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... x No Thanks Loading.. Horseback Riding Or Riding On The Back Of A Horse 4/30/2013 by CompleteMarkets Editor , Michael Manes This content has not been rated yet. HORSEBACK RIDING OR RIDING ON THE BACK OF A HORSE by Mike Manes Are you running your agency, or is it running you? This document by Mike Manes examines the elements that make the difference. Understand them and you'll be well on your way to taking control and steering your business forward. &# 160 As a boy, more than anything else I wanted a horse. In my fantasy world, I'd be Roy Rogers on Trigger, a jockey aboard Man of War, or a pioneer driving a covered wagon on the Oregon Trail. I got my wish (watch what you pray for!) . Suddenly my fantasy world collided with reality. My horse, Sham, was a beautiful animal. He was young, spirited, and impossible to ride. His first evening at the farm foreshadowed his style and our relationship. He went through a corral to visit with an old blind mare that roamed free. We attempted to curb his spirit by limiting his manhood. Watching this procedure hurt me, but it didn't calm Sham. I thought that a horseback ride was the ideal way to spend an hour, an afternoon, or even a day pursuing adventures. This animal would take me places that I wanted to go — physically or imaginatively. The horse and my command of it would make me special. The reality was far different. I never took Sham for a ride; he ...

... , they are required to provide proof that they have auto insurance as required by law in their state. A copy of the employees current policy must be given to the employee's supervisor and will be kept in the personnel files. A new copy must be provided at the time the current policy expires to show that the insurance has been renewed. Transporting Employees When several employees are transported in a van, bus, or truck, the operator must have a license appropriate to the class of vehicle being driven. The transporting vehicles must be equipped with adequate seats. Vehicles must be equipped with lamps, brakes, horns, windshields, mirrors, and turn signals in good repair. Vehicles must be provided with handrails, steps, stirrups or similar devices for mounting or dismounting. Employees are prohibited from riding on top of any load which can shift, topple, or otherwise become unstable. When tools with sharp edges are carried in passenger compartments they must be placed in closed boxes or containers which cannot shift, topple or become unstable. Employee transport vehicles must carry at least two reflective type flares. A fully charged fire extinguisher in good condition must be kept in each transport vehicle. General Safety Rules for Trucks, Tractors, and Forklifts General Rules All operators must be trained and certified at least annually. Plant conditions and operator duties should be reviewed at least annually and when any changes occur. All rules must be enforced. Safety and training records will be maintained. Operating Rules 1. Only authorized, trained, licensed drivers are permitted to operate equipment. 2. No stunt driving or ...

... . When using their own personal vehicles for company business, employees must show proof that they have Auto insurance as required by law in their state. A copy of the employee's current policy must be given to his or her supervisor and kept in the personnel files. When an insurance policy expires, a copy of the renewal must be supplied. Transporting Employees When several employees are transported in a van, bus, or truck, the operator must have a license appropriate for the class of vehicle being driven, and the vehicle must be equipped with adequate seats. Lamps, brakes, horns, windshields, mirrors, and turn signals should be in good repair. The vehicles must also be provided with handrails, steps, stirrups, or similar devices for mounting or dismounting. Employees are prohibited from riding on top of any load that can shift, topple, or otherwise become unstable. When tools with sharp edges are carried in passenger compartments, they must be placed in closed boxes or containers that cannot shift or topple. Employee-transport vehicles must carry at least two reflective-type flares. A fully charged fire extinguisher in good condition should also be kept. Vehicle Safety Rules 1. Only authorized individuals are allowed to operate company vehicles. Operators are required to have a proper drivers license for the class of vehicle they are operating. 2. Do not operate any vehicle that you do not feel comfortable handling in both routine and emergency situations. Get training if needed. 3. Do not operate any vehicle if your ability is impaired by medication, alcohol, or drugs. 4. Before using a ...

... , they are required to provide proof that they have auto insurance as required by law in their state. A copy of the employees current policy must be given to the employee's supervisor and will be kept in the personnel files. A new copy must be provided at the time the current policy expires to show that the insurance has been renewed. Transporting Employees When several employees are transported in a van, bus, or truck, the operator must have a license appropriate to the class of vehicle being driven. The transporting vehicles must be equipped with adequate seats. Vehicles must be equipped with lamps, brakes, horns, windshields, mirrors, and turn signals in good repair. Vehicles must be provided with handrails, steps, stirrups or similar devices for mounting or dismounting. Employees are prohibited from riding on top of any load which can shift, topple, or otherwise become unstable. When tools with sharp edges are carried in passenger compartments they must be placed in closed boxes or containers which cannot shift, topple or become unstable. Employee transport vehicles must carry at least two reflective type flares. A fully charged fire extinguisher in good condition must be kept in each transport vehicle. General Safety Rules for Trucks, Tractors, and Forklifts General Rules All operators must be trained and certified at least annually. Plant conditions and operator duties should be reviewed at least annually and when any changes occur. All rules must be enforced. Safety and training records will be maintained. Operating Rules 1. Only authorized, trained, licensed drivers are permitted to operate equipment. 2. No stunt driving or ...

... must be supplied to the employee's supervisor and will be kept on file. Employees using personal vehicles for work must also provide proof of Auto insurance as required by law in their state. A copy of the employee's current policy must be kept on file with the employee's supervisor. After a policy expires, a copy of the renewed policy must be provided to prove continuation of coverage. Transporting Employees When several employees are transported in a van, bus or truck, the operator must have a license to drive the class of vehicle driven by the employee. All vehicles must be equipped with adequate seats and working lamps, brakes, horns, windshields, mirrors, and turn signals. Vehicles must be provided with handrails, steps, stirrups or similar devices for mounting or dismounting. Employees are prohibited from riding on top of any load which can shift, topple, or otherwise become unstable. When tools with sharp edges are placed in the passenger space, they must be enclosed in closed boxes or containers which cannot shift, topple, or become unstable. Vehicles must carry at least two reflective type flares and a fully charged fire extinguisher maintained in working condition. Vehicle Safety Rules Do not drive the vehicle without authorization. You are required to present the proper driver's license and/or operator's permit. If you have concerns about a vehicle's handling ability in routine or emergency situations, do not drive it until the required repairs are made. If you are uneasy about operating a certain a vehicle, ask your employer for proper training before attempting to drive it. If your judgment and ability are impaired ...

... . When using their own personal vehicles for company business, employees must show proof that they have Auto insurance as required by law in their state. A copy of the employee's current policy must be given to his or her supervisor and kept in the personnel files. When an insurance policy expires, a copy of the renewal must be supplied. Transporting Employees When several employees are transported in a van, bus, or truck, the operator must have a license appropriate for the class of vehicle being driven, and the vehicle must be equipped with adequate seats. Lamps, brakes, horns, windshields, mirrors, and turn signals should be in good repair. The vehicles must also be provided with handrails, steps, stirrups, or similar devices for mounting or dismounting. Employees are prohibited from riding on top of any load that can shift, topple, or otherwise become unstable. When tools with sharp edges are carried in passenger compartments, they must be placed in closed boxes or containers that cannot shift or topple. Employee-transport vehicles must carry at least two reflective-type flares. A fully charged fire extinguisher in good condition should also be kept. Vehicle Safety Rules 1. Only authorized individuals are allowed to operate company vehicles. Operators are required to have a proper drivers license for the class of vehicle they are operating. 2. Do not operate any vehicle that you do not feel comfortable handling in both routine and emergency situations. Get training if needed. 3. Do not operate any vehicle if your ability is impaired by medication, alcohol, or drugs. 4. Before using a ...

... who is a "tire kicker" and who is a "buyer." You can learn who is there to gather information – the Reactive personality – and those who want an opportunity to take action – the Proactive. In many cases, "Reactives" are passive personality types – followers. They also tend to experts in specific bodies of knowledge. In uncomfortable or unfamiliar situations, many people can't initiate activity, but need to gather information in to understand the situation before they can begin to make a decision. For example, if you've ever gone to an amusement park and found yourself at roller coaster you face only two choices: 1) get in line; or 2) have an anxiety attack at the thought of getting on that insane ride which will surely throw you to your death. In the context of roller coasters, are you Proactive or Reactive? People who initiate action are "Proactive." They're often the impulse buyers, leaders, pioneers, early adopters. Their unconscious motto is, "Fire, Ready, Aim." In battle, Proactives would waste all of their ammunition by the time they saw the whites of the enemy's eyes. Back to the sales scenario: If Bill is leaning forward in his chair, the chances are that he's a Proactive who hates inactivity, tends to get involved in a situation early on, and wants to take action. He's not a researcher or planner – give him the opportunity to buy as soon as possible. On the other hand, if Bill is ...

... crises. In the presence of such a calm and effective management style, enough new business is produced to more than offset attrition. The agency is on a steady growth curve and morale is good. Then, seemingly overnight, things start to unravel. The system that had been running so smoothly becomes a roller coaster of minor disasters. The team spirit grinds to a shaky halt, and what was once frequent laughter becomes almost constant bickering. Revenues level off or even begin to decrease, and the profit margin erodes. When this happens, a lot of agency owners and managers blame the market conditions, temporarily forgetting that they had been doing just fine in the same competitive market until only recently. Seizing on this convenient excuse for all of their ills, they are tempted to try to ride out the storm until the market turns. With so much capacity available, the hardening of the commercial market still lies in the distant future-if it will happen at all. An agency that was generating a 12% profit can withstand 10% revenue decreases for only two years before serious adjustments have to be made to keep from going under. Waiting is not a viable option. At the first sign that the well-oiled machine is rusting, you must actively search for the cause and get things turned around quickly. With premiums and commission rates going down at a steady pace, there's not a lot of room for procrastination. In most cases, the organizational difficulties are rooted in the very success that the agency had been enjoying. It may simply have grown past the point where the existing organizational structure ...

... crises. In the presence of such a calm and effective management style, enough new business is produced to more than offset attrition. The agency is on a steady growth curve and morale is good. Then, seemingly overnight, things start to unravel. The system that had been running so smoothly becomes a roller coaster of minor disasters. The team spirit grinds to a shaky halt, and what was once frequent laughter becomes almost constant bickering. Revenues level off or even begin to decrease, and the profit margin erodes. When this happens, a lot of agency owners and managers blame the market conditions, temporarily forgetting that they had been doing just fine in the same competitive market until only recently. Seizing on this convenient excuse for all of their ills, they are tempted to try to ride out the storm until the market turns. With so much capacity available, the hardening of the commercial market still lies in the distant future-if it will happen at all. An agency that was generating a 12% profit can withstand 10% revenue decreases for only two years before serious adjustments have to be made to keep from going under. Waiting is not a viable option. At the first sign that the well-oiled machine is rusting, you must actively search for the cause and get things turned around quickly. With premiums and commission rates going down at a steady pace, there's not a lot of room for procrastination. In most cases, the organizational difficulties are rooted in the very success that the agency had been enjoying. It may simply have grown past the point where the existing organizational structure ...

... & Links Categories Popular Recent All transformation Articles tagged with transformation Back Agency Management: Seven Big Strategies This content has not been rated yet. CompleteMarkets Editor , Pamela Millard 4/30/2013 10:42:47 PM AGENCY MANAGEMENT: SEVEN BIG STRATEGIES by Pamela A. Millard and Diane M. Herbert Plan your agency around these seven key strategies, and the ups and downs of the market will be just an in.. All Articles by CompleteMarkets Editor Comments (0 ) And Karnack Says … This content has not been rated yet. CompleteMarkets Editor , Pamela Millard 4/30/2013 10:42:47 PM lsquo;AND KARNACK SAYS hellip; by Diane Herbert and Pamela Millard Take a close look at your capacity and take the steps needed to position your agency for the wild ride ahea.. All Articles by CompleteMarkets Editor Comments (0 ) Become An Employer Of Choice: Find And Keep Great Employees This content has not been rated yet. CompleteMarkets Editor , Pamela Millard 4/30/2013 10:42:47 PM BECOME AN EMPLOYER OF CHOICE: FIND AND KEEP GREAT EMPLOYEES by Diane Herbert and Pamela Millard Make your agency attractive to quality employees. Great employees look for g.. All Articles by CompleteMarkets Editor Comments (0 ) The Four Faces Of Profitability: Part I This content has not been rated yet. CompleteMarkets Editor , Pamela Millard 4/30/2013 10:42:47 PM THE FOUR FACES OF PROFITABILITY: PART I by Diane Herbert and Pamela Millard Even if you see a healthy profit when you look at the bottom line, you might ...