Recently, Mike took to Insurance Soup and let them in on a bit of advice and openly admitted that he needed to this advice himself, which is why he felt comfortable relaying it to the members of the group.
Basically, not every insurance agency owner is really meant to do EVERY job in the agency itself. As an agency owner, you're going to have your strong points and one of those strong points should be having the courage and wherewithal to notice your weaknesses.
In many cases, Mike thinks that a lot of agency owners resist hiring an agency manager because they feel that managing staff should fall under the job description of the owner, but it doesn't have to be and SHOULD NOT be the case if that owner feels that managing people isn't something they're well-suited for.
See what Mike had to say about it below:
"I am going to let you in on a little secret.
It's a secret that for many of you (once you know it, if you decide to embrace it) could save your business.
I mean this with all due respect and I will say it as someone who also acknowledges the problem in himself. Some of you SUCK AT MANAGING PEOPLE.
Maybe you're a hothead.
Maybe you are non-confrontational.
Maybe you set goals that are too easy.
Maybe you do not want to hear about anyone's personal drama.
Maybe you just expect people to do their job without being supervised and coached.
Maybe you're the type that is always changing what is wanted or how things are done.
Maybe you give people too much rope to hang themselves.
Maybe you fire people too quickly.
Guess what?
If you are one of those things (or many others) and YOU run the show, your Agency is in constant danger of collapse.
Now that is not to say that you do not add value to your Agency. You have a ton of skills that an Agency needs. You would not have gone into business for yourself if you did not believe this.
But if you KNOW or uncover QUICKLY that you are unhappy managing or bad at it, stop forcing yourself to be something you are not. Or even worse, something that you do not enjoy or WANT to be.
HIRE A MANAGER.
Hire a manager that reports up to you. Give them a clear and concise role. Communicate goals. Let them know what is important to you. And have a solid plan for keeping that ONE person accountable for their ONE job.
Let THEM manage the staff.
You can work collaboratively on behind-the-scenes conversations about team, staff, sales goals, etc..., but you remove yourself from the role where you feel very weak. Or from a role you hate. Instead, hire someone who loves it and has a good track record of experience.
A LOT of Agents never think to do this because in their head, it's THEIR Agency.. THEY have to manage, but the truth is that they don't. And neither do you.
It's a choice and if you suck at it or if you hate it, for your businesses chances of success and your own personal sanity, HIRE A MANAGER.
Someone Karen can speak to when she stops in."
An agency manager can be an amazing asset when it comes to directing and facilitating all parts of an insurance agency. They work with agents and customers to guarantee that objectives are met, important strategies and rules are maintained, and consumer loyalty is accomplished. Specific information might be required relying upon the kind of organization, but if an agency owner feels it's in the agency's best interest to step aside and assign the role of managing staff to someone else, it can make a world of difference for all involved!