Reading Minds For Fun And Profit

I once saw a performance by The Amazing Kreskin, a “mentalist” and magician, in which he was able to zero in on the thoughts of one lady in a crowd of hundreds, then ask her whether she had a brother named John, and if that same brother was not at that moment suffering from cancer. The woman, in obvious shock and surprise, broke into tears before a stunned crowd (and a stunned Tech Guru) and admitted that it was indeed the truth.

One thing that puzzled me, though, was that Kreskin has claimed many times that he has no special psychic abilities. In doing some reading later, however, I discovered that mentalists often employ confederates who do “research” by mingling with the crowd before a show and picking up tidbits of information that may later be useful to the performer. I cant say for sure this is what happened, but it certainly would explain the facts.

Admittedly, this wasnt mind reading in the way we normally think about it, but it is precisely this kind of mind reading that Im recommending here for virtually everyone in this industry.

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of presiding over a lunchtime chat session at IBMs Global Insurance Executive Conference in San Francisco. One of the things that had impressed me the most at the conference was a presentation by Bill Pieroni, general manager, Global Insurance Industry, for IBM Business Consulting Services in White Plains, N.Y. The presentation was a summary of IBMs research into the worldwide insurance industry; the word technology was barely mentioned, even though that is IBMs business. One might have expected a treatise on IBM products, but Pieroni had something even more important to say to the insurers present. It was simply, “I know what youre thinking; I know your business.”

Those in my lunchtime discussion group agreed that dealing with someone who knows your business and knows what youre thinking is a definite advantage. Insurers at the table noted that some software companies especially will come in knowing a lot about one part of the carriers business, say claims, but virtually nothing about the rest of the business that is still tied to that function. These software vendors havent done their homework, and the result is that meaningful communication is difficult and that a sale is less than likely.

Whether youre a carrier trying to reach agents and brokers, an agent trying to communicate with insurers, or a technology vendor trying to sell to virtually any audience, the lesson is clear: Be a mind reader.

If you cant perform the actual brain scanning feat (and lets face it, theres only room for so many of us gurus), you can at least get out and mingle with those people youre trying to reach. Be patient. Keep your mind and your ears open, and do the homework you need to do so thatwhen that opportune moment arisesyou can say with confidence, “I know what youre thinking; I know your business.”

So, anyone for a game of “Trivial Pursuit”?

Reproduced from National Underwriter Life & Health/Financial Services Edition, October 10, 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.