Arguably, the greatest asset I own after 30 years in the insurance industry is my network. My network was built over decades of engagements. To be clear, all of those engagements were face to face. I didn’t build any of those relationships via Zoom.
Executive Summary
Insurance is still a relationship business. Physical events were a focal point of network building opportunities in the past, and they will likely come back in new ways post-COVID. Here, CM Guest Editor Don Bailey shares ideas about future in-person events, as reimagined by someone in his network who is an executive in the event space. Bailey also offers ideas for network-building activities for insurance professionals to engage in in the meantime (without using Zoom).More specifically, I built that network while at myriad local, regional, national and global industry events—RIMS, CIAB, ABA, along with a series of company-sponsored events, incentive-based gatherings and on-location training sessions. There were meetings, dinners, cups of coffee, golf and plenty of time in conference rooms.
There was a seasonality to these events. They marked the passage of time.
That network served me quite well over those 30 years. I was a better advocate for my clients, and I was a more effective recruiter of talent because of that network. My network was key to my promotions and career progression.
