When asking this question of Insurance Agency/Agency Owners their first answer and almost instantly is that they are working ON their Agency, that they are the business owner and running a business, yet the reality is in my experience that most Insurance Agents/Agency Owners are working IN their business and not ON their business.
Today’s message we will discuss what is the difference so that you have a clearer picture and can bring awareness to your place within your Agency and make a conscious decision as to how you are going to perform for your business/Agency!
Let’s begin! Close your eyes for just a moment and visualize the start of your work week, how does it start, what is the first project that you work on, do you check emails first, do you check voicemails first, do you start to get in REACTIVE mode and taking care of the fires of the business and everything that has come in since you were last there? If this is you and you are in a reactive pattern than there is high likelihood that you are working IN your Agency. You are reacting to the experience created by your prospects, clients, Team members etc.
Yet, what would the opposite of this look like for you if you were working ON your business/Agency? The first thing you do when you are working ON your Agency is you set the sights and vision for the week ahead not only for you but also for your Team. You are creating a path as to where you are going, you are PROACTIVE. You start your week with setting a path for your business/Agency and then from there you move in to a creative space of what needs to be accomplished by you, your Team and your partners to accomplish the targets and vision you are setting for the week ahead. VISIONARY people tend to be the same people that work ON their business.
Are you starting to see the difference and taking a look in the mirror to see where you actually might be sitting in? I also hear this comment often, “Well I am the only person in the business so if I don’t work in the business nothing will get done.” 100% Truth here in this statement but in order to see this in a clearer picture you must realize if you are a stand-alone Agent you have to wear two hats: Hat #1 the employee of the business, Hat #2 the CEO/Owner of the business. What this would look like is that when you are wearing Hat #2 you are taking a step out of the daily activities, if only brieflty to set a vision, plan and map of where you desire the business to go. In this role you are working on the business and the future sustainability that the business will create. Then and only then can you wear Hat #1 and then complete the tasks, activities and projects that align with the design that has been created by your version of the CEO/Owner.
This message today should challenge each of you including me to constantly evaluate where we are currently sitting in our business/Agency. You will sometimes have to work IN the business but NEVER at the cost of avoiding working ON the business. Your willingness and ability to work ON the business sets the canvas of creation of where the business is going and can go.
John Lucero, is a successful business owner with over 20 years of experience in multi-line insurance agency operations for several major National Brands. With an expertise in Recruiting, Educating, Coaching, Developing and Product Knowledge, his passion and drive to ELEVATE Insurance Agencies to higher levels of success is what keeps him inspired about the future and motivated about making a difference.
Comments 1
100% True! Not always easy, but my agency performs the best when i am working on the business instead of in the business. Plus, it’s way more fun on the marketing side.