InsuranceNewsNet Magazine January 2011 : Page 38
HEALTH | FEATURE TITLE Think like a BY LLOYD LOFTON Surgeon. Lead your clients to post-reform health. ealth insurance brokers who are worried about the monumental changes that reform represents would do well to think like a doctor—a surgeon, to be exact. Implementing a major change is like a doctor performing open-heart surgery— you need to specifically diagnose what you are going to fix (solidify scope), prepare the patient (get the organiza-tion and data ready), conduct the oper-ation (switch over to the new system and related processes), and recover (stabilize and fix glitches). Similarly, a good leader is like a doctor who is able to diagnose the strengths and potential weaknesses of the organization so you know what to watch out for and what you can leverage. Here is how to lay out your strategy and thrive amid all the changes coming your way. Enlist respected producers to better define your market and your 38 InsuranceNewsNet Magazine January 2011 H cross-market. They are in the trenches— selling to make their living—and they know the pulse of the market best. Use feedback to refine your mission statement. Your mission statement should answer these three key questions: • Why am I in business? • What is my business? • Who is the customer? through activity. People want to be led; they don’t want to follow. 4. Choose Your Horse Be clear: Who are your primary markets and your cross-markets? (For example, a male turning 65 who has a spouse 62, their oldest kid is 40-45, their oldest kid is 20-25, and the spouse’s parents are 80-84.) Determine the dominant buying motives for each one, and then market and train to that dominant buying motive. What primary, and then ancillary, products are right for your markets? Package your solutions together and diversify. Give your team enough time to succeed. 2. Play to Your Strengths Do a change readiness assessment— plan for the best, prepare for the worst. Take the time to identify your strengths up front; these serve as your back-up plan. Spend your time and money on activities that will generate business. Consider a broader organizational assessment—determine what works, then do it. It’s all about the activity! 5. The Devil is in the Details Details matter, make sure you get them right. Keep it simple—train your people on the things you want them to do the most, in the order you want them to do those things. 3. Rise Above the Noise Getting synergy in your team is a must! Trust your team and reward the success you want. Manage expectations 1. Trust Your Experts
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