NAILBA Perspectives - July 2017 - 32

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nailba's agency successor networking group

The Future of the ASNG

JOHN GILBERT
CHAIR, ASNG

Have you been identified as the next
sitting principal of your agency? Visit
http://www.nailba.org/membership/
asng for more information about
the group, a schedule of upcoming
teleconferences, a membership
application, or to offer your services
as an expert speaker. Contact Susan
Klemmer, Deputy CEO at NAILBA,
with specific questions about the
ASNG (sklemmer@nailba.org or
703.383.3081).
32 perspectives JULY 2017

here to now? My last
column dealt with the
re-engagement and new
direction that the Agency Successor
Networking Group would be working toward this year. The question
now comes, how and what does that
look like? We have been undertaking a series of surveys and personal
phone calls to try and determine
what the membership wants and
what NAILBA will really need to do
to drive additional value to being a
member of this group.
Specifically, we are on a mission
to discover what our participant
members find valuable and what
more we can provide. If you've been
considering applying to join the
ASNG, maybe some of this feedback
will help you make your decision.
"It is helpful to be in a group
with peers that have similar problems, worries and to gain an understanding of how to overcome those
challenges," says one group member. Planning for the future of the
group, we are looking to expand on
the topics that we discuss, have
speakers present on, and that our
articles speak to. Our goals for the
future will be to grow our group
on many fronts including but not
limited to a best practices study
group; a potential marketplace for
agency acquisition; and a continued focus on the perils and challenges that being a potential, current, or recent agency successor
bears on our group members.
"Providing insight into the psychology of working in a family business would be helpful," was a recent
survey comment that really resonated. There has been quite a bit
of time spent on the mechanics of
succession but precious little time
spent on the personal skills and the
psychology that goes along with
working in and taking over a fami-

ly business. What a great suggestion
and one that will be implemented
very soon.
"Tackling the project of inforce
policy management is a struggle at
our agency," said every agency person ever! Here is a perfect example of how shifting the group from
a succession-based platform to a
group that feels comfortable sharing all best practices with each other will benefit all agencies involved
and generate interest in the group
from those who are not affiliated.
Time and again I hear that phrase,
"The most valuable time I spend at
industry meetings, IMO retreats or
any gathering in our industry are
the side conversations I have with
my peers." The sharing of ideas and
best practices is one of the most
valuable resources this industry
possesses; if this group can continue to harness that potential we will
be on to something great.
"Creating a marketplace for
agency owners that do not have a
succession plan is a very exciting
idea to me," was a great thought
generated through survey feedback. This seems like a no brainer
idea, but one that will take a little

time and effort to execute. Many
are aware there are literally hundreds of agencies across this country. How many of them are ready for
the succession planning that needs
to happen to seamlessly transfer
that agency forward to ensure that
their business lives on in one form
or another? How could ASNG play
a role in helping agencies that do
not have a plan or have not identified a successor? This is really
an exciting prospect and one that
would take this from a study group
to possibly one of the reasons that
our industry succeeds in delivering
our important products and services to the next generation that
needs them.
As always, I am open to your
suggestions, and we welcome new
applicants at any time. For more
information about the ASNG or
to join, visit the NAILBA website
(www.nailba.org), and look for the
ASNG page under Membership.
ASNG members: plan now to attend
the special ASNG-member-only workshop at the Annual Meeting, "Slaying
the Employee Dragon," with Melinda
Meyer as our guest speaker.

http://www.nailba.org/membership/asng http://www.nailba.org/membership/asng http://www.nailba.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NAILBA Perspectives - July 2017