Roger Sitkins argues that communication skill gaps are the real reason insurance agencies underperform. Most people assume talking a lot makes you better at it, but practicing wrong habits just locks them in. Real improvement takes deliberate practice and preparation.
Chapters
One of the most fundamental gaps in agency performance is based on the skill of communication. It's often taken for granted that either as an agency or an insurance professional, you either are a good or average, or maybe even below average communicator, and that if we just simply talk to enough people or have enough conversations, we'll just naturally become better at communication. But let me ask you a question. Have you ever practiced a skill incorrectly only to find yourself not only not getting better, but actually performing worse? This is very true in communication. We consider communication a soft skill. However, it is the hardest skill to master, and that's why many agencies and insurance professionals do not engage in the skill of communication at the highest level. It is the tool, it is the weapon. It is the way that you influence other people to become a better communicator. However, it takes diligence, practice, preparation, and ongoing development.