NAIFA Weekly Connections

NAIFA to No Longer Produce Weekly Connections Effective June 28, 2012

NAIFA will no longer produce Weekly Connections after June 28, 2012. For regular news about NAIFA, please sign up for NAIFA SmartBrief. To register for this daily e-newsletter, please click here.

Association Industry Guest Speakers to Present During the 2012 Association Executives Conference (AEC)

The 2012 Association Executives Conference (AEC) will be held at the Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, NV, September 6-8, 2012.  The tentative agenda AND general session/learning lab descriptions are now available at www.naifa.org/leaders/governance/local/aec2012/index.cfm.

Highlights include, general sessions featuring Bob Harris (Building Strong Associations: Tough Times Call for Innovative Solutions) and Ian Hill (The Changing Role of Association Executives in Today’s Associations), learning labs featuring new and exciting topics, the 2012 C. Carney Smith dinner, and CEO Luncheon. 

Please make note that the 2012 NAIFA Career Conference and Annual Meeting will take place September 8-11, immediately following our Execs’ Conference.  To learn more about the Conference visit www.naifa.org/conference/.

To register online please visit the NAIFA Leaders Center at www.naifa.org/leaders/governance/local/aec2012/index.cfm.

For more information: Contact Lacey Mitchell, Senior Director – Association Services, (703) 770-8221.

The Academy Session 6 Now Available

Dear NAIFA Leaders:

2012 Academy:  Session 6 featuring NAIFA CEO, Dr. Susan Waters and industry speakers Tom Hegna and Norman Levine now available!

Please visit www.naifaleadershipacademy.com to register.

The Academy is an online community designed to train you, the local and state association leaders, incoming leaders, and Executives in your respective roles. The Academy provides knowledge of National programs, initiatives, tools and resources available to assist you.

The online convenience of The Academy provides an opportunity to experience this training at your own pace, in the location of your choice. In addition, new this year it offers you the ongoing ability to communicate with session speakers, fellow leaders, Executives and National staff through discussion areas after each session.

For those of you who have completed sessions 1 through 5 of The Academy, Session 6 featuring Dr. Susan Waters, NAIFA CEO and industry speakers Tom Hegna and Norman Levine now available. 

In 2011, more than 1,000 Leaders and Executives registered with more than 700 graduating. To successfully complete and graduate from the 2012 Academy, please submit the survey available after each session and the overall survey now available at the end of The Academy. Graduates will be recognized online at www.naifaleadershipacademy.com/qualifiers.html.

To learn more about The Academy and the sessions it has to offer, please visit www.naifaleadershipacademy.com or refer to The Academy at a Glance.

PLEASE NOTE: You must be able to access YouTube from your computer to fully participate in The Academy.

We encourage you to review The Academy FAQs.

If you have any questions or need assistance please send an email to academy@naifa.org or contact the NAIFA Member Service Center at 877-TO-NAIFA (877-866-2432).

Robert O. Smith, CLU, ChFC, JD
2011-12 NAIFA National President-Elect

Join fellow YATs at the 2012 NAIFA Career Conference and Annual Meeting

Join fellow YAT’s at the 2012 Career Conference and Annual Meeting on September 8-12 being held in Las Vegas, Nevada. The NAIFA National YAT Subcommittee will be hosting multiple events (included in your paid Conference registration*) to provide YATs with networking, professional development and educational opportunities.

*As a YAT member you receive a discounted rate of up to $200 off…register by July 6^th and receive an additional discount of $100!

•  Don’t be a lone wolf…Join the NAIFA YATPAC!

Help protect your business and your clients by supporting PAC.

Contribute $148.88 (the average contribution made by YATs in 2011) before or during the 2012 Conference to receive a custom YATPAC T-shirt to show your commitment to the industry. During the 2012 Conference, YATPAC “wolves” will come together to howl at the moon in the YAT Lounge, Suite and Happy Hour! Photos will be taken of all wolves in their YATPAC T-shirts to recognize your contribution and connect you with fellow members of the PAC.

For more information, visit http://www.naifa.org/benefits/yat/advocacy.cfm.

Click here to donate prior to the 2012 Conference

• 2012 YAT Forum: Network with industry professionals and experience inspiring and educational speakers with topics geared toward YATs.

Saturday, September 8, 12 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Featuring Matt Anderson, of the Referral Authority, discussing “Fearless Networking: Building an Effective Network” as well as top YATs sharing sales ideas.

•  YAT Lounge: Network with fellow YAT professionals and leaders.

September 9, 10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. AND September 10, 11:30 a.m. – 3:15 p.m.

Take a break during the day and stop by the YAT Lounge. Relax with fellow YATs, pick up informational materials, join the YATPAC, etc.

•  YAT Suite: Relax and compare notes on the day’s activities with other YATs.

September 8 and 9, 9:00 p.m. – midnight

A great networking opportunity! Join us in the YAT Suite to mingle and relax with fellow YAT members.

•  YAT Happy Hour: Join your fellow YATS to connect and unwind.

September 10, 10:00 p.m.

•  YAT Recommended Workshops: The Conference will offer additional educational sessions and workshops geared specifically towards YATs.

•  YAT Independent Advisors Networking Dinner (Complimentary): Are you an Independent Advisor? Join us at the NAIFA Independent Advisors Networking Dinner! The dinner is a great opportunity to network and connect with individuals who support the vision and goals of the independent advisor. Be sure to note your attendance on your Conference registration form. Space is limited.

To learn more about the YAT Forum and other YAT conference activities, visit www.naifa.org/benefits/yat/convention.cfm.

Click here to register for the 2012 YAT Forum and the NAIFA Career Conference and Annual Meeting.

For a full conference schedule, please visit www.naifa.org/conference.

Shop the NAIFA Marketplace

The NAIFA Marketplace includes resources available for purchase on a wide variety of sales, financial, and insurance topics - many specially discounted for NAIFA Members. The NAIFA Marketplace is also filled with free print guides, flyers and brochures, ideal for member retention and recruitment, as well as the popular Programs in a Box series. You'll also find business items and NAIFA collectibles.

For more information: Shop the NAIFA Marketplace at http://secure.naifa.org/naifamarketplace/.

Hoopis Advisor Network – An Online MultiMedia Learning Platform

Monthly subscribers to Hoopis Advisor Network for NAIFA, an online, multimedia learning platform designed for producers in the financial services industry, may take advantage of content delivered through multiple multi-media portals including steaming video, articles, skills assessments and more. NAIFA Members receive an exclusive 25% discount off the monthly subscription fee for $29.95/month.

For more information: Visit www.han4naifa.com.

LILI Introduces Curriculum Enhancements for 2013

Your business, your family, your association, your effectiveness in each of these areas is directly impacted by your leadership skills and abilities. You can be equipped for success through NAIFA’s Leadership in Life Institute (LILI). 

LILI is NAIFA’s six-month leadership development course that builds leadership skills to help you grow professionally and personally. Graduates return to their practice after having crafted their own vision, mission statements and business plans to guide them toward achieving success.  LILI graduates are not the only beneficiaries of this life changing program. Your family members, colleagues and association members will also benefit from your ability to lead and empower them. 

With significant enhancements to the LILI program’s course curriculum, now is the time to reap the benefits of a LILI class. These enhancements incorporate cutting edge leadership and business research. According to a recent Harvard study, Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is the #1 predictor of success in business and leadership. LILI’s 2013 curriculum brings the insights provided by EQ research into the classroom. As EQ research teaches us there is a science to great performance and the key is learning the science of managing your emotions. 

In addition to Emotional Intelligence instruction the 2013 LILI curriculum has been enriched to include:

•   The One Page Business Plan®
• The Kolb Learning Style Inventory
• Credibility by James Kouzes and Barry Posner – all new and revised edition with sharpened focus on how leaders earn and sustain credibility
• New Sales Segments

Are you ready to invest in yourself through NAIFA’s Leadership and Life Institute? The return on your investment can be huge! NAIFA’s Leadership in Life Institute can give you the tools you need to take your business to the next level. 

Act now to be part of the Class of 2013!

Be sure to contact your State LILI Chair for details on classes being held in or near your state. To obtain their contact information go to www.naifa.org/lili. You may also direct inquiries to lili@naifa.org. Participating states are accepting applications now for the Class of 2013.

Thank you, NAIFA

Perhaps the greatest benefit of what we all do is the friendship that grows from the professional relationships formed through NAIFA. The relationships we form in our working lives help define us. They can make us better in our jobs, better serving our clients, better human beings, or none of these things. On the AT Blog.

For more information: Visit the AT Blog.