Risk Services of Arkansas - March 2018

Risk Services of Arkansas - March 2018

SPECIALIZING IN YOU Agriculture Ministries Education Environmental Hospitality

Not-For-Profit

Technology

March 2018

Financial

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Transportation

WHAT MY CHILDREN TAUGHT ME ABOUT TIME MANAGEMENT Pruning Our Priorities

With spring fast approaching, many folks are taking a few hours to clean out their garages, trim the bushes, and organize a drawer or two. But as we’re pruning away the clutter in and around our homes, there’s one thing we often neglect: the clutter in our personal lives and businesses. What if, in addition to all the physical spring cleaning we do each year, we took some time to stop and think about our everyday priorities? It’s a lesson I was forced to learn when my life changed abruptly about 20 years ago. From the time I got out of the Army in 1988, I was a borderline workaholic. So I was in my office in Houston five days a week, scrambling through hectic 10–12 hour days, and working for a few hours most Saturday mornings to clear up paperwork. But after going through a complicated personal situation, I suddenly found myself divorced and with primary custody of my children, who were ages 4, 6, and 10. As you can probably imagine, I was forced to drastically reevaluate the way I spent my time. I completely restructured my days and weekends so I could be available for them, get them where they needed to go, and still take care of my business obligations.

pretty difficult and stressful, but I also cherish every moment. I’m well aware how blessed I was to be able to spend so much time with my kids through those growing years. Unfortunately, not many dads have the opportunity I had. The experience taught me a number of things, but perhaps the most important was that ethic of self-discipline, filtering out those trivial tasks and trying to focus on what is important. I received a clever gift last Christmas from an associate, a framed “What NOT to Do List” for managing my business. I now keep it on my credenza. It reminds me of the lesson I learned all those years ago. Working endless hours or overwhelming yourself with tasks is not the key to accomplishing your goals. It’s determining what is truly important to you and cutting out everything else. Though I still could be a lot more disciplined — spending fewer hours in front of the TV watching sports, for example — I think it’s important to be reminded every now and then that we all have the same number of hours in the day. It’s how we use each one that counts.

Every weekday, I needed to drop off the youngest at his Montessori school early in the morning, then be back to pick them all up at their different after-school programs by closing at 6:30 p.m., or there would be big trouble. And if you have any idea what Houston traffic is like between 5:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., this was no simple task. We lived in a suburb about a 30-minute drive from my office, even without traffic issues. So, in order to get there on time, without having a stress-induced heart attack, I’d have to leave my office by 4:45 p.m. sharp in order to get ahead of the 5:00 rush. At first, it was a serious struggle. Tasks were left unfinished, and I began to fall behind at work. But as I caught my stride, I found that the hard 4:45 p.m. deadline was a boon more than an obstacle. I quickly realized I had to be absolutely ruthless with what I chose to focus on. The reason I was having to stay at work 10–12 hours a day before was because I had virtually unlimited time to get things done. But with a hard deadline, I was forced to prioritize and focus my efforts. My discipline and efficiency skyrocketed — as did my ability to say no. Now, my kids are grown and off on their own pursuits. Looking backward through the rearview mirror, I remember those days being

–Brad Johnson

President, Risk Services of AR

Specialized Insurance Programs For Specialized Industries. • www.insurica.com • 1

ARE YOU KEEPING UP WITH YOUR BUSINESS GOALS?

The first quarter of 2018 is rapidly coming to an end. What steps have you taken to achieve the goals you’ve set for your business this year? How much progress have you made? Have you already logged a string of successes, or are you struggling? Business owners and entrepreneurs set their sights on a number of goals every year. The problem is that a lot of those goals are left unaccomplished due to flaws in the planning stage. Here are some common goal-setting mistakes. Where Many Businesses Fall Short, Here’s How You Can Succeed • Not defining the goals in a way you, and anyone in your organization, can clearly understand • Not having a tracking system in place to monitor and review progress As you work toward your goals, it’s critical to celebrate the smaller milestones along the way. Recognizing achievements keeps your team energized and motivated. As part of the celebration, discuss what still needs to be done to accomplish big-picture goals. If you find yourself or your team falling short of expectations, use this as a learning opportunity. Evaluate your progress and see if you can identify any roadblocks. Did you give yourself and your team enough resources? Were goals miscommunicated? Did changes in your business, your community, or the economy affect your goals? How can you get back on track? If you need to make changes or recalibrate — do it! The longer you wait to adapt to changing circumstances, the longer it will take to find the right course. Even the best-laid plans can be disrupted by unforeseen circumstances. It’s up to you and your team to embrace change. It’s not uncommon for marketing strategies to evolve over the course of a year. You may discover that certain aspects of your referral campaign aren’t working. Trimming the fat isn’t necessarily easy, but taking the time to do so will set you up for better results in the long run. Don’t be afraid to make decisive cuts. If a strategy or a goal simply wasn’t a good fit, say goodbye and revisit it later. For now, take some time to review your Q1 progress. What do you need to do to make Q2 — and the rest of 2018 — a smashing success? • • • Setting goals that are too lofty or unrealistic Not taking the proper steps to see goals through Not working together as a team to achieve goals

International Women’s Day, celebrated March 8, is a worldwide event that celebrates the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women, while also calling for gender equality. This day is not affiliated with any one group, but it brings together governments, women’s organizations, corporations, and charities. It’s difficult to say when International Women’s Day began. Its roots can be traced back to 1908, when 15,000 women marched through New York City, demanding voting rights, better pay, and shorter working hours. A year later, the first National Women’s Day was observed in the United States on Feb. 28. Then, in 1910, Clara Zetkin, leader of the Social Democratic Party in Germany, suggested the idea of an International Women’s Day. A conference of more than 100 women from 17 countries agreed with Zetkin, and in 1911, on March 19, the first International Women’s Day was celebrated in Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland. More than 1 million women and men attended rallies campaigning for women’s rights to work, vote, and hold public office. In 1913, the day of celebration was changed to March 8, and in 1975, the United Nations officially recognized the holiday. In 1996, the United Nations commenced the adoption of an annual theme, the first of which was “Celebrating the Past, Planning for the Future.” In each subsequent year, a new theme was chosen to give the holiday more direction. Recent themes include “Empower Rural Women — End Poverty and Hunger” and “A Promise Is a Promise — Time for Action to End Violence Against Women.” Those who celebrate International Women’s Day aim to achieve full gender equality for women around the world. Because of the recent Hollywood film industry scandals, and because the World Economic Forum’s 2017 Global Gender Gap Report found that gender parity is at least 200 years away, this year’s theme was “Press for Progress.” Events were held in Australia, Canada, Germany, Israel, New Zealand, the United Republic of Tanzania, the United Kingdom, and in cities all across the United States. The world has witnessed significant change and a shift in attitude in regard to women’s equality. However, we still have a long way to go. Those who celebrate International Women’s Day strive to make sure girls’ futures are bright, equal, safe, and rewarding.

2 • www.insurica.com • Specialized Insurance Programs For Specialized Industries.

HOW CYBER LIABILITY INSURANCE Can Protect Contractors

Cyber liability plans vary widely, but coverages usually include the following:

These days, high-profile hacking incidents are almost constantly in the news. From the widespread attack on JP Morgan accounts to the Equifax fiasco to the Shadow Brokers’ digital assault on the U.S. government, it seems that a new multimillion-dollar operation succumbs to a cyberattack every week. Despite this, few business outside of the Fortune 500 range are doing much to protect their precious >Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4

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