I am guilty of making New Year’s resolutions and then forgetting about them come March. In fact, in the beginning, my resolutions were only in my head. I guess somewhere along the way, probably back when I was in college, I learned that just thinking about resolutions wasn’t very effective, and so I began to write my goals down at the beginning of each year. But it didn’t matter; each year I somehow lost the piece of paper that contained all of my high aspirations and I never accomplished any of my goals.
I think I finally found a solution that works for me. The trick is to make reasonable resolutions and then have your list continually before you for the entire year. I paperclip my January resolutions in my day planner, and re-clip the resolutions every time I ¾ip the page to begin a new week. That way my resolutions are right there in front of me as a constant reminder of what I set out to do long ago. I still don’t finish everything on my list, but it helps! It’s all about making progress one step at a time.
And progress is certainly what the insurance industry needs right now. Without some good New Year’s resolutions, it may be difficult to get through 2005 unscathed. I’m sure we will see more repercussions from New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer’s bid rigging and price fixing investigation. Also, can the California insurance industry survive and prosper with both Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi and Attorney General Bill Lockyer conducting their own investigations and possibly making fundamental structural changes within the industry? I think the industry is resilient and can make it through if everyone in the industry makes some resolutions:
Be honest with your clients.
Treat clients with respect.
Listen to your clients.
Think before speaking.
When making a business decision, think about how it will affect others, especially your clients.
Take responsibility for your actions.
Don’t be afraid to say, “I’m sorry” or “I don’t know.”
What do you think of these resolutions? Are there any that you’d like to add to the list? What do you think will happen in the insurance industry in 2005 and how can we make ourselves strong enough to face everything that comes along? Feel free to e-mail me your opinion and suggestions at dlove@insurancejournal.com. Thanks for reading!
Topics Market
Was this article valuable?
Here are more articles you may enjoy.
BlackSuit Cybercrime Gang Blamed in CDK Hack That Roiled Car Dealers 
Microsoft Tells Texas Agencies They Were Exposed in Russian Hack 
‘Great Resignation’ Enters Third Year as Workers Embrace AI, Upskilling, PwC Says 
As Rates Rise, Majority of Homeowners Say Insurance Industry Is in Crisis: Survey From This Issue
