Blueprint for Success (2025 and Beyond)

There are certain characteristics in life and in business that I think are timeless. In an increasingly competitive and complicated world, future success is not guaranteed, but I think if we embrace the key elements that are outlined in this Blueprint for Success, we will improve the possibilities of future success.

I have shared leading with integrity, intelligence, and intensity (the Three I’s) and the seven C’s from How I “C” real leaders; character, commitment, compassion, contribution, communication, collaboration and connection. I have also communicated the importance of the Three I’s characteristics that all our associates should possess:

• Integrity
  • Being intellectually honest and adhering to the highest ethical standards in dealing with clients, associates, and strategic partners at all times.
  • At the heart of integrity is trust, credibility, and character. Integrity forms the foundation of important, meaningful relationships. A reputation of honesty, reliability, and ethical behavior is highly regarded in all spheres of life. Your reputation takes a lifetime to develop, but it can be damaged in a short period of time.
• Intensity
  • Without execution, vision is just an idea.
  • Having a sense of urgency, focus on execution, and always being accountable will bring things to a successful conclusion. In the book Leading Change by John Kotter, the number one quality needed to change a business is a sense of urgency.
• Intelligence
  • Having both technical and emotional knowledge. Having the motivation to constantly learn about our industry and our client’s businesses.

When we work with clients and associates, as we encounter them, I think it’s important (where appropriate) to embrace, engage, empathize, encourage, energize, and empower them. And, ultimately, it is essential that we execute. (I refer to these as the 8 E’s)

For our continued success we need enthusiastic high performers in the right roles who are a cultural fit and focus on the eight E’s. Our organization is only as strong as the team members we recruit, retain, and develop. I call this finding the right WHO. When The WHO isn’t right, The WHAT usually doesn’t matter.

When you have incredible people (the right WHO) blended with a meaningful mission and a powerful culture, you can achieve outstanding results. An outstanding culture is crucial for the success of an organization. The powerful combination will create not only sustained performance but move the organization from success to significance. It’s important to live the infinite game and not the finite game.

As a company we can thrive if we retain existing clients (retention) and attract new clients (growth). Although this sounds simple, it is not easy. We need to continue to be an outsourced risk manager and employee benefits consultant and not just an insurance broker. It is crucial that we are proactive and consultative. Client discoveries, work plans, agendas, meeting notes, and action items are all part of client relations.

Teams of Teams is the best approach in every aspect of business. A well-coordinated and collaborative team will be much more successful. Our loyalty to those around us should remain deeply rooted in dedication, integrity, and humility. In doing so, we help reinforce our purpose and solidify our reputation for excellence and compassion.

Relationships are the most important thing in life. When our clients ask us for our insights, recommendations, and assistance in many aspects of their business and personal lives, we align Our Purpose: to impact the lives we serve in business and in life with Our Mission: to help clients protect assets and enhance employee outcomes through the delivery of exceptional risk management and employee benefit consulting services and products.

Ultimately, we are measured by how we perform and how much value we add. We need to be sure that we build strong relationships, we continually add value, we assist our clients with solving problems, and we attempt to network (the exchange of information, ideas, and resources).

With that in mind, I like to remind our associates to follow the Three Commitments:

• I am being proactive and consultative, not reactive. I consistently anticipate clients’ needs, concerns, challenges, and how the greater community affects them.
• I am committed to life-long learning and improving my knowledge of my given professional, community, and clients’ business opportunities, challenges, and concerns.
• I am being congenial, collegial, cooperative, and collaborative with my colleagues.

Please ask yourself these questions:

• Am I using the combined intellectual and emotional experiences of myself and my colleagues?
• What do I need to do to become a peak performer? According to Gerald Bell of the Bell Institute, you have to balance seven major aspects in life: family, personal, health, financial, career, spiritual, and happiness.
• How do I avoid Warren Buffet’s ABC’s of why businesses fail: Arrogance, Bureaucracy, and Complacency?

Often, our decisions determine our destiny. A person that strives to not only grow emotionally, spiritually, and intellectually, is also happier and enjoys a more fulfilling life. Tony Robbins, personal life coach, says that to reach the “next level” of success you need to do the following:

• Raise your standards
• Change your limited beliefs
• Raise your intensity
• Embrace a model what works – new models usually aren’t necessary. Trial by Fire, is a good example of this model.
• Step up and give all that you can give.

Life is about a contribution. Are you making a meaningful difference? Are you touching people’s lives? The ability to manage stress, foster positive relationships and maintain well-being is essential for both personal and organizational success.

• Effective communication: Good communication is crucial in preventing misunderstandings. Upfront, clear and open conversations that both parties agree to can prevent assumptions and foster a supportive atmosphere.
• Rationality over emotion: Choosing to be rational rather than emotional helps in maintaining professional relationships. It can help us stay objective by focusing on what we are aiming to accomplish.
• Patience vs Stubbornness: Knowing when to be patient and when to let go is crucial. If it is something meaningful that just takes more time, then be patient.
• Learning from failures: When we experience a setback, embrace the opportunity to reflect on what went wrong, why it went wrong and what could have been better – reflect, understand and grow.
• Seek multiple viewpoints: The best outcomes come from evaluating multiple perspectives – even if these perspectives seem contrary to our beliefs. It is surprising how easily we can get caught up in our viewpoint and as a result make less than optimal decisions.
• Positive relationships: Surrounding ourselves with positive, talented and loyal individuals fosters a supportive and motivating environment.
• Progress, not perfection: Learning is a lifelong journey, an ongoing commitment that is never truly completed. We are all “works in progress”.

To be the best version of who we can be, working every day on the following traits is essential:

A well-coordinated and collaborative team is much more successful than doing anything by oneself. Assembling the right team is a challenge. A strong team comprised of those playing to their strengths will not only succeed but minimize weakness when working cohesively and collaboratively to service clients.

Over the past decade we have truly made strides in going from an insurance broker that is consultative to a consulting firm. Of course, more needs to be done. In order to strive to be a world-class organization, we need to have the right people in the right places, engage our clients and engage our associates. Results are maximized when you do the following:

• Rational targeting – playing to your strengths.
• Relationship mapping – Going from collecting the dots to connecting the dots.

I believe in servant leadership. Those who possess knowledge, experience, and empathy, and are willing to take the lead in setting the example of serving others, will gain the respect of their associates who will then want to work alongside them. Servant leaders will enable us to perpetuate the business.

We should always strive to be compassionate, humble, and grateful as they are interrelated. Going forward, continued success requires that we take approaches that are sometimes new and evolutionary. Accepting the status quo or looking at the past nostalgically will lead to our decline. If we embrace change, work together, work hard, and play to our strengths, our future will be bright. But to do this, we need everyone on board. The world will continue to evolve and so why not embrace it?

Ultimately, people will find fulfillment in life through the following:

• Love
  • A priest I admire and respect, Monsignor Carroll Abbing who was the founder of Boys Town, assisted over fifty thousand children around the world and was nominated for the Nobel-Peace prize, said that the secret to happiness is to love and that the essence of love is to serve.
• Happiness
  • Aristotle, the Greek philosopher, said that the pursuit of happiness is the central purpose of human life. True happiness comes from gaining insight and growing into your best possible self.
• Growth
  • A person will grow when they pursue interests that are emotionally and intellectually satisfying while also nurturing positive relationships with family, coworkers, clients, and the community.
• Making a Contribution
  • People who are integral to a process and outcome are more satisfied. Often, it is the small, incremental inputs and team collaborations that lead to favorable results and a sense of pride in the work a person does every day.

According to Mike Novak’s book Business Can Be a Calling, we have the opportunity to impact so many people’s lives in so many ways every day. Jim Collins has authored several incredible books. In his book titled Great by Choice he discusses how ordinary businesses did things in an extraordinary way. It’s amazing how Mother Theresa came to the same conclusion about people. I have learned that when treating others with respect, the feeling permeates throughout the culture. Sometimes people may forget what you say, but they rarely forget how you made them feel.

The Fedeli Group is just one part of your life, although it comprises much of your waking life. I’d like to try to make your experience at our agency rewarding. Always strive to be the best version of yourself. If you want success, you need to help others become successful. I call this The Law of Reciprocity.

I hope you find this outline that I have shared meaningful. In this Blueprint for Success, I have outlined my view of how to be successful in business and in life. Please join us on this continued journey.