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what people say
...your presentation on Best Practices was a hit with the attendees at the Nexsure User Group meeting. In addition to explaining exactly what are Best Practices, how you define them, how to...
Approximately a year ago, while I was attending CIC on Agency Management, the instructor struck a cord regarding agency management systems, standards and workflows. A couple of years before, we...
Roxana F. Sora, CIC, AAI
Chief Commercial Operations Officer
Seitlin Insurance & Advisory Services
The information Pat provides during her presentations comes from years of experience in the trenches of the insurance industry. She is able to speak authoritatively about the changes agency staff goes...
Thank you for attending the 2007 Assurex Global commercial Lines Meeting in Houston last month. Your presentation on Best Practices was very informative for our attendees...
Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to speak at our 2008 Rural Agents/Small Town Agency Conference. The reviews were great and we have heard nothing but excellent comments from everyone...
business reading
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The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable
This was my first Patrick Lencioni book. Reading it opened my eyes to what I believe are often core issues that my clients face in operating their businesses. I was fortunate to be able to attend Patrick's Building Winning Teams Workshop in November 2007. It was an awesome workshop. I recommend this book to every agency I work with and I highly recommend Patrick's workshop. -
The Three Signs of a Miserable Job: A Fable for Managers (And Their Employees) (J-B Lencioni Series)
Patrick Lencioni, renowned business consultant and bestselling author of The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, is on a critical mission: create widespread job satisfaction in a world full of workplace misery. Another must read for every owner, partner, manager and supervisor of any type firm. -
Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't
I require that the owner and mangers of agencies I work with read this book.
personal reading
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In My Mother's Closet; An Invitation to Remember
This book brought back so many memories. My Mother's closet was a wonderful place. Beautiful clothes and her wonderful perfume always. Forty-three accomplished women recall their mother's closets, where they tried on clothes, jewelry, and shoes and imagined the world they would one day enter, the world of being a woman. When Eugenia Zukerman invited these women to talk with her about memories of their mother's closets, she unlatched a floodgate that goes far beyond clothing and possessions.This is a unique approach to an exploration of the intense, dynamic relationship between mothers and their daughters, tapping into myths, mysteries and rites of passage. The memories open the door to the special bond that belongs uniquely to mothers, daughters, sisters and girlfriends.
solutions to challenges with innovative ideas
Pat Alexander, CIC
consultant - coach - mentor
Pat enables insurance agents and brokers to grow and meet their goals. Pat provides information and experience to help turn threatening or unfamiliar situations into opportunities to enhance the client experience leading to better client retention and referrals.
learn more
U. S. Naval Academy
June 30th, 2009
On our recent trip to Annapolis we took the opportunity to visit the U. S. Naval Academy. It was the highlight of our trip. I highly recommend doing the guided tour to get the lay of the land and the history of the academy.
Once you have completed the guided tour you are free to visit areas not on the tour or revisit areas you would like to spend more time at. We didn’t get to see a couple of areas as they were under renovation but what we saw was wonderful.
One of the highlights is the display of model ships and the scenes depicting how they are crafted. I have included only a few of the photos from this exhibit. This was the largest number of model ships I have ever seen in one exhibit. It is amazing to me how anyone has the talent and patience to do this tiny, detailed craft.
If you are going to be in the DC or Baltimore area, you should include the Naval Academy in your plans if at all possible. I rate this as one of the true joys of The Glamour of the Road.
Technorati Tags: travel,Naval Academy,Annapolis,history,Glamour of the Road
Manhattan June 09
June 13th, 2009
Usually not much changes from one visit to the next in Manhattan. However, a few weeks ago a section of Broadway was made a pedestrian mall. I found that this made getting around in that area much easier. However, I am still trying to figure out why you would want to sit in a lawn chair for any period of time in this area. But that is just me.
My Most Important Noticer
June 8th, 2009
I have been reading The Noticer and it has caused me to think a lot about mentoring. By the time I was 21 years old I had been in the insurance business 3 years, but I had no idea where I was going or what a career was. I was so very fortunate while looking for a new job to find Mr. Russell Grace, owner of Russell Grace Insurance.
Madrid & Cerrillos, NM
June 7th, 2009
On Friday, May 29, 2009, our group piled into our rented van and trekked off to Madrid, NM. This is an artist colony in the mountains southeast of Santa Fe about 20 miles. No signal lights or stop signs in this little town.
A 2 lane highway goes through the middle of town and each side is lined with shops, restaurants, one bar, a mine museum and homes. This is the town where Wild Hogs with John Travolta was shot and it looks the same after that event as it did before. Read the rest of this entry »
Salsas!
May 31st, 2009
Not dancing but cooking. Before I became an insurance nerd and later an insurance geek I was a home economics major. Cooking is one of the things I really like to do. When I am home I cook as many meals as possible.
When considering what to do while in Santa Fe I thought about a cooking class. My traveling companions said they weren’t interested so I chose the Salsas class as it fit our schedule the best and it was a hands-on class. I had not taken a cooking class since my college days but have wanted to for a very long time. What a really fun time I had. Gene came in close to the end of the class and got this picture of our Chef/Instructor, Rocky Durham. Two of my team mates are shown to my left. The lady with the bowl is from Los Alamos, NM and this was her second class at the school. The gentleman to her left is from Alabama. His wife thought he should take this class while she was shopping. Our other team member was a lady from Dallas. Funny how the two ladies from Texas found each other right off.
Santa Fe, New Mexico
May 29th, 2009
A few months ago a couple that has been life long friends with Gene and that I meet and joined in this friendship a few years ago asked us to meet them in Santa Fe for a few days. They were meeting his sister and her husband here for several days. We have never traveled with any of these people before and hardly know our friends relatives but we said it sounded like fun, I love Santa Fe and I thought I really needed a few days away.
We have had so much fun. When we arrived on Tuesday evening we picked them up and went to Tomasita’s for our first New Mexican meal of the trip and a planning session.
What I Learned Setting Up A New Blog
May 21st, 2009
Moving to a self administered blog has been a challenge and a learning event. First there was learning how to administer the site itself. I still look around for the function I need. I am not fully up-to-speed in this piece of software yet. But with frequent use I am getting there fast.
Next the learning involves researching and deciding what widgets and plug-ins one might need or want. I have to tell you this is an endless list. Without the help of articles I have read by other WordPress users and the help of a very special WordPress administrator, I would be totally lost.
I feel a lot like an employee of an insurance agency would when they are learning a new system. I still have real work to do, clients to talk to, yet I need to spend time learning this new software and develop it as a tool for my clients. I know I will get through this learning and development curve and cruse along in an effective way soon.
One of the areas that I have spent a lot of time researching is a tool for blogging offline. I went through several recommended softwares before settling on Windows Live Writer. This software provides all of the functionality of writing direct in the blog plus a few plug-ins that are actually easier to use outside the blog. Like in implementing agency systems, I am spending a lot of time upfront for a payback in the long term by having the best, most efficient software in place. This will allow me to respond normally to my clients and support my website and blogging.
So if you are implementing a new system or updating the way you use your system, remember that the time invested upfront will pay off in the long term.
Impowersoft Selects Patricia Alexander to Aspire Advisory Board
May 20th, 2009
I am honored to share this press release with you. Watch for my review of this product in the July 2009 edition of “The Anderson Agency Report”.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 19, 2009
Patricia Alexander: A New Key Member on the impowersoft Team
Today, impowersoft announced the selection of Mrs. Patricia Alexander, CIC, CPIW, as a new member to the Aspire Advisory Board. As a consultant, coach and mentor to many agencies, her experience spans standard insurance carriers, retail agencies, surplus lines insurance carriers and managing general agencies. She has been an agency owner in addition to holding several executive level management positions throughout her career. Mrs. Alexander has managed large, national programs both at the insurance carrier level and at the managing general agency level.
Real Time/Download Webinar
May 18th, 2009
I highly recommend this webinar. I have heard very positive feed back from the agencies I know that have attended. Independent agencies are deriving major benefits from implementing Real Time as well as Commercial and Personal Lines Download today and I encourage you to attend this highly regarded one hour webinar being put on by the Real Time/Download Campaign on Wednesday, June 3 (1:30-2:30 PM eastern time) and on Wednesday, July 1 (1:30-2:30 PM eastern time). ACT has gotten great agent and carrier attendance at previous showings of this Webinar, averaging 390! I encourage you register for this webinar today.
