Chicagoland SIA Blog

The power of perception checking

Have you ever felt misunderstood? We all have. That’s why perception checking is such an important skill. Simply put, perception-checking involves directly asking another person for clarity to ensure you’re understanding what they’re trying to say with their words or body language.

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Seven ways to reduce your E&O risk

Facing an E&O insurance claim is a lot like an IRS audit. It’s something you really want to avoid. It’s time-consuming, unsettling and uncomfortable. In today’s litigious business environment, it’s a great time to review some of the most effective ways to reducing your E&O risk as well as provide a strong defense in the event a claim is made against you:

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Three qualities of successful leadership

Running an insurance agency is no small feat. If you ask the U.S. Small Business Administration, they’ll tell you that one-third of all new companies fail in the first two years. Half of all new businesses make it four years, and only 40 percent survive for six years or more. So how do businesses survive? And more importantly, how do they thrive? A recent study by Gallup found that a business’s ability to make it over the hump has much to do with leadership. Although there are numerous factors that influence success, Gallup found that the quality of an organization’s leadership has more to do with its longevity than any other factor. In its research, Gallup has found that companies that survive over the long term have leaders that share the following key characteristics:

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