Bad Attitude In Insurance – Does Your Agency Have a “Karen” On The Team?
We’re going to slip into some modern-day terminology for this next topic: do you have a “Karen” in your agency?
A “Karen” is a term for someone with a bad attitude, and in your agency, they may be bossy, a know-it-all, argumentative, and make quick judgements. People who are “Karens” will also likely lack empathy and will believe they’re always right. We’re seeing more and more “Karens” who have a bad attitude in insurance, and we’re also seeing agencies struggle to navigate around these difficult employees.
Here are some steps you can take if you have an agent with a bad attitude in your agency:
1.Hit the problem between the eyeballs
If you have an agent with a bad attitude, you need to tackle the issue head-on. You should have a conversation with them, and document it. You can also make sure all of your employees understand the values of your organization, saying something like “At this agency, we don’t gossip, we don’t judge, and we ask questions.” Setting the ground rules is important, so that difficult employees know what’s expected of them, and what behavior is unacceptable.
2.Don’t negotiate with terrorists
We simply do not negotiate with terrorists, and yes, Karen’s can reign havoc on your organization. They can constantly work behind-the-scenes, trying to band people to get people to work against you, instead of for you. It’s important to stand your ground, and stick by your morals and values, instead of allowing these people to inflict harm on your agency.
3.Be prepared for them to leave
When you start having conversations and documenting what’s going on, you’re taking important steps towards holding these “Karens” accountable. But be prepared for the fact that if you’re holding them accountable, they might find another place to work. That’s because these types of people thrive on toxicity, and if you take that away from them, they don’t have much else to go on. If they do leave, all the better. While “Karens” may be great agents or full of knowledge, they’re really holding your entire agency back, and lowering morale.
Everyone wants to work at an agency that is full of employees who enthusiastically try, who are positive, and who help make the agency a better place. By keeping around “Karens,” you’re actually a part of the problem. But by addressing the issues head on, and ripping off the band, you’ll be doing your agency justice by protecting the values that all of your employees should have.
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