"Have you sent those applications to the company yet?"
STRENGTHENING THE FRONT LINE
Effective communication and adequate information
enable employees to do their jobs
By Emily Huling, CIC, CMC
"Have you sent those applications to the company yet?"
"Why did you prepare the proposal that way?"
"It's just easier to do it myself."
"He never gives me enough information to do my job."
If you have found yourself hearing or even making comments like these, somewhere along the way there's been a communication breach. Lack of effective communication within an agency adversely affects client relationships, or employee-to-employee relationships, as well as the professional development and personal satisfaction of the individual doing his or her job. It takes both interacting parties to make delegation work.
Proper delegation allows others to do their jobs. Successful teamwork comes from working through others and empowering people. While we know one person can't do it all, it's amazing how many people try. They believe that it's easier to do it themselves or that another person won't do the job as well. Effective delegation begins with TRUST. The acronym TRUST stands for Training, Respect, Understanding, Support, and Teamwork.
Training. People can't be expected to do a job they don't know how to do. Our industry is challenged today. We have new people, new underwriting requirements, placement and pricing challenges. It's necessary to properly and continually educate producers and account managers on product, technology, and both internal and external standards
of performance.
Respect. "Of course," you say, "I respect my coworkers." But do your daily work habits demonstrate that? Continually interrupting coworkers with questions or time-wasting comments shows a lack of respect for the job they do. Asking at the last minute for your work to be done indicates that you feel your accounts are more important than anything they are working on. Showing respect for another's time and workload is a necessary component of effective delegation.
Understanding. Put yourself in your coworkers' shoes. Is a new person on the job doing double work because a peer is working on a huge account that requires uninterrupted concentration, or is out for medical reasons? Show understanding for your coworkers' challenges and work to find a reasonable solution to meet clients' expectations.
Support. Show support by doing your job completely and accurately. A producer who doesn't give the account manager the proper information to do his or her job is setting up the situation for failure. An account manager can avoid time-crunching stress by managing incoming work effectively. Immediately review client or producer requests. Work to support each other.
Teamwork. Be sure to use all of the resources available to get the job done. Get people at all levels to do the job they are best equipped to do. Develop employee skills by assigning more challenging work--and provide the necessary training. When employees are brought up through the organization, employee satisfaction improves, opportunities for advancement increase, and turnover decreases.
Now that we understand that delegation begins with TRUST, let's outline the six steps to effectively delegate work.
1. Communicate the task specifically. Clearly state what needs to be done by what date and time, and, if applicable, how it should be done, and the expected result. For example, a producer needs a proposal to be prepared. If your agency has several proposal templates, then the "how" of the task needs to be elaborated on. Don't leave anything to chance in this communication. Written instructions are a good way to avoid misunderstandings.
2. Furnish the context. In other words, why it needs to be done. Does the proposal need to be completed earlier than expected because client availability is limited? Failure to communicate the "why" may lead to the task being put off because the person does not understand the situation.
3. Determine the standards of measurement. This should already be spelled out through job descriptions and performance reviews. All individuals should be held accountable for the quality, accuracy, and timeliness of their work. If the producers are to give updated renewal information to account managers within a certain time period, then that is the expected standard.
4. Grant authority. This is the most overlooked delegation step. Can the person who is given the task talk to the insured directly? Visit the account? Speak with the underwriter? The whole process will he held up if authority is not specifically given.
5. Confirm your two-way understanding of the task. Is information forthcoming for the individual to complete the delegated task? Is each party clear on the time frame and the intended result?
6. Provide support and feedback. Always check halfway through the time frame to be sure the delegated task is moving forward. If the individual is trained to do the job and is being held accountable by management, a simple "Do you have any questions since you've gotten into (this account)?" or "How are you coming along?" will suffice. If the delegated work repeatedly does not meet time and quality standards, management needs to be involved and action taken to correct the situation.
Be sure that your agency is based on a fundamental TRUST in each other and that each person follows the six-step process of successful delegation. Your agency growth and success depend on it. *
The author
Emily Huling, CIC, CMC, is the author of Selling in a Hard Market. Emily helps the insurance industry achieve customer service and sales excellence through speaking, workshops, and consulting. For information, visit www.sellingstrategies.com or call (888) 309-8802.