Talent + Trust

In today’s episode, Rob Houghton discusses how three independent insurance agencies reinvented their organizations using common sense principles available to all of us.

Show Highlights:

• Find out how one organization created an “insurance firm of destination” which enabled them to acquire and retain the region’s top insurance talent. 

• Learn how one insurance broker re-engineered a standard assessment profiling system to match new hires to the same skills and attributes as their existing peak performers and increased their talent retention to over 90% over three years.

• Learned how another insurance agency located in Virginia used, “Extreme Ownership” principles to empower and enable their sales force to grow sales by 23% annually over the past three years.

• Learn how you can reinvent yourself and your organization!

We always welcome your feedback at [email protected]   

And be sure to read my blogs every Friday at Rob's Rants and watch our award-winning show, The Million Dollar Career, at The Million Dollar Career published bi-weekly.

For previous podcast episodes, check out Talent + Trust Previous Podcast Episodes

All the best,

Rob Houghton

In today’s episode, Rob Houghton discusses how business leaders and small business owners are shaping the future of work in this post-pandemic workplace.  Less than three years after the pandemic hit, a vast global experiment is underway on how we will work in the future.  The results may surprise you.   

Show Highlights:

• Find out the four primary motivators for today’s younger generation in the workplace. 

• Learn how to test and experiment within your organization and workforce to achieve major leaps in productivity.

• Is hybrid and remote work environment really the future?  The answer may surprise you.

• Learn why teamwork must be directly aligned and tied to goals and purpose.

We always welcome your feedback at [email protected]   

And be sure to read my blogs every Friday at Rob's Rants and watch our award-winning show, The Million Dollar Career, at The Million Dollar Career published bi-weekly.

For previous podcast episodes, check out Talent + Trust Previous Podcast Episodes

All the best,

Rob Houghton

In today’s episode, Rob Houghton discusses the meteoric rise of NFL San Francisco Forty-Niners quarterback, Brock Purdy.  Purdy was the last pick in the NFL 2022 Draft and was dubbed, “Mr. Irrelevant.”  Rob provides lessons learned for all of us including corporate hiring authorities and candidates alike.   

Show Highlights:

• Find out how FOMO can kill a business or a career. 
• Get a behind the curtains look at how NFL teams evaluate and select their top talent.
• Learn what made Brock Purdy great and the one big mistake NFL teams made by passing him over six times each in the 2022 NFL Draft.
• Learn what this means for you in the corporate world.

We always welcome your feedback at [email protected]   

And be sure to read my blogs every Friday at Rob's Rants and watch our award-winning show, The Million Dollar Career, at The Million Dollar Career published bi-weekly.

For previous podcast episodes, check out Talent + Trust Previous Podcast Episodes

All the best,

Rob Houghton

In today’s episode, Rob Houghton provides a summary analysis of the 19th Annual Insurance Salary Report for producers and account managers in both the Employee Benefits and Property & Casualty sector. It was released to his clients and LinkedIn on January 2, 2023.  If you reside in the WDC region including all of Virginia and Maryland, the results may surprise you.   

Show Highlights:

• Find out how much more compensation workers in the Employee Benefits make than their counterparts in the Property & Casualty sector. 
• Learn how to get your free copy of this Insurance Salary Report.
• Learn how Quiet Quitting has impacted salaries in the insurance industry.
• Learn if The Great Resignation has impacted insurance compensation levels.

We always welcome your feedback at [email protected]   

And be sure to read my blogs every Friday at Rob's Rants and watch our award-winning show, The Million Dollar Career, at The Million Dollar Career published bi-weekly.

For previous podcast episodes, check out Talent + Trust Previous Podcast Episodes

All the best,

Rob Houghton

In today’s episode, Rob Houghton provides eight (8) specific tactics on how to get that next big raise and promotion.  Don’t be like most people and settle for the usual COLA increase of 3%.  Stand up for yourself and get what you deserve.  

Rob discusses in this final part of the series exactly how to get your next raise.    

Show Highlights:

• Learn why personalized goals are the key to specifying your raise request. 
• Learn why it is never too late to request an informal performance review.
• Learn why research is an important piece of credibility during your salary negotiation.
• Learn why role-playing with a friend or family member is a great way to prepare for a salary negotiation with your boss.

We always welcome your feedback at [email protected]   

And be sure to read my blogs every Friday at Rob's Rants and watch our award-winning show, The Million Dollar Career, at The Million Dollar Career published bi-weekly.

For previous podcast episodes, check out Talent + Trust Previous Podcast Episodes

All the best,

Rob Houghton

In today’s episode, Rob Houghton discusses how to get that next big raise and promotion.  Don’t be like most people and settle for the usual COLA increase of 3%.  Stand up for yourself and get what you deserve.  

Rob discusses some of the common pitfalls and lack of preparation that most employees experience when asking for a raise.  Learn how to prepare and lay the groundwork in this two-part series on asking for and getting a big raise.  

Show Highlights:

• Learn why a successful annual performance review is critical to getting a big raise. 
• Learn how to manage your boss during an annual performance review.
• Learn about a high-school grad who routinely gets 12% raises every year and has been promoted four times in the last six years.
• Learn the five steps to acing your next annual performance review.

Next Episode:  In our next podcast, Rob will provide you with 8 specific negotiating tactics to use for getting your next big raise.  

We always welcome your feedback at [email protected]   

And be sure to read my blogs every Friday at Rob's Rants and watch our award-winning show, The Million Dollar Career, at The Million Dollar Career published bi-weekly.

For previous podcast episodes, check out Talent + Trust Previous Podcast Episodes

All the best,

Rob Houghton

In today’s episode, Rob Houghton discusses the best ways to manage your superstars.  Hiring superstars (peak performers) can be a difference-maker and provide needed inspiration for your organization, but it can also deflate and dispirit an organization if not expertly managed.  Check out the WSJ article How to Manage a Superstar Employee 

Rob discusses some of the common pitfalls that employers make when bringing on board a superstar.  Rob also ties in his private sector corporate experience with his military special operations experience to draw some interesting comparisons.

Show Highlights:

• Find out why 25% is about the right ratio of superstars to staff in a typical organization. 
• Are professional sports divas any different than corporate superstars?
• Find out how superstars are directly related to increased organizational innovation.
• Find out how superstars who are perceived as aloof generate twice as much negativity, hostile opinions, and gossip more than others.

Next Episode:  In our next podcast, Rob will begin a new series titled, “Career Talk.”  These podcasts will discuss the nuts and bolts of how you can most effectively plan, build, and supercharge your career.  The first episode will explore the topic of Annual Performance Reviews.  Rob will provide you with the inside scoop on how to turn your next review into a career-enhancing move!

We always welcome your feedback at [email protected]   

And be sure to read my blogs every Friday at Rob's Rants and watch our award-winning show, The Million Dollar Career, at The Million Dollar Career published bi-weekly.

For previous podcast episodes, check out Talent + Trust Previous Podcast Episodes

In today’s episode, Rob Houghton discusses the concept of the RKG.  The Right Kind of Guy/Gal.  Professional sports teams, elite military units, and business leaders all have their own version of the RKG.  Being an RKG allows you to avoid all the nonsense behind Quiet Quitting, Quiet Firing, and now Quiet Hiring as well.  It’s where you want to be as a professional and a good citizen.

Show Highlights:

• How does being the RKG avoid the dreaded Quiet Quitting, Quiet Firing, and Quiet Hiring?  
• What exactly is an RKG?
• What are the attributes of an RKG?
• How can you become an RKG?
• Based on Rob’s attributes outlined in the show, are you an RKG or just another Poseur?  

Next Episode:  In our next podcast, Rob will explore the topic of Quiet Firing in much greater detail and show you why it is the ultimate form of passive-aggressive cowardice in the workplace today. 

We always welcome your feedback at [email protected]   

And be sure to read my blogs every Friday at Rob's Rants and watch our award-winning show, The Million Dollar Career, at The Million Dollar Career published bi-weekly.

For previous podcast episodes, check out Talent + Trust Previous Podcast Episodes

All the best,

Rob Houghton

In today’s episode, Rob Houghton provides his expert take on the new phenomenon called, “Quiet Firing” and how it relates to Quiet Quitting and Quiet Hiring.  Are you being “quietly fired” right now?  Find out what this is all about and how not to be a victim of this cowardly act.

Show Highlights:

• #1 What exactly is Quiet Firing?  Learn how to recognize this cowardly act and when an employer quietly identifies internal employees for termination who are underperformers. 
• #2 How Quiet Firing is a Double-Edged Sword:    Rob provides a recent example of how Quiet Firing can backfire on a firm by casting a shadow of distrust over the entire organization.
• #3 Why Quiet Firing is just plain wrong:  Learn how Quiet Firing is the opposite side of the same coin as Quiet Quitting. 

Next Episode:  In our next podcast, Rob will explore the concept of the RKG – the “Right Kind of Guy/Gal” and how you can benefit and from this and supercharge your career.  

We always welcome your feedback at [email protected]   

And be sure to read my blogs every Friday at Rob's Rants and watch our award-winning show, The Million Dollar Career, at The Million Dollar Career published bi-weekly.

For previous podcast episodes, check out Talent + Trust Previous Podcast Episodes

All the best,

Rob Houghton

In today’s episode, Rob Houghton discusses the concept of the Cyber-Bohemian. Learn how this trend is far more dangerous to society and the workplace than the Quiet Quitter.  Also, learn how this new dynamic can positively impact your career.

Show Highlights:

• Learn how to recognize a Cyber-Bohemian.  Are you one?  Not likely if you are reading this.
• Learn how to exploit the Cyber-Bohemian to your great advantage in your life and within your organization.
• Learn what fate ultimately awaits the Cyber-Bohemian.

We always welcome your feedback at [email protected]   

And be sure to read my blogs every Friday at Rob's Rants and watch our award-winning show, The Million Dollar Career, at The Million Dollar Career published bi-weekly.

For previous podcast episodes, check out Talent + Trust Previous Podcast Episodes

All the best,

Rob Houghton