Eva Teich es) Smee aas CG Setting up staff for success A litle craziness, a lot of structure | TBSP Stvuctuve 7, tsp Ewployees VL tsp Flexibility tsp CrazyVisual Vision Statement FR’ vision statement is revealed in a painting found in the office and on the agency Web site, The various objects inthe siife represent aspects of CFR'S culture: ight ball—the caliber of people at CFR; the firm strives to employ only "eights" or better + Fresh oranges—fresh ideas and a healthy work environment, + Stack of 45 RPM records—the juke box in the CFR office. The juke box plas to Celebrate good news, such as new business written or someone receiving a profes- sional industry designation. + Bell—the bel rings for important business + Diploma—comitment to education. Virtually all CFR employees are involved in at least one insurance education program. ‘+ Snowball—the Magic Kingdom, a erinder of Walt Disney's words of wisdom that have become the CFR dally corporate philosophy. ‘= Vase—the CFR Family + Fowers—the individual personalities and diversity of sks at the agency that com= bine to make a great team, CFR values people for their differences, + Chery pie—sharing success, When everything works, everyone gets a piece ofthe pe. Pv. Be a hero to your clients. Offer them MORE. I's a fact ~ the more services you offer your clients, the more likely they are to stay with you. The syCash Loan Program can provide your small tusiness clients withthe cash they need fast ~ even if they've been turned down by a bank. ‘Tax returns are not required and the streamlined process means quick closings. Just think, you can be aero to your clients, ust by offering them more. meen ne “The key thing is to celebrate sucess as often as possible.’ Celebrate Success ‘The agency, with offices in Tusa and (Oklahoma City, had a fatty traditional carly lif, But that all changed in 1986, ‘when Jack Allen Jr. bought the business (aevenues of $800,000) from his mentor and boss, Leonard Reltz Sr. It wasnt tong ‘before Allen’ passion for management: improvement methodologies—ranging from Ichak Adizes to Walt Disney—began {influencing the agency’ culture. “Mist of the stuff we do, weve stolen from someone else,” Allen admits, "We take simple ideas and run with them.” sin the curiously named Fan Dance: During a dis- cussion years ago with another agent about cemployee-of-the-month programs, that agent said in his southern draw, “It's Uke a fan dancer, who doesn't show you every: ‘thing and keeps you interested.” The term stuck with Allen, and today the monthly Fan Dancer is awarded a cash bonus or a ‘lf day off, and his or her name is added toan electronic plaque. The party doesr‘t end there, At that same meeting, Allen shares department and overall revenue goals, and all the employees—from the receptionist to account managers—are given a bonus based on performance (on average, $120 ‘tp $150 cash, taxes prepaid). That wee albin-this-together mentality means “that everyone wants everyone else to succeed,” Allen says. But, he adds, “We don't watt for the monthly meeting to tell people how wee doing,” he adds. “The key thing isto cel- ebrate success as often as possible.” ‘And celebrate they do: employees rng a bell when they land an important account, and the office juke box belts out a song to announce good news. Assemble a Great Bus Fun and quitky as the agency’ tactics may be, it sa mistake to assume that the charismatic Allen is simply working a bag of tricks. There is a method to allthis madness—and it starts with structure. “Tchak Ades’ perspective is that having the appropriate structure and process is the most important thing,” Allen explains. “Zighty percent is structure, 20% is people ‘magazine comWhat | Learned sk Jack Allen his biggest business mistake and his answer is both quick and f \ Unexpected: “Not firing myself sooner." As the owner of CFR, Allen also was, predictably, the agency’ president, “But | sucked at being president,” he says now. “lam not a manager” So, Allen “fired” himself from day-to-day management, leaving those duties to ‘co-ovmer and president Robert Gardner, Sherry Burks, vice president of operations; ‘and Glenn Day, executive vice president. And Allen thinks more agency owmers should follow suit ‘We mistake ownership for leadership way too often," he says. “Just because you ‘can buy the business, doesn’t mean you're the right person to manage or lead it.” —pv. I you have the appropriate structure and A Sound Structure process, you know what people need. ‘And the reason they assume it's the Structure gives you flexibility, because you structure that isnt right—and not the don't have to think in every case. person—is because CFR is exacting in its “In Good to Great Jim Collins says screening of potential employees. The ‘you've got to get the right people on the agency starts by using a Kolbe Index to ‘bus, continues Allen. “But you've got to compare the instincts necessary for a given have the right bus. Shouldn't it be a great job with the candidate’ innate instincts. us?” “Kolhe measures the vay you take action ‘Sherry Bunks, vice president of opera- naturally” Burks explains, “Te identities tions, concurs: “When we have people who the way you need to get things don are struggling, we ask, ‘Do we have the ‘The firm has become such a devotee of right structure in place?” the Kolbe process that it offers the service to clients and business partners. It ever used it as an experiment fo a Tulsa middle school Although not yet a profit center for Fostering School Reform the agency, Allen comments, “We do it out iE Allen is passionate about the | of passion...But if we decided to take it in need to enhance public educa- | that direction, it could be larger than the tion in America, agency.” ‘When | was more actively involved in | Pre-employment screening continues hiring, Iwas hitsmack in the face with | with each candidate completing a Caliper whole generation of kids unprepared | test to pinpoint personality traits and for the workplace,” he recalls. “Ican't | determine if he or she fits within the team. change theirhome Ines, but could | “Sack wants to set people up to succeed,” have an impact on public education.* Burks says. Busineses “make a huge Tothat end, allen founded the CFR | investment in training, You want to make Education Foundation, vtich wocks | good decisions." with Oklahoma schools in variety of — | allen concuts: “If employees know ways Local, the agency adopted a | wats expected of them, have the tools primary school where employees and | todo their jobs are wid to do those jobs ‘managers yolunteer—tutoring, help- | and ae in an environment to succeed, ingin the administration department, | they wi.” teaching a gym class The foundation | Not that mistakes havent been made. even introduced a youth version of the | Both Allen and Burks themselves have Kolbe Index to a Tulsa middle school as | been "fied"—moved internally after ' way of identifying the students’ learn | determining they werent a good fit for a ing methods. particular job, “Sherry was running the FN. | accounting department, but she wasn't in | the tight place,” Allen says. Now oversee 1B4 nerenosur AGENT m NOVEMBER 2006 “80% is structure, 20% is people. Shouldn't it be a great bus?” {ng day-to-day operations for the agency, she is, says her boss, “wonderful” ‘When Allen himself was “fired” as ‘president of the agency, he looked to his Kolbe index to determine the best role for him within the firm. “Tm an innovator” hhe says. So now, as chairman and CEO, he focuses on leadership, vision and murtur- {ng rlationships—and stil produces busi- ness. Still, he admits, “T do nathing 30% of the time, [know that sounds bad, but ‘when Yim here, the other 70%, Im very successful.” ‘And Busks insists that she gets no push- ‘back from employees or management about Allens rock star schedule: “They dont lke to see Jack tied down. They recognize that Jack created this.” BV ‘Van Aartrk (peter@aartrifk.com) isan A contributing ecto. CFR Tulsa (pop. $63,000) and Oklahoma ity (pop. 660,000) FOUNDED: 1938 ‘GROSS REVENUES: 2004, $12 mi. lion; 2005, $12.8 milion; 2006, $14 milion (est) INSURANCE EMPLOYEES: 77, REVENUE PER EMPLOYEE: $182,000 BUSINESS MIX: Commercial prop- erty-casuaty, 80%; employee benefits, 1434; Personal p-c, 69 ‘CARRIERS INCLUDE: Aetna, AIG, AMANINS Insurance Brokerage, ‘America Fist, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Chubb, CNA Community Care, Compsource, CRC insurance Services, Hartford, Medical Protective, Mid Continent Casualty, Physicians Liability, Tiavelers ‘CUENT COUNT: Commercial, 5,000; Personal, 1,500 [RETENTION RATE: 93% TECHNOLOGY: ANS AW Big “I" AFFILIATIONS: Trusted Choice” ‘CONTACT: Jack H. Allen Jr, CIC, CEO; 918-712-5230; jack@cfr-ins.com, www.cfrins.com magazine. com