Best Practices of a Multigeneration Agency – Sacred Cows
One of the biggest challenges of multigenerational agencies is when the generation running the agency, or the one owning it in the background, does things in their “own way.” This might mean using paper files, for example. Another common situation you might experience in a multigenerational insurance agency is something we call the Sacred Cow.
“I think for most family generational agencies, they’re trying to avoid the family feud, but unfortunately, sometimes not addressing issues actually leads to more issues.”
When a legacy owner has people who have been very loyal to them for decades, but who don’t perform at today’s standards, they fall under the category of Sacred Cow. That’s because their behavior won’t be addressed, them not following workflows won’t be addressed, and the like. So, what do you do if you experience this issue at a multigenerational insurance agency?
We say that in order to honor the previous generations, you try to find a way to work with them. Instead of getting rid of them, try to find ways to let them keep working business as usual, while not ruffling the feathers of the other employees. A great way to do that is to give that Sacred Cow a slightly different title. Instead of an account manager, make them an account executive. That way, they’re separated from the other account managers, and won’t cause any friction with their different workflows and processes.
When an owner comes in and outright retires a Sacred Cow, it reflects a bit of a broken understanding of the previous generation at a multigenerational insurance agency. Actions like this can lead to fueds, rifts, and tension. Instead, find a way to balance tradition and change.
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