GUAA Action Sheet

Fall 1999

Are You Drowning in Work?

By Geeta Ogale, FLMI, CLU
Group Insurance Consultant

Someone once said, ÒI try to take one day at a time, but sometimes several days attack me at once.Ó Does that happen to you in your daily vigils as an underwriter? You are not alone. Lack of time is a common underwriting complaint. Here's a self-test:

Is your in-basket always full? Are you disorganized?
Do you find that you seldom have time to file correspondence away?
Do you avoid non-underwriting activities or projects because you cannot attend to your day to day underwriting?
Have your work habits remained somewhat the same?
Are you more comfortable with and find refuge in details rather than concepts?

If you answer ÒyesÓ to two or more of the questions, you probably could use some help.

There are many things an underwriter can do to work smarter. One sure way of managing work and deadlines is by delegating. You do not need a staff to delegate tasks effectively; a true professional uses all available resources to maximize effectiveness.

In the larger scheme of things, you are part of a team and can manage work by assigning it to peers, your boss, or your sales reps. For example: You work on a regional or product team. Unavoidable circumstances dictate that you will be away the next day, but you have promised your sales rep a rate pending information that you don't have yet. What could you do?

Ask your teammate to handle it. Be sure you are available when your teammate needs your help in a similar situation. People generally feel good about helping others as long as they feel appreciated.
If you don't work on a team, ask your manager to keep your commitment to the rep. After all, your boss has more resources than you do and has a stake in providing good service. Your manager will appreciate your diligence. Make sure this doesn't happen too often!
Tell the sales rep your predicament and try to work out some arrangement. Perhaps an extension or alternatives can be worked out. The communication will be appreciated.
No person is an island. Even if you don't manage people, there is no reason you can't seek help. You cannot afford to postpone what is due today. In most organizations, you must be able to effectively manage your workload and be responsive to be considered for more challenging assignments. Knowledge alone is not enough.

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