NAILBA Perspectives - November/December 2015 - (Page 24)

XXX nailba's agency successor networking group What Are You Communicating? I Have you been identified as the next sitting principal of your agency? The ASNG Planning Team works diligently to reach out to others in the industry who have transition experience and are willing to share what they learned in the process. Contact Rachel Marineau, NAILBA's Manager of Meetings and Education, at 703.383.3069 or rmarineau@nailba.org for more information on the Agency Successor Networking Group. t has been at least a decade since the appearance of social media and yet personal relationships still cannot be outmatched by technology. We tend to engage online with those with whom we have a face-to-face relationship. And while online relationships may deepen over weeks and months' worth of exchanges, the most important relationships are with those with whom we interact on a personal level regularly. Some things simply don't change, or at least are very slow to change. So it is important to consider the way we communicate, and more specifically, what we communicate. Recently, Ben Nevejans, LifePro Financial Services, spoke to the Agency Successor Networking Group (ASNG) and noted the difference it has made in his business when they bring advisors in to the office to be welcomed and experience the culture of their team there. It helps to set the person at ease, it fosters more of a genuine relationship and helps develop a good sense of who the people are you are working with, what they're truly about, and what matters to them. Inviting prospective advisors into the office regularly and developing a closer rapport has had a tremendous impact on their recruitment efforts. James Wong of Partners Advantage also shared with the ASNG on a separate occasion a suggestion on how to make more meaningful connections with those with whom you do business regularly. Getting to know clients on a more personal level, such as mentioning family, sharing milestones, and matters close to your heart allows an average business relationship to become more person- 24 perspectives NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015 al. He suggests getting to know your advisors' and clients' interests and passions will foster more of a meaningful connection. Most people are more willing to help someone whom they regard as a friend. Even long standing relationships can suffer due to lack of communication when going through changes such as shifts in management. Ray Phillips, The Brokers Source, Ltd., noted the importance of open communication when talking about keeping staff informed of the succession plan. Regular meetings to talk about the next phase helps others in the office adjust to the change. And being in the know about the process allows coworkers to adapt better. But there's more-being open and transparent with people can alleviate a lot of uncomfortable questions down the road. It will also help reduce unnecessary and potentially harmful gossip. It is clearly just as important to invest a little time to communi- cate clearly with those you work with each day. It can be easy to overlook this and take years of trust for granted, so these types of connections deserve an ongoing effort. Regular and open communication can deepen any relationship. It affords a more meaningful experience and will make a difference when times are tough or when you need to call in a favor. It helps all those you are in contact with feel like they truly belong, not so much to a business but to much more of a close knit group. It improves any kind of business you're attempting to accomplish. Whether that's a normally menial, every day task around the office, or a difficult challenge that arises due to language in a contract, the relationships you develop and the manner in which you communicate can have a drastic effect on the outcome of any project. What can you do today to create a deeper connection with those around you?

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NAILBA Perspectives - November/December 2015

NAILBA Perspectives - November/December 2015
Contents
Chairman’s Corner
CEO Insights
A Conversation with Robert O’Neill
NAILBA Charitable Foundation
Member Profiles
Agency Successor Networking Group
Life Happens
NAILBA 34 Program Preview
Evaluating Your Carrier Relationships
Calendar of Events
Index of Advertisers

NAILBA Perspectives - November/December 2015