ACT News recently spoke with Kelly Donahue-Piro who is president of Rhode Island based consulting firm, Agency Performance Partners. Kelly talked with the news team about her presentation, “Getting Team Buy-In on New Technology," which she presented at the March 2018 ACT Meeting in San Diego.
ACT News: You talk a lot about managing change in an agency. Why is it so necessary? What sort of changes do they need to make in their organizations?
Kelly Donahue-Piro: The hard part about change is feeling like you aren't in control. For most of us in insurance, we are incredibly detail orientated and like to feel confident in our recommendations and processes. Change tends to be like the cold you didn't have time to get. It comes at the worst times, makes you feel terrible, and you don't feel as confident about your actions.
The bigger challenge is that change is going to happen. Carriers change products, technology upgrades will come, business decisions will happen. We need to think about what I call “outlasting the suck" of feeling a little wobbly while we master the change.
If we didn't change, we would be still on typewriters! Independent agents need to really be focused on the top three changes in our industry:
- Embracing technology adoption for efficiency and customer experience.
- Talent acquisition—the retirement stats are staggering, and we need to embrace new work cultures to attract the next generation.
- Changing customers—they're looking for ridiculously amazing experiences and services. We can't be everything to everyone any longer.
ACT News: Why do agencies struggle with making needed changes stick?
Kelly: We retreat too fast. Just like working out the first few days. They're filled with the “I don't want to's." We focus on the pain, not the result. As people, we try to find a reason not to. When we can find it, we hold it like a new puppy with a ninja grip. Agencies need to outlast the suck, focusing on the outcomes—not the day—and build that bridge.
We still to this day find agents who resist going to just two monitors. I would love seven. Or e-signature. The reality is we need to keep an open mind, see how it can work, focus on the benefit, and a few days later we will forget that we were clumsy for a bit.
ACT News: Okay, you mentioned during your talk a three-step process on change. Where do you get started?
Kelly: Planning. Everything in life comes down to a great plan. When you are going to change things, it really should be from a well-thought-out plan. Instead of making 10 people the crash-test dummies, build a special team to review everything.
Also, when you launch change, think about how you are communicating the message. Is it a party or an email? Big changes should be communicated in an exciting way. The more structure you build around change, the better people feel. Bring the details and sell the value so people remember why they are going through the struggle of adoption.
ACT News: What's next?
Kelly: Next is launching the change. When you are ready to go, it's important you bring all the positivity. You will need to be a broken record of communicating wins, the whys and benefits. You can't say these things enough when your team is executing change. Also, we always recommend an incentive plan. The incentive plan is about the benefit but also the recognition that the team is going through change and you value the work they are putting in.
ACT News: Lack of accountability seems to be a big issue with change, right?
Kelly: Yes, people will do it when they know you are watching. Accountability is the final step. Everything you want to happen must be measured and managed. You should share these numbers at weekly team meeting check-ins so, publicly, everyone can see how they are thriving. You always address the underperformers separately. Or else you hear excuses from your people. These mean it's not that important to the team member. When you apply reports, rewards and meetings, you will see how quickly people get it done.
ACT News: What are some of the classic excuses you hear about not wanting to change?
Kelly: “I forgot." Or “I'm too busy." That one is my favorite. Any time you catch someone using this response, immediately disregard it (in a loving fashion of course). It really means they don't value the process, or they will wait to see if it sticks around. We are all busy, but making an investment of your time to improve the agency? What could be more important?
ACT News: You talk about keeping change “fun." Can you give some examples?
Kelly: We always recommend hosting a launch party. This starts change on a positive note. You need to be constantly bringing positivity to change. The incentive program can also be fun. We have had agencies spin wheels, play Plinko and even get Dammit Dolls to smack around when they are frustrated. What you know in advance you can plan for. When you know it may be rough, have some fun ready to go.