Time For A Fresh Start

Sad to say, I have also observed company people, presumably to justify their own existence, also unfairly disparage the work of the ACLI. I am not saying that the ACLI is perfect at all times, but I do believe that it has been unfairly criticized on many occasions. Keating will need to find a way to choke off these attacks from within–we have enough to deal with from outside attackers.

A Congressional committee chairman once said to me, somewhat in anger, “Quit using my committee as a battleground to settle industry disputes. Settle your differences among yourselves and then come to my committee.” In recent battles companies have painted bleak pictures of opposition companies before legislative bodies. This conduct is always reciprocated by the target company. The result is that legislators get the dirt on all parties and then we wonder why we all lose.

The CEOs who are persuaded by their lobbyists, internal or external, that their position will prevail and they will emerge from such a skirmish unscathed, are in most cases, being deceived. Politics is the “art of the possible” and more is possible when we are united than when everyone is doing his or her own thing.

NAIFA has made some mistakes–some are correctable, others are not, and it is best to acknowledge it and move on. For one thing, dues are too high, making it harder to justify membership. A major cause of this is the inclusion of monthly meals at local meetings. Rising costs at eating facilities should not govern dues.

The original idea was to increase attendance at local meetings. The cost has been declining membership. Dues have been raised to meet budgets as membership declined. Reminds me of Herbert Hoover raising taxes to balance the budget as the United States entered the Great Depression.

NAIFA should return to a calendar year billing for membership. Membership does not happen automatically. It takes a well organized committee making calls on every agency to get the job done. Such a committee cannot function for 12 months. Rather, two or three months of concentrated effort works better than 12 months of hope and neglect.

My experience has been that breakfast meetings work better than lunch. Breakfast is cheaper and does not disrupt middle-of-the-day schedules.

Rethink the annual meeting. I do not believe NAIFA should be running a “career conference.” The annual meeting is about governance and leadership development rather than personal business growth. Member dues should not be used to send delegates to a career conference. Sales training is best delivered at local meetings or other forums not subsidized by member dues such as the Million Dollar Round Table.

ACLI and NAIFA have established a great relationship under new and capable leadership. The member potential is there for both, but work will be required to attract them. To paraphrase an old saying, we need to hang together or the Wall Street Journal and others will hang us separately.

Reproduced from National Underwriter Life & Health/Financial Services Edition, May 26, 2003. Copyright 2003 by The National Underwriter Company in the serial publication. All rights reserved. Copyright in this article as an independent work may be held by the author.