For the Insurance Professional: Actions Speak Louder Than Words
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For the Insurance Professional: Actions Speak Louder Than Words
But words still matter
By Gene Strother
“Actions speak louder than words.”
Original source unknown
“He was a man of few words.”
Who knows who said it first? It has been the eulogy of many fine fellows.
“Speak softly and carry a big stick.”
President Theodore Roosevelt
Words are Actions
One could argue that what you do is much more important than what you say and find plenty of support in the comments section. People who lack words or feel intimidated communicating tend to lean into the notion that words aren’t all that important anyway.
That is wrong.
Words are actions. When you say something, you are doing something. So, what you say matters.
Think of the immediate impact and lasting imprint the following words have on the person hearing them.
“I am so proud of you.”
“I love you.”
“It’s ok. You made a mistake. Try again.”
“You can do it.”
“I believe in you.”
“You are so stupid.”
“Nobody likes you.”
“I hate you.”
Words are the Fuel
Almost all actions are the direct or indirect results of words.
Marriages go back to words. So do championship runs. And wars.
Effective communication is indispensable to the insurance claims professional. Fail in this area and you will fail, even if you are great in all of the other areas.
I once was tasked with advising a desk adjuster that our client demanded we release him. He was a great adjuster and recognized as such, but one misstep in communication cost him a valuable seat. It cost him thousands of dollars of income.
In the early 1990s, I was in a position of leadership that required me to provide written and oral communication on a weekly basis. I was just beginning to discover my love of writing after having primarily been a purveyor of oral communication for a couple of decades. I was exposed to a couple of authors whose genius was to tell powerful stories in simple and direct terms. I wanted to get where they were.
So, I started digging.
Write Tight
I bought several books on writing. I have since forgotten every book I read on the subject but one: Write Tight by William Brohaugh. Mr. Brohaugh was the co-designer of the original WritersDigest.com and a former editor of Writer’s Market. His book changed my life. After reading it, I became a better communicator, both as a writer and a speaker.
The purpose of Write Tight is to show you how to trim the fat in your writing. I found it applied as well to speaking as to writing.
Communication needs to be direct, understandable, concise, and precise. Whether you are entertaining, educating, or edifying, clear and concise communication is essential to effectiveness.
Are you writing a Gross Loss Report for the claim file?
Are you explaining coverage to an insured?
Are you fielding questions from an attorney?
Success in these and other vital interactions comes down to trimming the fat, avoiding word salads, saying what you mean, and meaning what you say (or write).
You Be You
I am not advising to eliminate warmth and personality. I am not saying there is no place for humor. You are not a robot. You are not Artificial Intelligence. Be genuine. Be earnest. Be accessible. Be vulnerable because you are human and the customer or coworker or client or contractor needs to feel that.
But don’t filibuster. Don’t employ smoke and mirrors.
Be authentic.
Trim the Fat
In a section named The Danger Signs of Wordiness, Brohaugh gives these warning signs that you have said (or written) too much and thus diluted the impact of your communication:
- “But to get back to the story…” – Why did you leave the story in the first place? Avoid rabbit trails.
- “By the way…” – this usually leads to a distracting sidenote and thus calls the mind away from the point.
- “In other words…” – If these were better words, use them in the first place.
- “Needless to say…” or “It goes without saying…” – If it is needless or goes without saying, fine. Don’t say it.
- “Let me digress…” – You just asked the reader or listener’s permission to waste their time. Stop it.
- “I’ll get straight to the point.” OK. Do it. No need to announce it.
The insurance claims professional must be a master communicator in order to reach the pinnacle of their profession. There is no way around it. You don’t have to be Roosevelt or Reagan. You do have to master the art of communication. Phone calls, emails, claim documents, face-to-face meetings with stakeholders, coworkers, clients, and management…there are so many opportunities to separate yourself, to stand out, or to slip up.
Prepare yourself for success or prepare for the consequences of being ill-prepared. Your life. Your career. Your choice.
Clear and concise. There are the watchwords. These are the pillars.
