Why insurance agency managers struggle and how not to
Great managers set a positive tone and understand that their main role is to be a facilitator.
Why is it hard to find good managers? Because the wrong people are promoted for the wrong reasons and expected to execute with little to no training.
If you’re in management, forget what made you successful in sales, service or operations and re-learn what makes for an effective manager.
Related: How to manage without micromanaging
It’s a new game when you’re responsible for others
Great sales people or service professionals are often promoted to management but sometimes make the worst managers and leaders because what’s gotten them to be successful will hurt them in their new role. Personal effort and skill can make one person successful but you’re playing an entirely new game when you’re responsible for others.
Most managers think that they need to offer solutions, develop and implement new processes, create more incentive programs, and impart change to the culture through will, skill and effort. They start running on all cylinders and wonder why results aren’t coming and people aren’t adopting or buying in.
Lead, manage, hold people accountable
The best managers understand what great managers do: They Lead, Manage, and hold people Accountable (LMA) — that’s it.
Weekly structured meetings, if run well, sets the tone for the department, offers a health check-up to make sure the team is on track, offers an opportunity for the team to create solutions for their own problems, and it provides them with the opportunity to feel in control of their future.
Great managers set a positive tone and understand that their main role is to be a facilitator. They facilitate healthy debate and conflict, they hold people accountable for agreements that are mutually set, and they allow for their people to solve their own problems — autonomy is powerful, so managers who delegate, direct and facilitate create much better cultures and produce far better results than those who solve and implement on their own.
Related: How insurance agents can work smarter: 7 principles for doing less and working better
Matt Naimoli (matt@insurewithgn.com) is a co-founder of Southborough, Massachusetts-based G&N Insurance. Opinions expressed are the author’s own.