Search Results

Next Item Previous Item Go back to White Papers List Ancient Chinese philosopher Confucius expressed his belief in the importance of learning from interaction when he wrote, “I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I do, and I understand.” There are no shortcuts when it comes to being successful, just as there are no shortcuts when it comes to gaining knowledge and understanding. Why We Must Get Training Right The training you offer can distinguish your firm or agency from others, which in turn can help you attract top talent. This is one area in which you just cannot take shortcuts. According to the 2018 Deloitte Millennial Survey, about 8 in 10 millennials say that on-the-job training, continuous professional development and formal training led by employers will be important to help them perform their best. Employer training and support quite obviously help millennials and the Gen Z cohort perform their jobs, and as their careers progress, the role of employer as educator will take on even greater significance. The study noted that 73 percent of those who plan to stay with their organizations more than five years say their organizations are strong providers of education and training. But young professionals are looking for training that goes beyond technical and sales skills. Young professionals are especially seeking help building confidence, interpersonal skills and— particularly for Gen Z—ethics/integrity aptitude. In their view, businesses are insufficiently focusing on nurturing these and similar soft skills. More than one-third of millennials (36 percent) say it is “essential” to a company’s long-term success that its employees and leaders have strong interpersonal skills, but only 26 percent are offered much help or support in developing them. A similar support deficit exists in the areas of confidence/ motivation, ethics/integrity, critical thinking and innovation/creativity. Failing to train your team members can be a catalyst for them to seek out organizations that offer better training. That can be costly to your organization. Employee Benefit News reported that turnover cost approximately 15,000 per employee who earns an annual salary of $45,000. That number is much higher for top producers. We Retain More Knowledge when We Participate in Training Actively Edgar Dale, famous for his research on this subject and his “cone of experience,” found that after two weeks, we tend to remember only: 10 percent of what we read 20 percent of what we hear 30 percent of what we see 50 percent of what we see and hear 70 percent of what we say and write 90 percent of what we do The higher our level of participation, the more information we retain. From a business perspective, higher retention of information translates to a higher ROI on your investment in providing training to your team. How to Engage Participants in Learning This is why it is so important to have participants in any learning course do more than just sit there and listen to what is being presented. Here are some strategies you can ask your instructor to use in an effort to get your team members more involved in their learning: Require participants to complete pre-work before the training. Before the training, if possible, connect with all the participants, probably via email. Ask them what they hope to learn from the session and if there are any specific questions they would like to get answered. This involves them in the training before it even begins. During the training, present the material in several different formats, such as written bullet points with images, video or audio clips, quiz questions and hands-on exercises. Offer different methods of training. Consider off-site, on-site, online self-study and online instructor-led programs. Make it easy for participants to follow along with what is being presented and to take notes, either online or on paper—whichever they prefer. Let participants know what’s coming. One effective way to do this for longer training classwork is to use the 50-10-50 module/break format. People tend to tune out and get restless if a training module lasts longer than 50 minutes. Let them know you will conduct a 50-minute training session, and then they will get a 10-minute break. Then the next 50-minute session will begin. When participants know ahead of time that the workshop will break at a specific time, it reduces their stress and distraction. They likely will need to check their email or return calls. Choose participants randomly during the training to answer questions or offer their perspectives. They will want to be prepared in case they are called on, so they will pay closer attention. Require participants to complete worksheets, and then collect and review them. If it’s not worth instructors’ time to inspect what they expect, then soon it won’t be worth the participants’ time to complete the assignments. Break the participants into groups and ask them to engage in discussions on the topic. Have the participants write or say how they will translate the information, concepts and techniques they have learned into actionable activities they can use with their clients. Have your instructor create high-value deliverables that summarize and expand on what the participants have learned. Listing or linking to additional support resources is a valuable way to keep adults engaged long after your training seminar is over. You can offer these deliverables in the form of printed handouts or via an online LMS. Offer praise when participants offer contributions to the training and when they excel at grasping the concepts and translating them into real-world scenarios. Mistakes to Avoid in Training In addition to the above tips for engaging learners in their training, here are some common training mistakes for your trainers and instructors to avoid. Most of these common mistakes boil down to organizations, trainers and/ or participants attempting to take shortcuts in the learning process: Mistake #1: Offering training as an afterthought — or not at all. To become known as the organization that offers the best and most valuable training, it must be included in your budget. You must devote time, staff and money to training. Otherwise, it’s no more than an afterthought, or at best, a one-time event. Ongoing training is the hallmark of dynamic organizations that attract the best talent. Plus, when you train your own team members, you are investing in your own company. Mistake #2: Creating cognitive overload. That occurs when too much information is delivered at once. If participants feel overwhelmed, they will be unable to absorb the concepts you are sharing with them. This is a common occurrence when it comes to new agent/advisor onboarding training, since there is so much information to provide in such a short period of time. Offer classroom training in short segments, and stick with “bite sized” online training courses or modules that offer learners a small bit of vital information at once. This online coursework can be used as an initial presentation of the subject matter or as a training follow up after a classroom session. Repetition is the key to learning and recall. (This is one of the beneficial features of FSEdNet video training; our hundreds of videos last an average of only 8.5 minutes each.) Mistake #3: Using outdated materials. Make sure all your training materials are updated, with current statistics and facts. Participants are likely to lose confidence in the credibility of the information if the information is no longer accurate. Mistake #4: Ignoring differences in learning styles. We know people learn by doing. We also know that some people tend to learn better through visual or audio content. Be sure your content isn’t just written or spoken; but it contains a blend of written, audio, visual and even gaming elements in your training materials. Mistake #5: Ignoring generational differences. We can’t assume that all baby boomers prefer traditional training materials and millennials, or Gen Z prefer online training. A study of 1,000 professionals by Activia Training found that younger employees prefer classroom learning. Thus, when utilizing eLearning the style and design of its format is very important. The best designs are those which replicate a classroom experience, which should contain a blend of live speakers, along with visual enhancements to engage and supplement the learning process. Voiceover PowerPoints scored the lowest when it came to eLearning. Mistake #6: Trying to teach all knowledge levels in one class. When possible, tailor your training according to skill level. Veteran agents or advisors who have been selling life insurance for their entire careers obviously don’t need an introductory class on life insurance. Assess knowledge levels before deciding which participants should take which training. Also, don’t assume people know more or less than they really do. Mistake #7: Leaving out important aspects of the participants’ everyday activities. Training your agents or advisors in sales and negotiation strategies is essential but be sure to complement that training with product training and how to manage a practice as well. And, as mentioned earlier, millennials and Gen Z want training in “soft skills.” Offer training in a variety of skills. Mistake #8: Failing to follow up. The learning shouldn’t end the moment the training ends. Training is a process, not an event. One of the key benefits of eLearning via an LMS, is that the training curriculum is available for a refresher whenever the information is needed. No trainer can design a curriculum to fit every situation or client event at the exact moment needed. So, having the ability to return to a specific training topic at any time is a winning solution. Thus, repetition is the key element to any learning process. Set expectations for posttraining follow-up. Ask participants to submit reports three months later, for example, to explain how they have used the training. Schedule a get-together three or six months later, and have participants share their thoughts about the training. Ask participants to write down two or three specific goals for how they will use the training in their professional growth. Check back with them three and six months later to learn about their progress. Mistake #9: Skipping the assessment step. Ask participants to fill out an evaluation form before they leave the room or as soon as they sign off the online training platform. Make sure someone compiles the data on these forms to understand what worked and what could be done better next time. This is extremely important. Training requires a significant investment of your organization’s time, money and resources, so it pays to learn what type of impact it’s having. Do not allow anyone involved in the training of your team, or the participants, to take or accept shortcuts! It’s human nature to try, but we must form the habit of never accepting any shortcuts in learning or business. Consider Hoopis Performance Network for Advisor, Leader and Staff Training An effective resource for training financial advisors is HPN, which features online, ondemand, total video-based training built on four Disciplines of Success with access to more than 600 training sessions. The coursework can be either self-study or facilitator-led, and it complements any firm, agency or company training programs and marketing selling systems. With our mobile application your advisors can access the video training anytime, anywhere, on their computers, smartphones or tablets. It’s a cost-effective, time-efficient way to increase productivity, thus retention. All of our platforms are designed to help all levels of those in the financial services industry enhance their career opportunities by learning and understanding more. Which results in helping them reach their full potential by sharing ideas, concepts, techniques on topics that will help turn potential into reality. Don’t Shortcut the Learning Process

Kristin Andree ​ Andree Media & Consulting After a successful career as both a producer and a Managing Director in the financial services industry, Kristin Andree has put her expertise to work helping individuals & corporations on a broader scale. With expertise in business strategy, marketing, client loyalty, social media, team development/succession planning, staffing and office operations, & leadership development, Kristin and her team at Andree Media & Consulting focus their work on implementing effective strategies to help clients take their businesses to the next level. Kristin holds her CLU and CLTC designations, is Series 6, 7, 26 & 63 registered and holds her Life & Health insurance licenses. She is a Certified Trainer and a Master Certified Coach. Kristin is also the Social Media columnist for Investment News magazine and author of the book “Don’t Make Me Pull This Car Over: a Roadmap for the Working Mom.” Kristin & her family reside in Atlanta, GA. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, music & theatre…and treasures every moment she spends with her three (sometimes wacky & always loud!) daughters: Bailey, Mia, and Kennedy. Previous Speaker Go back to Speaker Network Next Speaker

Mickey Straub ​ President, Sales Activity Management President and Founder of Sales Activity Management, Inc. (SAM), started his career as an agent for 16 years; two as a federal agent and 14 as an insurance agent. Mickey launched SAM in 1995 to help ensure sales professionals get the right tools and leadership they need to help them succeed. He felt then, as he does now, that low producer performance and high turnover is expensive financially and emotionally. SAM grew 50% annually for the first decade and now has more than 55,000 clients, with offices in Chicago and Philadelphia, and continues to grow at a rapid pace. Mickey has a great passion for writing and speaking and is a father, husband, businessman, lector, usher, election judge, community organizer, patriot, industry contributor and was recently elected to be a NAIFA-Chicago Board Member. Previous Speaker Go back to Speaker Network Next Speaker

Jessica Kemp MBA, CLU Sought after Speaker, Kemp Financial Group Dedicated to the financial services industry, Jessica’s passion for the business is evident when working with her clients. A graduate of Niagara University in Lewiston NY, Jessica received an undergraduate degree in Business commerce and an MBA degree in General Management. In order to provide her clients with a total financial security plan, Jessica has both the Canadian Investment Funds Course (CIFC) and the Life License Qualification Program (LLQP) certification. Jessica has been a sought-after speaker for many of her industries Financial Centers across Canada, as well as home office events over the past 4 years. She has addressed nine different regions and two major venues including the GTA women’s forum and the Advocis organization in Toronto. Her topics include “Building her Business”, having a passion for what you do and the sharing of how she has achieved the successes in qualifying for major conferences including the International Million Dollar Round Table organization. The feedback has been overwhelming on the passion she displays in her delivery and the love she has for her chosen career in helping people achieve their financial goals. Please visit Jessica’s website to learn more about her speaking engagements, and to book her to inspire and motivate your employees to take their practice to the next level. Previous Speaker Go back to Speaker Network Next Speaker

Next Item Previous Item Go back to White Papers List To ensure that your child with special needs receives the best possible care in all aspects of his or her life, it’s important to do thorough, advance planning. In this white paper, we cover 3 important types of planning: Medical planning — How can you best obtain and pay for the specialized medical care your child may require? Who will oversee your child’s medical care when you’re no longer here? Financial planning — What steps can you take to guarantee that your child will have a financial safety net? What financial aid is available? How should your assets be arranged to best provide for your child’s future financial needs? Education planning — What steps can you take to make sure that your child receives the best possible education? Legal planning is another critical topic to be knowledgeable about. Please see our white paper titled “Legal Planning for a Child with Special Needs” for details on this topic. Now let’s look at important elements of medical, financial, and education planning. Medical Planning The medical treatment required for children with special needs can be expensive, often beginning at or shortly after birth. Without insurance, the cost of medical care is staggering! As a starting point to figure out what types of benefits are available, consult the Social Security Administration’s 2019 guide titled Benefits for Children with Disabilities. Here are some other important factors to consider: If You Have Private Health Insurance: Make certain you understand what the policy will and will not cover, particularly regarding any specialized services, equipment or therapy. Make sure you obtain prior authorizations, or you could end up paying the bill. If your coverage is provided through a health maintenance organization (HMO) or preferred provider organization (PPO), confirm that the specialists your child needs are part of the network. Understand when you can seek out-of-network care and what the cost will be to you. If a claim is denied, get a written explanation of the reason…you may want to appeal and resubmit the claim. Request that a case manager be assigned to your child. That will enable you to work consistently with someone who is familiar with your child’s situation and needs. If You Do Not Have Private Health Insurance: Check with your county social services or Social Security office to determine what assistance is available. Medicaid is a health-care program for people with low incomes and limited assets. In most states, children who get SSI (Supplemental Security Income) benefits, qualify for Medicaid. In many states, Medicaid comes automatically with SSI eligibility. In other states, you must sign up for it. Also, some children can get Medicaid coverage even if they don’t qualify for SSI. In addition, the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) enables states to insure children from working families with incomes too high to qualify for Medicaid, but too low to afford private health insurance. Your state Medicaid agency can provide more information about SCHIP. When Your Disabled Child Turns 18: Medicaid benefits are payable based on the child’s own assets and income, even if he or she is still living at home with you. Health-Care Reform: The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (health-care reform) has several provisions that can impact medical/insurance planning for your child with special needs. By no later than September 23, 2010, all young adults under age 27 may be able to continue health-care coverage through a parent’s policy. Here are some other provisions you should be aware of: Effective no later than September 23, 2010, individual and group health insurance plans are prohibited from using pre-existing condition exclusions for children and cannot place lifetime limits on the dollar value of coverage. Also effective in 2010, insurers cannot deny or rescind coverage of insureds who become sick. As of January 1, 2014, insurers are prohibited from placing any annual limits on the dollar value of coverage. As of January 1, 2014, most U.S. citizens and legal residents are required to have minimum essential health insurance coverage. Insurers cannot deny or cancel coverage to anyone with a preexisting condition. Health insurance premium subsidies are available to eligible individuals and families with incomes between 100 percent and 400 percent of the federal poverty level (e.g., $25,100 to $100,400 in 2018–19 for a family of four). Individuals with incomes of less than 138 percent of the federal poverty level qualify for Medicaid coverage, unless the state in which they reside opted out of the Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansion. As of January 1, 2019, the penalty assessed to individuals who fail to maintain minimum essential coverage is $0. Financial Planning Financial planning is important for any family, and it’s even more critical for the families who have a child with special needs. Planning well in advance enables you to take advantage of the benefits of compounding interest over time and to ensure that your assets are all in the right place. You don’t want to jeopardize your child’s ability to receive public assistance. Government Benefits: Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits are payable to adults or children who are blind or disabled. SSI supplements a person’s income up to a certain level, which varies from state to state. In the case of disabled children under age 18, the parents’ income and assets are considered when deciding if the child qualifies for SSI benefits. Beginning at age 18, SSI benefits are determined based on the disabled person’s income and assets. As a result, a child who was not eligible for SSI before age 18 may become eligible at age 18. To qualify for SSI benefits, the disabled person cannot have “countable resources” (assets) in excess of $2,000 or “countable income” in excess of the maximum federal benefit rate. In the case of ABLE Accounts, discussed below, the first $100,000 in an ABLE Account will be disregarded for SSI benefit purposes. Additional financial resources are available through state and community programs. Consult with the appropriate federal, state, county, and/or local agencies for assistance. Other Financial Considerations: A Special Needs Trust The purpose of a special needs trust is to provide financial assets for your child’s future care and well-being, while maintaining his or her eligibility for government benefits, such as Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, Medicare, or Medicaid. Please see our white paper titled “Legal Planning for a Child with Special Needs” for detailed information on this topic. The Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Program The Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Program is designed to help individuals and families use taxfree savings accounts to help finance their longer-term disability needs, without the loss of federal benefits if savings exceed certain limits. The earnings on contributions to ABLE Accounts will not be taxed, and the funds in these accounts will not be considered for the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program, Medicaid, and other federal means-tested benefits. However, if an ABLE Account exceeds $100,000, SSI benefits will be suspended but not terminated. To be eligible for an ABLE Account, an individual must become blind or disabled before age 26 and (1) receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or SSI or (2) file a disability certification under rules yet to be written. Anyone, including the disabled individual, may establish an ABLE Account for an eligible beneficiary. An eligible disabled individual, however, will be limited to one ABLE Account, and total aggregate annual contributions to that account may not exceed the annual gift tax exemption ($15,000 in 2019). Because ABLE contributions are treated as gifts by the contributor for tax purposes, if a donor puts the maximum $15,000 in an ABLE Account in 2019, any other gifts to the beneficiary will trigger the requirement to file a gift tax return. No gift tax will be due in 2019, however, unless the donor has already made more than $11.4 million in lifetime taxable gifts. In addition, Section 529 Plan assets may be rolled over to an ABLE account, up to the maximum annual gift tax exemption ($15,000 in 2019). Both accounts must have the same beneficiary or be related to a member of the same family. Contributions to an ABLE Account will be made with after-tax dollars, but earnings on contributions will be tax-free, and distributions from the account for qualified disability expenses will not be considered taxable income to either contributors or the eligible beneficiary. Qualified disability expenses include any expenses made for the benefit of the disabled beneficiary related to education, housing, transportation, employment training and support, assistive technology and personal support services, health, prevention and wellness, financial management and administrative services, legal fees, expenses for oversight and monitoring, and funeral and burial expenses. Distributions used for nonqualified expenses will be subject to income tax on the portion of the distribution attributable to earnings from the account, plus a 10% penalty. Assets in an ABLE Account can be rolled over, without penalty, into another ABLE Account for either the qualified beneficiary or any of the beneficiary’s qualifying family members. At the death of the qualified beneficiary, it may be required that any assets remaining in an ABLE Account be used to reimburse a state Medicaid agency for the cost of benefits and services provided during the disabled beneficiary’s lifetime. As a result, an ABLE Account should not be considered a wealth-accumulation mechanism. Education Planning Undoubtedly, you want your child to receive the best education possible. To assure this outcome requires that you become your child’s advocate and a participant in his or her education plan. The first step is understanding the education laws that apply to children with disabilities. Here is an overview of 3 related laws. 1. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act requires that children with special needs receive the following: A free appropriate public education from ages 3 through 21. Education provided as close to home as possible, with children who do not have disabilities. Additional services, such as speech therapy, occupational therapy, or a classroom aide, which are designed to meet their unique needs and prepare them for employment and independent living. An assessment to determine their needs. The law guarantees two types of assistance: Individualized Education Plan (IEP). The IEP is a written statement of your child’s abilities and impairments. It is developed by a team that includes you, school district personnel, and educational professionals who have evaluated your child and his or her abilities. The IEP must be reviewed at least annually. Due process. As a parent, you have both rights and responsibilities in relation to your child’s IEP. Due process provides a mechanism to resolve any disagreements regarding a child’s IEP. Under IDEA, for a child to be eligible for special education, he or she must have issues in at least one of the following categories: A serious emotional disturbance A learning differences Intellectual disability Having had a traumatic brain injury Being diagnosed on the spectrum of autism Vision and hearing impairments Physical disabilities Developmental delays (including speech and language difficulties) Other health impairments Before your child approaches age 22, you are advised to have a plan in place to address the issues that are sure to arise as he or she transitions out of the public education system. Depending on the nature of your child’s disability, this plan can include additional educational or vocational services, work, or ongoing rehabilitation and medical services. Planning for these needs requires that you conduct research years before your child reaches age 22. 2. Section 504 Section 504 is a civil rights statute (1973) that requires that schools not discriminate against children with disabilities and provide them with reasonable accommodations. It covers all programs or activities, whether public or private, that receive any federal financial assistance. Reasonable accommodations include untimed tests, sitting in front of the class, modified homework, and the provision of necessary services. Typically, children covered under Section 504 either have less severe disabilities than those covered under IDEA or have disabilities that do not fit within IDEA. Under Section 504, any person who has an impairment that substantially limits a major life activity is considered disabled. Learning and social development are included on the list of major life activities. 3. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) The ADA (1990) requires all schools, other than those operated by religious organizations, to meet the needs of children with these differences or disorders. Under the ADA, children who qualify cannot be denied educational services, programs, or activities, and the law prohibits discrimination against all such students. Many children with special needs are of average or above-average intellect. There are many colleges whose programs might be appropriate for your son or daughter. If he or she can obtain a college degree, it will greatly enhance employability. Further Help and Advice As you know, parenting a child with special needs has its own unique set of joys and challenges. While you are undoubtedly the foremost expert on your child and his or her needs, desires, and future aspirations, it can be a daunting task to undertake special-needs planning on your own. Because of the specialized nature of special-needs planning, it is wise to seek out professionals (attorneys, trust officers, financial advisors, etc.) who have experience in the special-needs planning process. Guidance counselors, special education professionals, and other parents with special needs children can also be great resources to connect with. In addition, there are a variety of organizations that provide assistance to people with disabilities and their families. Here are just a few examples: The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY), an acronym derived from its original name, National Information Center for Handicapped Children and Youth) operated as a national centralized information resource on disabilities and special education for children and youth ages birth through 21 years, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education. National Association of Parents with Children in Special Education (www.napcse.org ). This organization offers parents of children in special education information on how to be their child’s best advocate. eParent (www.eparent.com ). This website is written for families of children and young adults with disabilities and special needs. Parents Helping Parents (www.php.com ). The mission of this parental resource center is to help children with special needs reach their full potential. A Final Note The planning process shouldn’t stop as your child gets older. As he or she ages, so do we. There are certain issues we all need to address regarding our final arrangements. It is most helpful to your family members if pre-planning and/or prefunding of your own final wishes are set in place when you feel it is appropriate. We also want you to know about a unique feature of the Social Security System that occurs when a parent of a disabled child or adult applies for retirement benefits. As part of the interview, you will be asked if you have a disabled child. The good news is that a “yes” answer provides that child with an additional income stream of Social Security benefits from your retirement income. The bad news is that it also complicates the situation because it eliminates the opportunity for the child to receive SSI and Medicaid benefits directly. Depending on your child’s disability, Medicaid benefits might be particularly important. Medicaid, for example, will pay for home aides for your child, while Medicare will not. Be sure to check…additional Medicaid benefits might be available through your state Social Services Division. Medical, Financial, and Educational Planning For a Child With Special Needs

Jane Blaufus ​ Best Selling Author, International Speaker, and Business Coach Jane Blaufus is the bestselling author of the book WITH THE [STROKE] OF A PEN: Claim your life. Her book and companion planning binder have become recognized as two of the most comprehensive, actionable, personal and financial planning resources available today for families, individuals and business owners alike. She brings to the table 25+ years of insurance expertise as a financial advisor, sales manager, and executive responsible for the development, delivery, and implementation of recruiting and selection processes and sales and marketing training to thousands of people in the sales force. Today she is the Principal of The Blaufus Group Inc., based in Toronto, Canada where she consults extensively into the financial services industry. Jane is a sought-after international keynote speaker delivering a highly rated MDRT Vancouver 2016 session and was showcased in the ROUND the TABLE magazine 2016 Annual Meeting Highlights. She was also a featured speaker on the main platform at the MDRT PEAK 2017 Convention in Pattaya, Thailand. Jane is a frequent guest expert on national TV/Radio, and a Huffington Post blogger. Her reputation and expertise make her an influential coach to many financial services professionals across Canada and the United States. Jane believes that to excel in today’s marketplace, the key to success is relationship building and she walks the walk and talks the talk. Previous Speaker Go back to Speaker Network Next Speaker

Next Item Previous Item Go back to White Papers List Mutual of Omaha implemented Trustworthy Selling as part of an organizational strategy to increase their advisors’ focus on needs-based selling over transactional selling or product-focused selling. The company went through the first step in its transformation strategy by revamping its systems to identify, attract and select candidates who were more relationship-focused. Trustworthy Selling was an extension of the company’s strategy to ensure new recruits were onboarded and trained with the knowledge and skills to establish enduring relationships with their clients. Download the Full Case Study Here Launch Week Incorporating Trustworthy Selling Quick Start Mutual of Omaha incorporated Trustworthy Selling Quick Start into their Launch Week, which is a one-week training program for new advisors. Local-level leadership teams delivered the program through a faculty approach and reinforced the concepts through ongoing coaching and development. Because of the learning design of the Trustworthy Selling curriculum, Mutual of Omaha created both scale and consistency in each of their field offices throughout the United States. Facilitator and Coaching Certification Approximately 150 Mutual of Omaha field managers and home office representatives were certified as facilitators and coaches for the program. The Trustworthy Selling Facilitator Certification process consists of several steps including the completion of self-paced e-learning modules, preparation for module delivery using the program materials, virtual classroom presentations, and feedback on best practices to help ensure successful delivery when facilitating classes. Field managers play a vital role in the success of each participant’s adoption of the program concepts and techniques into their practice. Coaching sessions are designed to drive performance and help the participant reach their full potential. Throughout the program, field managers meet with their advisors periodically. Step-by-step coaching guides are provided to allow for skill assessment, language role play, and reinforcement of the key concepts in the program. Alignment and Buy-In from Executive Leadership To create alignment and buy-in from the top-down, Mutual of Omaha certified key members of the home office leadership team as facilitators and coaches. This also gave them a thorough understanding of the program. Mutual of Omaha also had their top home office executives and regional sales directors participate in a Trustworthy Selling Preview Day, which is an in-depth exploration of the program to ensure they understood the philosophy, content, and resources. In addition, all new managers were required to become a Certified Facilitator and Coach of Trustworthy Selling as part of their professional development. Transition to Virtual Classroom During the Pandemic When the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting shutdowns occurred in 2020, Mutual of Omaha immediately transitioned to a virtual classroom delivery of the program. Because Trustworthy Selling is designed to be delivered virtually, the pivot for Mutual of Omaha was relatively seamless. Mutual of Omaha continued to graduate approximately 50 new advisors from the program each month in 2020. This created a new world of opportunities from a scaling standpoint in the future. Field managers were able to continue to conduct coaching sessions and reinforce the key learning objectives of the program through ongoing virtual coaching. Productivity and Retention Impact Mutual of Omaha worked with LIMRA and HPN to conduct a Business Impact Results Tracking (B.I.R.T.) ROI Analysis to measure the productivity and retention impact of Trustworthy Selling on their advisors. Because the sample group represented an entire annual recruiting class of new advisors with no prior experience, the study considered year-over-year results of the previous year’s annual recruiting class as the control group (those who did not participate in the Trustworthy Selling program). This analysis tracked productivity and retention results at the six and 12-month mark as compared to the control group, and the results were significant. Mutual of Omaha was also interested in measuring the long-term sustainability of Trustworthy Selling’s impact on productivity and retention at the 18 and 24-month marks as well. The study calculated the average survival and median production for three metrics for both groups. This impact study is based on the assumption that had the participant group not gone through training, their survival and production would have been the same as the control group’s results. Mutual of Omaha advisors who completed the Trustworthy Selling program was more effective after 24 months than those who did not. Consider these improvements in the key metric areas … 93% increase in Premium Productivity 64% increase in Policy Productivity 92% increase in First Year Commissions 8% increase in Two-Year Retention Conclusion Mutual of Omaha has succeeded in transitioning their organization’s culture to a focus on the long-term relationship between their advisors and clients. In addition to revamping their recruiting and selection systems, the focus on incorporating the Trustworthy Selling program as part of their onboarding Launch Week has delivered measurable success. The Trustworthy Selling philosophy and approach are deeply embedded into the culture and fabric of Mutual of Omaha. What Attracted Mutual of Omaha to Choose Trustworthy Selling?

Next Item Previous Item Go back to White Papers List The past two years have shone a spotlight on digital learning. While some companies already had robust digital learning platforms in place at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, others struggled to engage a newly remote workforce in a fully virtual environment. In both cases, the digital learning experience — and its effectiveness — came under greater scrutiny than ever before. The debate over in-person versus online learning is not new. And now — as we begin to move out of the pandemic — some training organizations are breathing a collective sigh of relief about finally getting “back to normal.” But let’s be honest: Normal is a thing of the past, and consigning digital learning to second-class status is a mistake for several reasons. Many businesses will continue to support remote work, if not on a full-time basis, then in a hybrid work environment. And remote workers are often geographically dispersed, making digital learning options even more necessary. Gen Z, the incoming workforce, has grown up with digital learning. These self-directed digital natives look to TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube to learn new skills. And they expect the organizations they join to provide similar (or better) experiences. Finally, and perhaps most important, digital learning is cost-effective, efficient, and — when done well — as engaging as in-person, instructor-led training. The question every organization should be asking is not whether to continue providing digital learning options; the question is, does your digital learning platform achieve the results you expect? Creating an engaging digital learning experience requires a learner-focused design based on fundamental learning principles. As you evaluate digital learning platforms for your organization, consider these five essential elements required for an effective digital learning experience. Purposeful A fundamental principle of learning is that adults are motivated by learning that helps them achieve a goal or solve a problem. Whether they want to move into a management position, increase retention, or penetrate new markets, financial services professionals will be more motivated, will retain more, and are more likely to apply learning that serves a specific purpose. Through videos, case studies, assessments, and other media, an effective digital learning experience regularly reinforces the why behind the learning, not just the how. And since effective digital learning programs typically consist of brief, tightly focused microlearning modules, learners can select modules that have the most relevance for achieving their goals. Personalized Microlearning modules satisfy another fundamental principle — adult learners want the flexibility to control what, when, how, and where they learn. In today’s business environment, that often means mobile learning, something for which microlearning modules are especially well suited. And because microlearning is modularized, with discrete learning objectives, learners can personalize the experience based on their specific interests. A strong digital platform will also recommend custom learning paths, usually identified through online assessments, to ensure that the program addresses all skill gaps. Two new financial services managers, for example, may require different learning paths, based on their strengths and weaknesses, with the online assessment ensuring that all essential leadership areas are evaluated properly for both new leaders. Actionable A training module is only as good as the action it produces. Effective training includes actionable takeaways that learners can apply soon after completing the learning experience. A coaching module for new managers, for example, should provide a coaching model, script, or other guidelines so that managers can apply their new coaching skills immediately. It should also suggest activities for practicing the new skills after completing training, to transfer and reinforce learning. The Forgetting Curve Digital microlearning modules work well with spaced learning formats (learning that occurs over time). The cadence of this type of learning, learn-apply-review-reinforce, provides the repetition needed to overcome “the forgetting curve.” Introduced by German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus in the late 19th century, the forgetting curve shows that, on average, people forget 70 percent of what they learn within 24 hours of learning it and 90 percent within one week.1 The most effective way to overcome the forgetting curve is to use active recall and review activities and apply new learning early and often. Active recall activities often found in digital learning platforms include quizzes, flashcards, scenarios, and critical thinking questions. Practical Practical learning is related to, but not the same as, actionable learning. Actionable learning ensures learners have takeaways they can apply immediately. Practical learning takes into account different on-the-job situations to ensure learners have resources at a specific moment of need. A comprehensive digital learning platform includes resources to support five moments of need: new, more, apply, solve, and change. The Five Moments of Need The “five moments of need” approach, developed by Conrad Gottfredson and Bob Mosher, focuses on applying learning in the workflow.2 Learning a new skill or concept and then learning more as skills increase are the bread and- butter of traditional training programs. Effective learning platforms will also support learning that happens on the job: when learners apply new skills when they must solve problems because something did not happen as expected, and when they must relearn skills because systems, processes, or situations changed. Because of their modular design, accessibility, and the variety of delivery formats available, digital learning platforms are ideally suited for addressing these needs. Engaging Last, but by no means least, an effective digital learning platform actively engages participants in the learning experience. This element, perhaps more than any other, influences learner retention. And it is the one area where digital learning platforms often fail to perform. Quizzes are the most common engagement activities included in digital learning. Ideally, these knowledge checks also provide meaningful feedback to learners, reinforcing correct answers and reviewing material for incorrect answers. Some platforms award points or badges for activities completed. Some include leaderboards that show learners how their scores compare to others. The most sophisticated use simulation and virtual reality. Fortunately, you do not have to develop the next Minecraft game to engage most learners. Any activity that reviews and reinforces learning points and supports the on-the-job application of key concepts will encourage learner participation. In addition to quizzes, case studies, what-if scenarios, and criticalthinking questions can keep learners engaged. Varying the types of media used (balancing text, video, and infographics, for example) also helps to retain learner interest. Digital learning is here to stay, and it is a valuable tool when designed well. These five elements, when combined in a digital learning experience, can motivate team members to use your training platform, transform new skills into increased productivity, and provide you with the ROI you are looking for in a digital learning platform. Engaging Advisors with the Essentials of Digital Learning

Noah St. John PhD Keynote Speaker and Best-Selling Author Noah St. John is the inventor of Afformations® and bestselling author of The Secret Code of Success: 7 Hidden Steps to More Wealth and Happiness (HarperCollins). Noah is the world’s most-quoted expert on how to clear your head trash. He’s appeared in over 2,000 media outlets including CNN, ABC, NBC, The Washington Post and PARADE Magazine. Noah’s dynamic and down-to-earth speaking style always gets high marks from audiences. As the leading authority on how to eliminate limiting beliefs, Noah delivers live programs and online courses that have been called “the only training that FIXES every other training!” Noah also appears frequently in the news worldwide, including ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, The Hallmark Channel, National Public Radio, Parade, Woman’s Day, Los Angeles Business Journal, The Washington Post, Chicago Sun-Times, Selling Power, Forbes.com, and The Huffington Post. Previous Speaker Go back to Speaker Network Next Speaker

Sabine Robinson CLU, M.S. Coaching, Consulting and Author As a Development Specialist for the financial services industry, Sabine Robinson, CLU has coached hundreds of new agents and advisors since she started her financial services career in 1988. She spent 12 years with the Northwestern Mutual Financial Network before launching her own coaching and consulting business in July 2000. Sabine focuses primarily on the development of new agents and advisors with less than 5 years of industry experience. She believes that helping this group build solid activity habits early in their career will have maximum impact on long-term retention. Previous Speaker Go back to Speaker Network Next Speaker