Talent + Trust

In today’s episode, we continue with our special series on “Three Ways”.  Each episode in this series will provide you with three specific ways to plan, build, and supercharge your insurance career.  Today, I discuss Three Ways to Negotiate your next Big Raise. 

Show Highlights:

• #1 Way: It’s not just about the base salary – Craig and Rob discuss how to get what you want by thinking of total cash compensation including bonuses and other incentive compensation.  Rob gives you the one question to ask in every performance review that will get you a significant bonus – every time.  
• #2 Way: Setting mutually agreed upon benchmarks – Rob explains how to establish mutually agreed-upon goals and objectives with your boss and how to convert this to additional compensation.  
• #3 Way: Ask for more responsibility – Rob and Craig explain how to take on more responsibility in your job and why this is so important.  

Next Episode:  We will talk about the Three Ways to get a Big Promotion.

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

Welcome to another episode of talent and trust insurance careers. 

In today’s episode, we welcome back guest, Craig Picken, President of NorthStar Group, and talk Sales: The Greatest Career?

Can you teach sales skills? Is it true? Either have it, or you don't?

What makes a good salesperson?

• Grit, determination, and team ability.
• Having a drive for competition.
• Being able to deal with rejection.
• Building a book of business. You are the brand and it’s your business.
• Listening and being open to talking about anything.

Next Episode:  Three Ways to Manage your Boss.

Are you interested in being on a Talent and Trust podcast? Message me directly at [email protected]  

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.

All the best,

Rob Houghton

In today’s episode, we continue with our special series on “Three Ways”.  Each episode in this series will provide you with three specific ways to plan, build, and supercharge your insurance career.  Today, I discuss Three Ways to ace your next interview. 

Show Highlights:

• #1 Way: Play Offense - Interview the Client.  Never let a hiring authority pin you down with a million questions.  Learn the art of ‘conversational mapping’ to turn the tide in your favor.  
• #2 Way:  Storytelling – Learn the value of telling mini-stories and vignettes.  Instead of reciting the facts and figures from your resume, provide some well-thought-out “mini-stories”.  These are examples of some of your biggest success stories that you can relate back to your experience.  It brings to life your professional and personal experiences.  
• #3 Way: Preparation – Chance favors the prepared mind.  Learn the inside scoop on how to properly prepare for an interview.  Preparation shines through during the first ten minutes of an interview.  Find out why the first ten minutes of an interview are the most important.  

Next Episode:  We will talk about why sales is the greatest career of them all.

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.

All the best,

Rob Houghton

We going to learn today how my guest pulled this off and what that transition to sales was like.  

Kim Smith, Welcome to the Show!  

Show Highlights:

• So what made you decide to take the leap into commission-based sales?
• What is the Day in the Life of an insurance sales producer like?
• How is it different than insurance account management?
• They say women are better salespeople.  What do you think?  
• You’ve met with quite a splash in a relatively short period of time selling insurance to truckers.  Why do truckers buy from you?
• Do you have an industry specialty?
• Why trucking?
• What kind of coverages do you provide?
• Do you have a way about you that draws people in?  Is it the Voice? Or is it the lively personality?
• How do you find most of your sales leads?
• What motivates you to do sales?  Money? Recognition? The People?
• Are you happier now that you are doing sales?
• Where do you see yourself in this business in five years?  The subject matter expert in trucking?  The go-to person in trucking insurance?
• A successful insurance sales producer can make a lot of money – what are you going to do with it all?  Cars, houses, vacations??
• I don’t see you as a typical insurance sales guy out on the golf course – what do you do in your spare time?  
• Sales can be a grind.  How do you recharge your batteries? 
• Any advice for anyone out there in account management who is considering making the same transition to sales?

In today’s episode, I kick off our special series on “Three Ways”.  Each episode in this series will provide you with three specific ways to plan, build, and supercharge your insurance career.  Today, Craig Picken returns to the show as my guest to discuss the Three Ways to Get Yourself Fired. 

Show Highlights:

• #1 Way: Lack of Extreme Ownership:  In times of acquisitions and company reorganizations, you must be accountable for your work.  Find out how why it is so important that leaders take responsibility for their direct reports and staff make sure they meet or exceed goals and objectives set with their supervisors.
• #2 Way:  The Lone Wolf Syndrome.  If you’re not a team player or get frustrated by bureaucracy and office politics, find something else to do.  Start a company.  Be an entrepreneur. Knowing how to operate within a system of process and structure is a corporate survival skill.  Learn how to navigate your way around an organization.
• #3 Way: Lack of Continuous Improvement:  If you’re not moving forward, you’re moving backward.  Find out how you can improve your value to your organization by taking that extra step.  It’s not that hard.  The resources are a click away.  Find out why reading non-fiction AND fiction is one of the best ways to improve yourself.  

We always welcome your feedback at [email protected]   And be sure to read my blogs every Friday at www.mrfairfax.com too.

Welcome to “Talent & Trust:  The Great Realization Revisited:  A discussion with Craig Picken.  In today’s episode, Craig joins me to discuss the ramifications of “The Great Realization” and how it tied to the Great Resignation.  We also stumble onto the next logical iteration of all this: “The Great Re-Focusing.”    

Show Highlights:

• Craig and I discuss and deconstruct The Great Realization.
• We discuss how the Great Realization is driving the Great Resignation.
• We relay our personal stories of how the Great Realization is affecting today’s workplace.
• Why are 40% of all workers considering leaving their jobs within the next 12 months?
• We introduce The Next Big Thing:  The Great Re-Focusing.
• Learn how quality time to think leads to self-discovery which then leads to Self-Realization.
• How knowing the 12 Key Drivers to Happiness can help you attract and retain top talent in your business.
• We discuss and provide specific examples of how these 12 Key Drivers separate the winners from the losers in attracting and retaining key talent.

Show Highlights

• What is the Great Realization?
• How is it more transformative than The Great Resignation?
• Why does the Great Realization drive The Great Resignation and why are they joined at the hip?
• Why are 40% of all workers considering leaving their jobs within the next 12 months?
• The unintended consequences of Covid-19 and how it has changed how people think in the workplace forever.
• Learn how quality time to think leads to self-discovery which then leads to Self-Realization.
• What is Self-Realization?  Why is it so powerful?
• How does Self-Realization lead to Happiness?
• How knowing the 12 Key Drivers to Happiness can help you attract and retain top talent in your business.

Find me also on YouTube where I host the bi-weekly show, “The Million Dollar Career.”  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRnEb_TSySCoSO2ItIEpwCA

Show Highlights:

• Why the Decisive Engagement concept is critical to military special operations success on the battlefield.
• How Prioritize and Execute are a key part of Decisive Engagement and the key to handling chaos.  
• How multi-tasking can get you into trouble in your current or future career.
• How are a leader who takes on too many challenges at once is doomed to failure.

Find me also on YouTube where I host the bi-weekly show, “The Million Dollar Career.”  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRnEb_TSySCoSO2ItIEpwCA

In today’s episode, I respond to a listener’s request on how to negotiate a job offer.  My answer may surprise you because not knowing how or when to negotiate a job offer could cost you dearly. 

It could cost you that job, your ability to professionally grow, and your future earnings potential. 

Join me for an in-depth discussion on exactly how to successfully negotiate a job offer.

Show Highlights:

• Why do you always want to carefully read the entire offer letter?
• Why do you negotiate before the written offer is sent to you.
• Learn what the key negotiating points are for any job offer.
• Learn why salary is not the most important negotiating item.
• Learn why you never answer the question, “how much are you making now?”
• Learn why employment agreements can limit your future earning potential and even who you can and cannot work for in the future.
• Learn how an executive recruiter can make you big money.

In today’s episode, I review the surprising results of our 18th Annual WDC Insurance Salary Report.  It is a “candidate market” now and salaries are surging to unprecedented levels.  Join me for an in-depth discussion of why salaries are surging and where we go from here.

Show Highlights:

• How COVID-19 has driven up insurance compensation.
• Learn why six million workers have left the workforce.  
• Learn why Remote from Work flexibility has changed the way insurance firms secure and retain top talent.
• Learn why Employee Benefits account managers and producers make significantly more than their P&C counterparts.
• Learn why acquisitions in the WDC market are all about securing top talent and not about buying the revenue streams.

You can also find me also on YouTube where I host the bi-weekly show, “The Million Dollar Career.”