The Agent Leader Podcast

In today’s world of digital disruption, commoditization, and high client expectations, your agency must become laser focused. Otherwise, you will be just like a hamster on a wheel going faster and faster, but ending up in the same place. Know what you want and then go get it.

One of the questions I am often asked is what can a future leader do to prepare themselves for greater leadership responsibilities. It starts by being intentional. Leadership skills don't just happen. On this episode, I highlight 3 keys to intentional leadership.

Self-leadership is the most challenging form of leadership. It’s also the most important aspect of leadership. I love this quote, “When a leader doesn’t inspect himself, the people don’t respect him.” On this episode, I discuss four ways you can lead yourself more effectively to add value to your team. When you learn to lead yourself effectively others will want to willingly follow you. You will h...

The insurance industry is desperately seeing leaders. Leaders who inspire, encourage, add value, and are consistently growing themselves so they can help grow others around them. What kind of leader are you? Are you wanting more for your agency, your team, your clients, your partner carriers, and your community? My wish is that you will be a growing leader who desires to make a positive impact on...

This is an amazing industry filled with tremendous opportunity. However, it needs an influx of new talent. To find and keep the best agency talent, you must have a clear vision, plan, and execute. Great talent won’t just show up, train itself, and produce great results. Finding and keeping the best talent is no different than finding and keeping the best clients for your agency. You must first kno...

High level producers spend 80% or more of every day in these 8 activities. You can choose to be accidental and let things happen to you, or you can become intentional and make things happen. High achieving insurance producers focus on consistent and proactive habits that lead to exceptional results. You can do the same

As an agency leader, regardless of your official title or position, you are the difference between agency growth and success and being like most other average independent insurance agencies. The power of leadership is that it has a multiplying effect. You can two choices: Work harder and longer for the same results or up level your leadership and multiply your efforts.

High achievers invest in themselves. You can’t give to others what you haven’t first received. That goes way beyond just understanding your product and company. You must also be able to work on your own personal growth and development. "Work hard on your business, make a living; Work hard on yourself, make a fortune." Jim Rohn

Producers need leaders. Leaders who model excellence, leaders that develop winning plans, leaders that maximize talent. If your agency doesn’t have a designated sales leader, regardless if that is the agency principal or named sales manager, you will not get optimal results. Who's your offensive coordinator?

No one ever listened themselves out of sale. When most people think of the best leaders and sales producers they envision someone who is a great talker. While verbal communication is important, there is nothing more powerful than asking great prepared questions and listening. On today's Agent Leader Podcast, I discuss why and how the best influencers sell their best ideas through the power of list...

If you don’t value yourself, rest assured your clients won’t raise the price If you sell your products or services like everyone else, you probably don’t have much value to offer anyway. That’s why you default back to price. So how can you truly add value to your prospect and clients? It's start by valuing yourself first and asking important questions.

I’m guessing there are some things in your life and in your business that you have put off because you didn’t feel you were ready. Maybe it’s calling the big prospect, or adding a new team member, or just launching a new campaign for you business. This could be due to the fear of failure, or maybe it’s due to lack of confidence. Regardless, at some point, to grow, you will have to begin to do thin...

Most insurance agencies talk and walk much the same. Many leaders ask me how to differentiate their agency in today’s marketplace. I truly believe that empowering leadership is often the primary advantage your agency has over another agency in todays’ competitive market. When you empower your agency team, you will improve the agency culture, build confidence, and most importantly, create a world-c...

At the very top-level of agency leadership develop is significance. My leadership mentor believes that only about 1% of organizations reach this level. After synergy, many agencies feel that they have accomplished their mission, but significance is the last step. Significance is where multiplication occurs. Leaders of significance develop and reproduce leaders who stay with the agency, help them r...

Leaders are learners. Leadership experts Warren Bennis and Burt Nanus wrote about the relationship between growth and leadership: “It is the capacity to develop and improve their skills that distinguishes leaders from their followers.” There should be no goal to attend an event other than it provides you with greater ability to improve and build on your current progress every single day. It’s been...

We influence someone everyday of our lives. Is your influence positive or negative? There is no neutral. You are either adding emotional deposits into others lives or you are making withdrawals. Leadership is one thing…..influence. It doesn’t matter if you are influencing your team, your clients, or your community; you have the ability and responsibility to become a person of “positive” influence...

Every organization reaches their lid at various times. The key is to having the awareness to understand when you have hit your lid so that you can look at ways to improve your leadership. When most organizations are stuck they focus only on ways to work harder and dedicate themselves to success. While this is a noble pursuit, at some point, you will run out of time and energy for only a small leve...

How does the 30-second rule motivate people to achieve more? *Motivation helps people who know what they should do…to do it. *Motivation helps people who know what habit they should break…to break it *Motivation helps people who knows what commitments they should make…to make them *Motivation helps people who know what path they should take…to take it When you apply this rule, you will create more...

The question I ask you today is, “Are you ready to grow?” “Are you ready to maximize your potential?” Are you ready to be more, do more, and have more in your life?”

"There is a monumental difference in practice and deliberate practice." Deliberate practice builds good habits and prepares your for your next opportunity. Average practice usually reinforces bad habits and wastes valuable time.

I firmly believe that an insurance agent is a highly noble and critical profession. It is vital that the industry not only find new and young talent, but give the necessary tools to help new and young agents succeed. For new agents, understanding these three areas of why many agents fail will be critically important to make sure talented agents will be there in the future to serve others with pass...

Developing the mindset and learning the skill of connecting is the most profitable thing you can do for your business. When you increase your ability to connect, doors will unlock that you never thought possible. Connecting is truly all about others. You must get off your own agenda and try to understand your audience. When you improve your relationships, you will grow your business, discover new...

Effective leadership communication and influence, whether it’s with your team, your clients, or your company partners is 87% people knowledge and only 13% product knowledge. Think about that for a moment. 87% of our success is based on people knowledge, not product knowledge. Yet, insurance organizations spend the majority of their time training only the technical side of the business. Developing...

The 7 Traits of Authentic Insurance Leadership by Brent Kelly

Life is a series of stretches. Every stretch pushes you forward into growth. Abraham Maslow stated, “In any given moment we have two options: to step forward into growth or to step back into safety.” You must stretch. You are wired to stretch. You were created to stretch and become the person you were designed to be. You are fully equipped and resourced, but you have to start. You just have to tak...