Summary
A recent Veteran Peer Accountability and Round Table (PAR) group conversation turned into a goldmine of career wisdom. Seven seasoned benefits professionals opened up about the advice that shaped them and the lessons they learned the hard way. Their insights are honest, practical, and incredibly generous, and they’re sharing them to help others in the industry grow with more confidence and clarity.
One of the most popular and impactful benefits of belonging in the Goose community is the opportunity to participate in one of our Peer Accountability and Roundtable (PAR) cohorts. These are smaller groups (eight to twelve people) that get together every couple of weeks for peer sharing, learning, support, and accountability.
PAR groups are organized based on similarly situated participants. For example, we have cohorts comprised of female leaders, rookie producers, and veteran producers/leaders. While there is a coach on each call, our role is more facilitation than traditional coaching. The intent of these sessions is to leverage the wisdom, experience, and perspectives of the collective group.
On one recent call of our Veteran PAR group, we discussed the following two questions:
- What is the best career advice you ever received, and how has it shaped the way you work today?
- What is something you learned the hard way that you now make sure to pass on to others?
Because the Goose community is made up of selfless, giving industry professionals, they were all eager to share their answers with you via this blog. We’re hoping you will be willing to pay this idea forward, and we’ll tell you how at the end of this post.
Best advice
Vendors are busy too. So, their reps and underwriter teams invest in relationships with advisors and agencies. Often, more than investing the risk itself. If you're respectful, provide clean data, and set clear expectations, you'll achieve better outcomes for having invested in a better partnership.
Learned the hard way
During virtual meetings, don’t let anyone on your team have their camera off. It's contagious and not easily curable once contracted.
Best advice
Sleep soundly, do the right thing, and the money will follow, and never present an inferior product based upon commission structure. It all comes back to you by having your client’s best interests top of mind at all times.
Learned the hard way
Never go into business with friends or family. Relationships are way more important and, inevitably, there will be conflicts.
Best advice
Own your mistakes and do what it takes to make things right.
Learned the hard way
Don’t assume what others need or want; ask them directly what their expectations are.
Best advice
Do what’s right for you. It’s okay to take your time to evolve. Don’t compare yourself to others.
Learned the hard way
Be willing to say “no” in order to keep your personal life balanced with your work.
Best advice
If you can achieve more (time and/or treasure) by working hard, do it. We are blessed by our residual commission model.
Learned the hard way
Take the easy route early because life gets harder. Don't take early success for granted and allow yourself to coast. If you keep working hard, it will make life increasingly difficult challenges easier.
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Eric Thieringer | President, Eli Advisors
Best advice
Find something you love doing and do that, don’t chase money. No matter how you feel, show up on time, put together, and prepared to perform.
Learned the hard way
Set up checks and balances to protect yourself and the business, especially the financial side.
Best advice
Do what you love and don’t let toxic clients or team members disrupt it. It’s liberating to fire a bad client, but even more satisfying to work hard for the right clients.
Learned the hard way
Embrace and learn technology, and don’t be afraid to ask for help.
Kevin Trokey | (Yours truly)Best advice
Don’t speak over the head of your buyer. Advisors possess a lot of very technical knowledge, and, as an advisor, you talk to a lot of personalities who won’t necessarily admit they don’t understand what you are saying. Instead, take the approach of saying, “I’m going to explain this at a level appropriate for most buyers. But, if what I’m sharing is too basic, just let me know, and I’ll explain in a more technical and detailed manner.”
Learned the hard way
Communication is golden, always! Never pass up an opportunity to speak or write. Taking advantage of opportunities to improve your communication skills will continue to separate you from your competition. And please-please-please, never think it is okay to ghost someone once you have engaged in a conversation. Be respectful and brave enough to bring it to an obvious conclusion.
I’m guessing you can relate to many of the answers you just read. You have probably been given similar advice along your journey and I’m certain you’ve learned many of these lessons the hard way.
Back to our hope that you will pay this forward.
If you arrived at this blog via social media, please answer these same two questions in the comments. If you are a subscriber to our blog (first of all, THANK YOU for that!), please forward this post to other industry friends and, when you do, tell them how you would have answered the question had you been on our PAR call.
The questions again:
- What is the best career advice you ever received, and how has it shaped the way you work today?
- What is something you learned the hard way that you now make sure to pass on to others?
I thank you in advance for your payment forward. 🙏 What an amazing industry we are all part of!
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Content originally published by Q4intelligence
Photo by Tallat