started taking insurance classes to transition from a job to a career. For the early years, a few of us took them together. First we started the introductory level courses and then graduated to the challenging level of CPCU courses. I planned on being there every step of the way, and I wasn’t alone. We were part of a group of young, committed professionals who were seeking the honor of achieving the industry’s most honored designation.
I was personally well equipped to pass these tests. Having a degree in accounting and finance and a mother with a gift for writing, I could easily handle the course load and craft an essay answer to the test questions. The classes were very much like college courses and the tests were like final exams. Hard if you studied and impossible if you didn’t. I had a college degree, so this was nothing more than an extension of that learning. Phyllis on the other hand did not have a college degree so the classes were doubly difficult and the exams were anxiety ridden experiences. Lacking the college experience, Phyllis missed one of the great college lessons of sifting through the volumes of information to focus on the important. Having this skill made exams a whole lot easier. In Phyllis’ case, this skill was replaced by a dogged determination to study, study, study to make sure she passed the exams. And one by one she did. My journey was becoming a more intermittent affair. Life was beginning to intervene in my ability to be disciplined about taking the courses. I wanted to do everything and found that frequently, the urgent crowded out the important. I fell behind the more disciplined of the bunch and in my own exceptional way (I call it exceptional, like my grade school teacher who gave me a week’s detention for being exceptional – as in deviating widely from a norm), I passed the same class twice. A long story for sure. Clearly I was off track. Phyllis and others marched on.
Then we came to the crucible of the CPCU program, accounting. Several of us committed to take this course and so we registered together. I was going to re-engage and while we heard that we would have a lousy instructor, I knew that would be no problem for me as I had a degree in accounting. I could make up the difference for myself and committed to do the same for everyone else. In a low point for my professional career, I never attended a class, never delivered one ounce of assistance and the group, essentially crashed and burned. I have never again restarted my efforts. Frankly, I was too busy doing other important things. Looking back, I can’t name one of them, but I knew they were important at the time. Isn’t that the way life is? Don’t we want to distinguish ourselves in some way? Feel like we are the best at something or at the very least, gave our best to something? I started giving my best and in the end, my best was so dispersed that I never finished. Sound familiar? Well in Phyllis case, she never lost sight of the goal.
Oh, to be sure, she had other distractions that caused delays. Having a daughter, family issues, professional challenges, you know the really important stuff that always gets in our way. Maybe she was encouraged by a new group of committed people who were pushing forward. In the last year, DiAnne and Candy both reached their personal goal with similar stories of persistence. It always helps to know that something is possible. We often get that through others. Isn’t it also true that in many cases what seems possible to others is impossible to us? Their situation is different, easier, right? They don’t have the issues to deal with that I do? If all I had to deal with was the stuff that they deal with, then I could most certainly do what they do? Why do minds do this? Why do I do this? I know Phyllis’ story, I have a pretty good read on her life and she had more reasons to abandon the process than I do. Her commute is long and frustrating. She has an active, athletic daughter. Her parents live with her family and require an incredible amount of care. She deals with the stuff we face that frankly represents the essence of our lives.
So this brings me to the end. When she stopped by my door to give me the news, of course I saw an elated person, proud of her achievement – beaming with excitement. (Her results were delayed and she was checking every morning at 5:30, until she final received word). But that’s not all I saw. I also saw a very determined person, who dedicated part of her life to proving to herself and anyone who may have ever doubted her that she has what it takes to stand at the summit of professional achievement. A better professional to be sure, but more importantly a better person because the journey reshaped her in ways only Phyllis can describe. Congratulations, you have my highest admiration – along with anyone else who relentlessly pursues their dreams.
You see, when I started at DII in 1986, Phyllis was already a veteran of the agency. She has among the most often told stories of her hiring, first day and recruiting of her sister Karen in our lore. I think she would kill me if I recounted any of the details here, so I will spare her - for now. What I know about Phyllis is that since her hiring, she has performed just about every job in the Agency. She started doing filing and has steadily worked her way up through the ranks to be one of our most proficient and professional Account Executives. Somewhere along the way, Phyllis started taking insurance classes to transition from a job to a career. For the early years, a few of us took them together. First we started the introductory level courses and then graduated to the challenging level of CPCU courses. I planned on being there every step of the way, and I wasn’t alone. We were part of a group of young, committed professionals who were seeking the honor of achieving the industry’s most honored designation.
I was personally well equipped to pass these tests. Having a degree in accounting and finance and a mother with a gift for writing, I could easily handle the course load and craft an essay answer to the test questions. The classes were very much like college courses and the tests were like final exams. Hard if you studied and impossible if you didn’t. I had a college degree, so this was nothing more than an extension of that learning. Phyllis on the other hand did not have a college degree so the classes were doubly difficult and the exams were anxiety ridden experiences. Lacking the college experience, Phyllis missed one of the great college lessons of sifting through the volumes of information to focus on the important. Having this skill made exams a whole lot easier. In Phyllis’ case, this skill was replaced by a dogged determination to study, study, study to make sure she passed the exams. And one by one she did. My journey was becoming a more intermittent affair. Life was beginning to intervene in my ability to be disciplined about taking the courses. I wanted to do everything and found that frequently, the urgent crowded out the important. I fell behind the more disciplined of the bunch and in my own exceptional way (I call it exceptional, like my grade school teacher who gave me a week’s detention for being exceptional – as in deviating widely from a norm), I passed the same class twice. A long story for sure. Clearly I was off track. Phyllis and others marched on.
Then we came to the crucible of the CPCU program, accounting. Several of us committed to take this course and so we registered together. I was going to re-engage and while we heard that we would have a lousy instructor, I knew that would be no problem for me as I had a degree in accounting. I could make up the difference for myself and committed to do the same for everyone else. In a low point for my professional career, I never attended a class, never delivered one ounce of assistance and the group, essentially crashed and burned. I have never again restarted my efforts. Frankly, I was too busy doing other important things. Looking back, I can’t name one of them, but I knew they were important at the time. Isn’t that the way life is? Don’t we want to distinguish ourselves in some way? Feel like we are the best at something or at the very least, gave our best to something? I started giving my best and in the end, my best was so dispersed that I never finished. Sound familiar? Well in Phyllis case, she never lost sight of the goal.
Oh, to be sure, she had other distractions that caused delays. Having a daughter, family issues, professional challenges, you know the really important stuff that always gets in our way. Maybe she was encouraged by a new group of committed people who were pushing forward. In the last year, DiAnne and Candy both reached their personal goal with similar stories of persistence. It always helps to know that something is possible. We often get that through others. Isn’t it also true that in many cases what seems possible to others is impossible to us? Their situation is different, easier, right? They don’t have the issues to deal with that I do? If all I had to deal with was the stuff that they deal with, then I could most certainly do what they do? Why do minds do this? Why do I do this? I know Phyllis’ story, I have a pretty good read on her life and she had more reasons to abandon the process than I do. Her commute is long and frustrating. She has an active, athletic daughter. Her parents live with her family and require an incredible amount of care. She deals with the stuff we face that frankly represents the essence of our lives.
So this brings me to the end. When she stopped by my door to give me the news, of course I saw an elated person, proud of her achievement – beaming with excitement. (Her results were delayed and she was checking every morning at 5:30, until she final received word). But that’s not all I saw. I also saw a very determined person, who dedicated part of her life to proving to herself and anyone who may have ever doubted her that she has what it takes to stand at the summit of professional achievement. A better professional to be sure, but more importantly a better person because the journey reshaped her in ways only Phyllis can describe. Congratulations, you have my highest admiration – along with anyone else who relentlessly pursues their dreams.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Let’s Go See the Principle
I was recently engaged in a conversation on the topic of change. The context was will things that worked in the past always work in the future. You can imagine that I took the side that suggests that pat performance is no guarantee of future success. My opinion is well documented on this topic. The other party suggested that my opinion was limited and frankly, wrong. Like any debate, we look for a clear winner. I thought I won and I am sure my counterpart thought he had won. This got me to thinking. What if we were both right?
My personal opinion is that there is fundamental truth. Some would argue that much of truth is cultural and here again there may be two correct opinions. We are all born with a sense of right from wrong. Some of this may be cultural conditioning, but much is also inherent in humans. For example murder is wrong in any culture. This is truth. There are many more examples, but I want to bring this back to our world.
So how does this apply to a debate on the success of the past and future success? It lies in the value of timeless truths. Said another way, when our actions are governed by timeless principles, we will definitely find past success being reproduced in the future. If you are talking about selling efforts, I maintain the following are a few timeless principles.
1. Helping the Customer – our best opportunities present themselves as problems. Someone is having a problem and we deliver a solution that meets or exceeds their expectations. Help starts with concern and interest for the customer’s perspective.
2. Understanding the Consequence - We can’t solve a problem unless we understand the issue and its consequence to the customer. The latter is important because a problem with little consequence may not compel a prospect from choosing our solution. On the other hand, a small problem with grave consequence may be an excellent opportunity.
3. Deliver Value – value is what someone is willing to pay for. Knowing what a customer values is critical. It seems to me that companies that do this well, have a system to ask their customers what they value. They ask in a variety of ways and listen intently. Then great companies do more of what their customers want and less of everything else.
4. Behavior Determines Success - Regardless of the “times” - someone always wins. What determines the difference? It is most certainly the habits of winners that make a difference. Study any person at the top of their field or game, and I will show you someone with talent and exceptional habits.
5. Finish What You Start – This one is hard for me, but in life we are measured by what we finish, not what we start. When we finish strong, it speaks volumes about our products and services.
6. Question Everything – the Japanese perfected the process of asking why, five times to determine the root cause of an issue. This was probably invented by a 5 year old and usurped by Taiichi Ohno. Too often we react and correct symptoms rather than the root causes of problems.
7. Never be Satisfied – Good enough will never last. Someone is always getting better. I have a BlackBerry that is two years old. In two years, the following improvements have been made by RIM. Camera, games, touch screen, video, navigation, instant messenger, music, multiple ringtones, smaller, lighter, and a sharper screen. The Storm is a reasonable approximation of the iPhone, but not quite. I wonder is Steve Jobs is satisfied. If he isn’t, then why should we be satisfied.
I could go on and on, but I think my original point is valid. Principles are timeless, like truth.
My personal opinion is that there is fundamental truth. Some would argue that much of truth is cultural and here again there may be two correct opinions. We are all born with a sense of right from wrong. Some of this may be cultural conditioning, but much is also inherent in humans. For example murder is wrong in any culture. This is truth. There are many more examples, but I want to bring this back to our world.
So how does this apply to a debate on the success of the past and future success? It lies in the value of timeless truths. Said another way, when our actions are governed by timeless principles, we will definitely find past success being reproduced in the future. If you are talking about selling efforts, I maintain the following are a few timeless principles.
1. Helping the Customer – our best opportunities present themselves as problems. Someone is having a problem and we deliver a solution that meets or exceeds their expectations. Help starts with concern and interest for the customer’s perspective.
2. Understanding the Consequence - We can’t solve a problem unless we understand the issue and its consequence to the customer. The latter is important because a problem with little consequence may not compel a prospect from choosing our solution. On the other hand, a small problem with grave consequence may be an excellent opportunity.
3. Deliver Value – value is what someone is willing to pay for. Knowing what a customer values is critical. It seems to me that companies that do this well, have a system to ask their customers what they value. They ask in a variety of ways and listen intently. Then great companies do more of what their customers want and less of everything else.
4. Behavior Determines Success - Regardless of the “times” - someone always wins. What determines the difference? It is most certainly the habits of winners that make a difference. Study any person at the top of their field or game, and I will show you someone with talent and exceptional habits.
5. Finish What You Start – This one is hard for me, but in life we are measured by what we finish, not what we start. When we finish strong, it speaks volumes about our products and services.
6. Question Everything – the Japanese perfected the process of asking why, five times to determine the root cause of an issue. This was probably invented by a 5 year old and usurped by Taiichi Ohno. Too often we react and correct symptoms rather than the root causes of problems.
7. Never be Satisfied – Good enough will never last. Someone is always getting better. I have a BlackBerry that is two years old. In two years, the following improvements have been made by RIM. Camera, games, touch screen, video, navigation, instant messenger, music, multiple ringtones, smaller, lighter, and a sharper screen. The Storm is a reasonable approximation of the iPhone, but not quite. I wonder is Steve Jobs is satisfied. If he isn’t, then why should we be satisfied.
I could go on and on, but I think my original point is valid. Principles are timeless, like truth.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
All The Small Things
This week, Jack hosted a small dinner to honor Karen W.’s 25th anniversary at DII. It was a very nice evening with a few stories from the archives of DII’s rich history. On many occasions, I have described our business history like an onion and at the center are a host of people who make DII a special place to work and an honor to lead. It is important to take time, now and again, to honor those at the core. In the trying times we face, a 40 year history is a rich account of success; a success that cannot be achieved without key people who make a difference at our core. This evening was about Karen and we reflected on the most special qualities that Karen embodies. After the dinner, we were saying our goodbyes and Sal captured the sentiment of the evening. He said, “It is nice to do something for Karen, because she does so much and asks for so little.” This got me to thinking.
What is it that makes Karen special? At dinner we asked Karen, how many pieces of mail have passed through your hands? How much money have you handled over 25 years? How many keys have been made? How many questions has Karen answered? The list of things, small things, goes on and on. How many things have been done to keep things going? How many small things were done in service to all of us? If you weighed each one, they might not amount to much. When you stack them up, you have a critical mass that tips the scale of significance.
All have a common theme, Karen works in service to all of us. She makes DII a better place for all, by doing countless, almost unnoticeable acts of kindness and service. On this week, we were celebrating her 25+ year journey, but it is also true that Karen is not alone.
I recently watched an interview of Marilyn Carlson Nelson, CEO of the Carlson Group (http://www.carlson.com/), owners of Radisson Hotels, TGI Fridays, Country Inn & Suites, and Regent Seven Seas Cruise Lines and employer of over 140,000 people worldwide. In the interview, she was asked about the death of her 19 year old daughter in a car accident, just after going off to college. The question posed was how do you go on? Her response inspired me. She lives each day, knowing that she has been granted a gift (a gift her daughter did not receive) and asks herself at the end of the day, can I sign my name to this a day?
I recently watched an interview of Marilyn Carlson Nelson, CEO of the Carlson Group (http://www.carlson.com/), owners of Radisson Hotels, TGI Fridays, Country Inn & Suites, and Regent Seven Seas Cruise Lines and employer of over 140,000 people worldwide. In the interview, she was asked about the death of her 19 year old daughter in a car accident, just after going off to college. The question posed was how do you go on? Her response inspired me. She lives each day, knowing that she has been granted a gift (a gift her daughter did not receive) and asks herself at the end of the day, can I sign my name to this a day?
Recently I wrote about roles versus jobs. We all have the same job and play a key role. Defining our roles is no simple task. One thing is certain, when we are acting in the service of others; we are performing a critical component of the role that will ensure a job well done. Our customers must be served, our co-workers must be served, our partners must be served, our producers must be served and our staff must be served. In doing so, I believe it is the small things that make a difference. The way we answer the phone matters, the way we greet another matters, how we spend our time matters – frankly all the small things matter. When we cheerfully do the small things, I believe we can sign our name in bold print. The canvas will frequently have Karen’s signature and so many other who make a difference – so to all of you, I say thank you.
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