This article expands upon a concept discussed during the NASBP Virtual Seminar that addressed how surety professionals can make 2012 an excellent year.

The concept of coaching is obviously well accepted in the worlds of athletics and entertainment. Every world-class athlete and entertainer has a coach to help him/her achieve and maintain the highest standards. They do this even though, intellectually, they know exactly what they need to do to be successful. Why do they have coaches? A key reason is that the coach helps the athlete/entertainer do the things they do not want to do in order to achieve what they want to achieve. When they want to quit, the coach makes sure they keep going.

Unfortunately, not enough insurance professionals have a coach. The ones that do have a coach tend to be the leaders of the industry. Those that don’t are often frustrated that they are not achieving goals or reaching levels they believe are within their reach.

Do you have a coach? Your coach does not have to be an outside consultant with whom you’ve entered a contract. It could be someone in your agency, a client or a “Center of Influence.” The key is that they are committed to your success and are not afraid to hold you accountable. If you are considering a coach, here are four keys to success in the relationship:

Trust and Honesty

No coaching relationship is going to be successful without both trust and honesty. As you are choosing a coach, ask yourself two questions: (1) Can I trust this person? and (2) Will he/she be honest with me?

You have to be able to trust your coach because you will be sharing some very intimate thoughts and goals. You have to know that these will be kept confidential. If you have any doubts, you should not choose that person as your coach. Additionally, your coach has to be honest with you. He/she cannot tell you what you want to hear. This person has to tell you the truth, even if the truth hurts. Otherwise, he/she will be an enabler.

One of the best examples of a coach who displays trust and honesty is Tony Dungy. Dungy is a former NFL head coach and has written a phenomenal book, “Quiet Strength.” Any player who was coached by Dungy knew his moral and ethical make-up and as a result knew they could trust him.

Accountability

It is critical that your coach hold you accountable. Accountable for your activity, accountable for your commitments and accountable for your results. The person we lie to most in our life is ourselves. We try convincing ourselves that we are doing what we committed to do, but deep down we know we are not. This is where your coach steps in and works with you to make sure you do the necessary actions to achieve the goals you set for yourself.

John Wooden, the legendary basketball coach, provided one of the greatest examples of accountability. One of Wooden’s rules was that players could not have any facial hair. One of his players was Bill Walton, one of the greatest college basketball players of all time. Walton wanted to challenge Wooden’s rules and grew a beard. He showed up at practice one day and told Wooden that he thought it was his right to have a beard. Instead of caving in to a superstar performer, John Wooden looked at Walton and said, “Mr. Walton, I agree. It has been nice having you as a member of the UCLA basketball team.” Walton showed up at practice the next day clean-shaven.

The best coaches hold you to your commitments. They do not give in because you had a good month or a good year. They keep after you because they know how easy it is for you to slide into your old habits.

Share Your Dreams and Goals With Your Coach

It is critical that your coach understand your dreams and goals. Without this information it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, for him/her to inspire you do the things you don’t want to do in order for you to accomplish the things you want to accomplish.

Phil Jackson, former NBA coach, was known as the “Zen Master” for his ability to inspire and motivate his players. It was critical that he find out what motivated his players, many of them had already won multiple championships and were making millions of dollars. Armed with this information, he was able to push his teams to even greater success.

Practice and Preparation

When it is all said and done, it is up to you to execute the activities, tasks and techniques that make an insurance producer successful. The coach cannot do it for you. What the coach can do is prepare you and have you practice so you will achieve success.

The best sales coaches make sure that you have a well thought out pre-call plan. Once the plan is established he/she will make sure that you practice the call. It is through this preparation and practice that you position yourself for success.

The Giants just beat the Patriots to win the Super Bowl. You know that the coach of the Giants, Tom Coughlin created a game plan. He then spent two weeks making sure his players practiced the plays they were going to run. The Giants practiced these plays every day leading up to the Super Bowl even though they had run the exact same plays hundreds of times throughout the season. Coughlin just won his second Super Bowl as a coach. He is a great example for insurance producers of how important a coach is in preparing you for success.

As you look for a coach to help you achieve extraordinary results remember these four key points:

• Find someone you trust
• Make sure he/she holds you accountable
• Be sure that this person understands your dreams and goals
• Commit to on-going practice sessions with your coach

Good luck in your pursuit of sales excellence!

For more information about how to identify a coach, purchase the audio recording of the NASBP Virtual Seminar titled, “12 in ‘12: Twelve Action Items to Make Your 2012 an Extraordinary Year,” held on December 13, 2011 and presented by Chris Carlson and NASBP Second Vice President, Lawrence McMahon, who is also Senior Vice President and Surety Manager for Alliant Insurance Services, Inc., one of the country’s largest insurance brokerage firms.

The author of this article is Chris Carlson. Carlson is a Sales Coach with Anthony Cole Training Group, a firm that specializes in working with Agencies, Sales Managers and Producers within the Insurance Brokerage industry. Carlson has over 27 years of sales, sales management and sales development experience. His front line experience allows him to relate strongly to his clients and deliver a message that resonates with all levels in the sales organization. Carlson can be reached at chris@anthonycoletraining.com or (206) 419-7440.