Jenny Brower, marketing manager, Harbor/Brenn Agencies, Petosky, Michigan, wrote to us recently: 'I like everything I'm doing, but it's overwhelming-HELP!'
With Jenny's permission, her letter has been condensed by summarizing all that she's presently doing. This article will provide a few suggestions to help her cope with these multiple tasks. Perhaps they may apply to you as well.
Responsibilities
- act as CSR for a portion of personal lines clients
- cross-sell for personal Lines
- sell life insurance
- handle agency advertising and marketing (for two offices)
- represent agency at chamber of commerce functions
- participate as active member in Jaycees (for business promotion)
- serve on automation team (along with another worker)
- serve as state representative for Agena Corporation
- analyze and total monthly cancellation and new-business logs
- act as project manager for book transfer from one company to another
- conduct auto policy reviews (six-month project of proactive contacts to reduce risk of present clients going to competitors)
There are probably a dozen other things Jenny couldn't think of as she wrote.
First, I suggest that every business can be simplified by identifying four basic categories of work objectives: management (personnel), sales (and marketing), service (client demands), and administration (financial and legal). I believe that no one person can operate successfully in more than two of these areas.
Consider juggling. Only a small percentage of the population can actually keep three objects successfully rotating through the air. An even smaller percentage can successfully juggle three different sizes and types of objects. Yet every day, many try to juggle three, and sometimes four, different types of work activity.
My recommendation is to identify the two areas in which you work best, then delegate the rest.
Each of the items that Jenny listed can be categorized into one of the four basic work objectives:
Personal lines accounts are a service function.
- Cross-selling is a sales/service function.
- Life insurance sales are sales/service functions.
- Advertising and marketing are sales/management functions.
- Chamber of commerce participation is a sales activity.
- Jaycees participation may be considered a sales activity.
- Automation-team membership can be an administrative function or a service function.
- State representation for Agena Corporation is a management or administrative function.
- Monthly totaling of cancellation and new-business logs are administrative functions, and the analysis is a management function.
- Project management for transfer of book is a management function.
- Coverage reviews should be a proactive service function, incorporated into the CSR role.
Now I suggest that Jenny and her employer/manager analyze where her talents are best utilized in the organization. She is definitely spreading herself thin. I'm concerned that she'll end up being a 'Jill of all trades and master of none.'
Since Jenny's title is 'marketing manager,' it would seem her primary work objectives are in the sales area. I would strongly suggest she look for ways to concentrate on sales as her primary job responsibility, and begin to analyze, then delegate, some of the other tasks she is trying to complete.
Another possible solution is for Jenny to prepare a more specific list of job functions, then with her boss, rank them in the order of their importance. Each day, they should reestablish priorities together, until they're both comfortable with the primary direction of the work.
Regarding the consolidation of reports, Jenny should let Agena go to work for her. While an 'analytical eye' (management) must review the information, her system should be able to produce reports in a format ready for her to examine.
Fact Summary
- Every business can be simplified by identifying four basic work objectives: management, sales, service, and administration.
- Identify the two areas in which you work best; delegate the rest.
- Each day, reestablish priorities with your boss until you're both comfortable with the work's direction.