HR and Staffing

Transform Your Business to Survive and Thrive

Putting the right people at the helm has launched many high-profile, highly successful turnarounds, from Jack Welch in his early days at GE to Meg Whitman at eBay. But companies don’t have to fire the entire C-suite to put “new” leadership in place. It is

What Really Motivates Producers?

New business, higher commission. Not enough new business, see rates for renewals go down. Throw in some non-monetary perks. It seems straightforward. But the reality of producer compensation is different.

Start New Hires Right

New hires at Bigham Kliewer Chapman Watts (BKCW) do many things, but wondering what they’ll do next isn’t one of them. That’s because the on-boarding process at this Killeen, Texas, agency is smooth and specific.

Learning Humility and Perseverance—from a Former Roofer

It was a blistering 90 degrees, and Lee was banging nails into the roof. He had been on this job for a few days, but none had matched this heat. From his vantage point, he regularly observed very well-dressed people walking in and out of the brick antebel

The Power to Fail

Why is it that in a lot of agencies across America, the younger generation of producers, brokers, and CSRs are frustrated? Nationwide, agencies do a good job of attracting talent. It’s the challenge of retaining that talent that keeps most principals scra

“Ask an Expert”—for Free

During the past few years, my wife Mary and I have been traveling around the country visiting with state boards and executives. In just about every state we’ve visited, the issue of attracting new members and retaining existing ones has been an issue.

Be as Resilient as a Rubber Band

Schedules have changed, messages from angry customers and a text from a daughter or son who needs the homework that was sitting on the kitchen table. The problems can feel overwhelming and ruin your day and mood, which can affect those around you and your

Creating Rapport in Under 30 Seconds

We all know the power of first impressions. How people perceive us during the first few seconds of an encounter has a major influence on whether they will trust us, be attracted to us and our brand. To create a positive first impression, we need to know h

When Change is Not an Option

These days, it seems that the words “business” and “change” go hand-in-hand. From dealing with regulatory changes and economic shifts to responding to new customer demands and emerging technologies, sudden and externally-mandated changes affect organizati