WHY AUTHENTIC LEADERSHIP? WHY NOW? Tips for honing your skills on your leadership journey By Meg McKeen Do you remember the first time you were authentic? I certainly don’t remember when I was, and I suspect you don’t either! Unlike in the traditional classroom-style learning we do as insurance professionals, authenticity—like empathy or integrity—is billed as a need-to-have skill but isn’t something that is easily or readily added to
Management
WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THE BEST PRACTICES STUDY? Observations from training and development to leadership, staffing and valuation [B]e sure you’re not among those agencies spending more on miscellaneous items than on training, educating and developing your team members. By Roger Sitkins A defining characteristic of the highest performing agencies is that their owners and other leaders know their numbers. More important, they realize that the numbers—their financial
MARKET DRIVERS Five factors driving valuation increases amid rising capital costs By James Graham, CVA The current financial market turmoil continues to have no material effect on merger and acquisition (M&A) valuations for insurance brokers. While capital constraints are reducing EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) multiples across a number of industries, they are still expanding for insurance brokers. This expansion in pricing is driven by a
EIGHT SIMPLE RULES FOR CREATING THE ULTIMATE AGENCY Think with your head and lead with your heart By Mary Belka, CPCU, ARM, ARe, RPLU, CIC, and Cheryl Koch, CPCU, ARM, AAI, ACSR, AFIS Life is complicated. Insurance contracts are complicated. But running a successful, profitable independent agency really doesn’t have to be that complex, does it? Perhaps sometimes we overthink things when simpler, more elegant solutions exist. But don’t misunderstand—just
HUMILITY … A DESIRED TRAIT IN THE GAME OF LIFE Characteristics of and best practices to embrace humility By F. Scott Addis, CPCU, CRA, ACRA, TRA, ASA What is humility? Why is it such an important attribute to success in life? Why are the most effective leaders humble? Is it possible to shift an individual’s persona from exaggerated self-esteem to genuine humility? Before we attempt to answer these
