Testimonials

Mark G. Mackert
LDP has been a very good program for individual leadership growth. The opportunity to get away once a month and focus on the business is great; too often we get too caught up with the daily activities to think about the business.

The ability to work with a peer group is outstanding, agency can be a lonely career at times and the ability to meet with fellow agents and discuss the business and your personal agenda is a great experience; you realize you are not alone.

Finally I would say “Sign Up” you will be glad you did.

Mark G. Mackert

Arianne Podojil
What has helped me the most is putting a structure in place for running the business. The structure is something that can grow and adapt as the business changes, so it’s something I plan to use over the next thirty years. I had processes and procedures in place for the daily activities but not for the agency itself. I had systems in place for my team members, but not necessarily for running the agency as a business. The “Five Foundation Stones” are my new roadmap.

State Farm has a terrific training program for new agents. However, the sections on leadership were too general for me because they were high-level discussions on “getting the job done.” For me, LDP filled in the gaps on HOW to get the job done SPECIFICALLY. The Mentoring and Monitoring sections have provided formats that I can use for all team members throughout the year.

The Myers-Briggs profiles and class discussions on personality preferences have been extremely helpful for me. They have helped me in communicating better with people, both at work and at home. Understanding how different personalities approach problems and process information is very powerful. Tailoring how I communicate allows me to talk to people instead of atthem. Also, making the connection between the quiet agenda and the business agenda has helped me to clarify my goals.

This is my “track to run on.” And having a track means I can’t get lost in all of the things that can become distractions.

To other agents: Go for it! I think all new agents should consider LDP. The ‘take-a-ways’ are lessons and skills that can be used throughout your career. And if you’re starting a business, it only makes sense to do it correctly from the start!

Arianne Podojil

Randy Couch
I am really enjoying LDP very much. I wish this had been available 15 years earlier. Please do not hesitate to have anyone who is considering the class to call me.

Randy Couch

Suzanne Worrell
LDP has helped me see the procedures I needed to put in place. The class has made me stop and really look at the leadership I need to provide for my staff. It has helped me a great deal to intermingle with other agents and share ideas about what they are doing. The exchange of ideas has been rejuvenating.

I can’t begin to tell you what this has done for me personally. I have been dealing with crucial family issues and Dr. Parrott’s discussions have helped me put things in perspective and to deal with these issues. I really feel every agent could benefit from the class and highly recommend they take the time to attend! It has been time well spent for me.

Suzanne Worrell

Deb Insell
The positive changes in the daily operation in my office are remarkable. Everyone has a role that is clearly understood and implemented. We are managing our time and seeing great gains in production.

Looking back at the past 6 months as compared to the first two years and the performance of my team is absolutely amazing.

It scares me to think, what if I had not gotten involved in this great program. Just to see the excitement and enthusiasm in my team and knowing that the changes are because of my proactive decision to get involved in LDP as a newly contracted agent is priceless.

I recognized that my business was not where I wanted it to be and felt that “I needed some work” to get it there. LDP has empowered me to new heights of leadership, feelings of competence as a trusted adviser and confidence in myself.

It’s the best investment that I have made in my business and I did not have the money to invest! I am extremely excited about the payoff that I’ll be seeing in my business for many years to come.

Dr. Parrott, I can never thank you enough for helping me focus on what keeps me alive!

Deb Insell

Carolyn Miller
Business has increased!
• Expectations are clearer to office staff.
• We do more things together out of the office.
• Production is higher than last year.
• Goals are more defined.
• Accountability for me and the staff is improving.
• I am delegating more to staff.
• I am finding more time for myself.
My son came home for a week from California. Instead of working all week at the office, I took an ‘at home’ week’s vacation. While my son helped my husband install a media room, I had time to be with them.

The program is well worth the money. Sign up.

Carolyn Miller

Ramona Salyer
My team and I are more focused on achieving goals. We have more discussions on what is working and what we need to change. We are looking at our customers in a different light; emphasizing having more conversations about their needs and less order taking. (Value based selling).

LDP has given me more confidence as the leader of my agency which has also given my staff more confidence. The result has been more multi-line apps. I now understand all that is involved in being the leader of my agency. LDP has guided me to be proactive rather than reactive. I now do more analyzing and looking at why things aren’t working in my agency.
Two words that describe what LDP has given me are Courage and Confidence. If a staff member is holding everyone else hostage and having a negative influence on others I know that it is my responsibility to handle the situation quickly and make sure the next person is the right personality for growing my agency.

Staff members actually are energized and will willingly follow when they know we care enough and are strong enough to handle situations that will make their work more enjoyable.

It has helped me see more clearly the connection between my personal life satisfaction and my professional life satisfaction. If we are not enriching our lives personally, chances are we won’t be successful in our professional life. We can put all our energy into our business for a while but sooner or later we will suffer “burn out”. We must have a balance in our family, spiritual, personal, and professional lives.

Make LDP a top priority for 2007. It is well worth the investment.

Ramona Salyer

Bob Folger
WE (my team and me) have become more focused on the goals that are most meaningful. The Leadership Development Program has given me more confidence in the choices that I make and has helped me develop clearer and better defined goals. I have learned to engage my office associates in the development process of making decisions (delegation). WE are becoming a better team and more efficient in the way we work.

Take the time to look at how you are running your office and your life and make the commitment to improvement. LDP does this for your personal and professional development. It will give you a better insight into who you are.

Bob Folger

Mike Shelton
LDP has helped me look at my business from the big picture and not the details. The program helps me look at processes which help increase efficiency in the office. It created an awareness of the need for consistent communication and the need for consistent policies and practices. I have also learned how to do advanced thinking into the direction I want my business to grow.

LDP has helped me find my “True and Best Self.” I am becoming the person I want to be instead of what I thought my customers wanted. I am developing my authentic personality and capitalizing on that for me.

Fellow Agents: This program will be the best money you spend ON your business. You can’t compare it to marketing, staff salaries, and expenses. It is an investment in you and your business. It is a must for disgruntled agents and those agents which have lost there edge at the 5-10-15 year point. Regardless of increased production, I believe it will help open communication between the company and those agents.

Mike Shelton

Tommy Thompson
Dr. Parrott,

I am very much enjoying your class and have learned a lot from it. I have made many changes in my office and am starting to enjoy my work again. Maybe for the first time in many years, I am starting to (again) feel like I have “earned” my pay check and not just received the rewards of work that was done many years ago. Thanks!

Tommy Thompson

Doug Nofzinger
LDP has made me realize that I have a lot of work to do to change to the new way of running an agency. I definitely like what I see with this new way of operating.

Years ago Denny Sheehan tried to help us become more of a CEO. This program gives us all the tools needed to make it happen. I now have the workings of a much better business plan and a much better view of the future and how I can adjust, change, implement, and adapt to future changes.

I have learned one of my staff was being more of a cancer and she is no longer with us. I have a written plan for finding the next person, who will also have the personality type using the Myers Briggs Personalities to determine someone better suited for the job, instead of thinking I can teach anything to anyone.

I’ve also been able to better use the other person in the office and she is much happier with her new role and she now knows what is expected of her. Once we get the new person on board and trained, then the plan is to hire another person to help with the new plans for expansion.

We now have a written plan in the works, not finished as yet, but we are not to the end of the course as yet. My staff views me a little differently and they are happier with the changes and the new outlook.

I had forgotten some of the things in the past that I really wanted in my future and LDP helped me to re-center myself on the things I really wanted out of life, not only the home life, but personal goals too. I’ve lost about 12 pounds also and I am exercising more and am feeling great. I am taking swing dance lessons with a female friend.

This is “a must program” for every agent to take, and far better than anything State Farm has offered in the past. It comes from an outside source, Dr. Parrott, who has personally studied State Farm and the State Farm agent. His programs do work, whether you are a small agent, new agent, long time agent like me who was in a rut, or a very large organized agent who wants to be even better organized.

Doug Nofzinger

Jonathon Gray
LDP has given me a track to run on for hiring and training new team members, set and monitor goals for my team, and allow me to work on my business. I have become aware of holes in my leadership style and have been able to fill those holes.

It has allowed me to know the importance of balance and knowing why I go to work everyday. It has showed me what I want to do and accomplish for my family. There is always chaos in your office; LDP gives you a track to run on when there is no one else to turn too. You know, as well as I do, as a small business owner you are truly on your own. The AFO can not possibly help you all the time, in every crisis. At the end of the day, “if it is to be its’ up to me” That feeling is scary, overwhelming, and not something that most State Farm agents know how to effectively handle.

LDP gave me order and peace of mind in the face of chaos. I was too proud to think that this would help my office and more importantly me. Boy was I wrong.

Turn in the form; do not think about the money, (State Farm just sucks it out of your check and you will never know anyway!) You need this program, no matter where you are in your career. JUST DO IT!

Jonathon Gray

Jackie Smith
LDP has improved my business because I now better communicate with my staff. Now there is better understanding of what we are trying to accomplish. My staff has a better understanding of the things that are important to me. They have learned that I want to make them, me and this business more successful.

I really am becoming a professional leader. By actually developing my vision for the business and goals and starting the 20/20 Challenge, I’ve actually begun to take control of what’s going on in the office such as how the staff spends their time. They know better what I expect of them.

I am getting to the point that my business agenda is affecting my private agenda. One of the items on my private agenda is to spend more time with my husband fishing, traveling, etc. Now that I have added a third staff person, (and not just hired one, but this staff person has a job description for which she was specifically hired), my office will run more efficiently and effectively whether or not I’m here. This takes the stress out of being away from the office and I can relax more.

I am not a good business manager, but I’m getting better all the time. The progress I’ve made has been helped greatly by LDP. I had a sense of things that I wanted to do in and with my business, but I just didn’t know how to go about it, didn’t have to time to think and plan it out; therefore, I did the same old thing all the time.

If you feel that your business is running you instead of you running it, as I felt; LDP will be worth every penny and more to you. It has been more than worth it to me.

Jackie Smith

Corky Cross
LDP gave me a track to run on! It helped me focus on the actions that I need to get the results I am after! It introduced more accountability and gave meaning to staff meetings. I want the office to go! I have learned to spend more time in administration and thinking about my business!

I highly recommend LDP! You will get a lot out of it!

Corky Cross

Patty Stewart
LDP has helped me with analyzing my business and focusing me on my growth & management skills.
1. It has showed me how to better handle my staff and look at my agency as a business needing direction from me.
2. It has helped me understand personalities and how to hire & handle people better by understanding what drives them and motivates them.
3. It has helped me understand my family from the personality training and to deal with them in a manner that is more understanding.
4. I also realize how much my home life impacts the business and drives me to do the things I do.
5. I see now that it is important for me to understand my family more instead of trying to get them to always understand me.
I can not think of one agent that would not benefit from LDP. I was someone who was skeptical about signing up for the classes but now am very happy that I did. I have learned that I do not have to be an island and my staff can help me succeed if I just learn to have patience.

Everyone will probably get something different from the program depending on their individual strengths and weaknesses. It will also help everyone to understand themselves & other people in their lives.

Patty Stewart

Jeff White
What I have learned from LDP has helped me be a much better manager of my business. It has helped me add appropriate staff and re-define roles of existing staff. We are working much better as a team. I now lead better under stress and crisis. I have become better at delegating and I manage much better.

I have a better grasp on my personal and business goals. I feel more successful in both arenas and feel much more productive and ready to take on anything!

If you are thinking about LDP, go for it! It is money well spent and it will help you look at your personal and business life in a different light. If you are in a “rut” and tired of the routine and things never changing and you really want more out of life then this is the course for you!

Jeff White

Beth Null
I have come to understand that I am only as good as my team. Because of the deeper appreciation this course has taught me for my team, I altered our weekly meetings, changed how I recruit and train, and plan to change how I track and reward my team.

LDP is well worth the time and money. I would like to take the course again.

Beth Null

Eric Evans
Because of LDP, I have become “involved” again; I have learned to delegate responsibilities and hold staff members accountable. I feel more confident in presenting assignments to my staff. I have learned to balance my personal life with my business goals.

To agents that are considering LDP: Do it. It is worth the time and investment.

Eric Evans

Shelonda Payton
LDP has helped me stay on top of things that are going on and not avoid them. Problems are not just going to go away.

I am better able to communicate with my team members and clients on a professional level. For example, I am remembering that if I stay “true” to myself I will have peace of mind. It always comes back to doing the right thing. I’m doing what’s best for my team members and my clients.

I am also making my personal agenda match or coincide with my business agenda.

I would say to any agent thinking about LDP: Go through with it….you may feel like it’s just another meeting that you’re going to and gathering information to bring back and put in your closet but once you go through it you realize there are other agents just like you who are going through the same things also. I’ve only been an agent for 4 years and I feel like it’s going to help me not become a traditional agent. I want to continue to be successful and continue to grow!

Shelonda Payton

Sharon Brown
LDP has enabled me to better run my business with defined job descriptions and a more detailed business plan. It has helped me to be better organized. Also, time spent with fellow agents is great. This is a great program that helps to put your agency in a direction of progress, production, team oriented and profitable.

Sharon Brown

Neil Schmitt
Dr. Parrott,

LDP has helped me be better organized. But, most importantly, it has helped me improve my communication skills with my staff. LDP has reinforced what I already felt about putting my goals in order.

If an agent is sincere in looking to improve how they manage their office and their career, this program is the best program State Farm has made available to agents.

The program is an important investment of time and money and pays off immediately if the agent is committed to improving their office.

Neil Schmitt

Brad Lamoreaux
DR. PARROTT,

BECAUSE OF LDP, I HAVE BEEN MORE SUCCESSFUL AT EMPOWERING MY TEAM. I FEEL LIKE I HAVE A HANDLE ON THINGS NOW. I FEEL LIKE A BUSINESS OWNER. I’M A BETTER STEWARD OF MY TIME NOW AND I’M ABLE TO SPEND MORE QUANTITY TIME WITH MY FAMILY.

I PUT IT OFF FOR 2 YEARS BEFORE TAKING THE “PLUNGE”. I SHOULD HAVE LISTENED TO SOME OF MY PEERS AND PARTICIPATED IN LDP MUCH SOONER.

BRAD LAMOREAUX

Sue Anderson
I have learned to be the CEO of my business. LDP has improved the morale and the “passion” for State Farm in my team. Now, I act the part of a leader. I am no longer the “employee” in my office. Instead, I have taken on the role of the “coach” and wow, what a change!!! I take more time for me and feel great doing it!!!! My team encourages me to take time for “Sue” and then I can work on the extras for them!

I have sung praises of Dr. Parrott and his Leadership Development Program to many agents. I am just sorry that LDP was not available 12 years earlier!!! It is imperative that the new agency force learn what is in this program, and why they need it. Thanks for all that I have learned thus far. I am looking forward to the “rest of the story”.

Sue Anderson

Mike Bradley
Dr. Parrott,
We are constantly reminded that as State Farm agents we are in the relationship business. Most of us interpret this with respect to our clients and miss the larger aspect of all the relationships in our life. LDP offers an amazing means of gaining perspective and utilizing the dynamics of all the relationships we participate in.

When you think about it, in relationships, if you’re not going forward, you’re going backwards – there is no middle ground. LDP presents a focused forum in which you can examine and analyze your interactions and responses with our professional peers. From this comes a deeper understanding of one another, a stronger connection inter-personally and enhanced clarity on goals, aspirations and motives. Now, with your TEAM’S goals crystallized in complete and lucid detail, you will emanate an energy where nothing is insurmountable.

Mike Bradley

Chris Winkelmann
Dr. Parrott,

Leadership Development Program has helped me enjoy my professional and home life much more than I did prior to my attending. The message of authenticity the program stresses has had the greatest impact on me. Before attending, I was constantly comparing myself to other agents and I didn’t consider myself a success professionally unless my name was above their’s in the production reports. Sometimes I was and sometimes I wasn’t but what I came to realize is that is not a good way to measure myself and my team. It was much too stressful for me, my team saw me as never being pleased no matter how hard they worked, and the stress spilled over into home life.

LDP has provided me with an environment to think about what is really important to me in my business and go for it. Taking care of my family, my team and my health are much more important to me than seeing my name on top of a list somewhere. Ultimately, I want to look back at my life and say I have taken care of the important things in my life. After having attended LDP, I feel like my expectations for myself are more realistic and much more in line with my values. Coming to the office is more fun for me and my team and my agency is growing like never before. My wife and I are also much more prepared to welcome our first child into the world next month.

Chris Winkelmann

Robin Brown
Dear Dr. Parrott and Shirley,

Last year, Steve Musgrave, my Consultant, suggested that I participate in the Leadership Development Program. I was a bit reluctant because of the day and 1/2 out of my office every month. I listened, and am glad I did.

The LDP program has helped be both personally and professionally. The Carpe’ Vitam portion forced me to look at who I am and how I relate to my business. A bit of the ‘soft stuff’ for some, but I found this to be an excellent exercise. My study group included folks that I would probably not have gotten to know. It was amazing how learning more about myself and what “keeps me alive” impacts my business. I can stay better focused and do those things that makes me fulfilled and I no longer have to do the stuff that makes every agent crazy. (Although crazy is different for all of us!)

The LDP portion focuses on the activities in an agent’s office. Every agent has strengths and weaknesses in this area. Dr. Parrott touches it all. I’ve incorporated segments in my office on a daily basis. I plan on using segments for my agency planning meetings, and even hiring and developing my team.

I’d encourage anyone who is remotely interested in bettering themselves or their agency to consider this program. The time, the money, and the new friendships you’ll develop are worth every penny. Call me if you’d like – I’m a big believer!

Robin Brown, CLU, ChFC, CASL
Agent, Louisville, Kentucky

Dale Viniard
Dr. Parrott,

This course has been a tremendous help to me. When I started it, I was ready to fire both my team members and start all over. I did not like to go into my office each morning as it was not a happy office. A couple months after starting this program, I had a team meeting and told my members that I liked the dynamics of our office and it was a pleasure coming into the office each morning and I hoped it remained that way. They looked at each other and then told me that I had changed in the way I treated them and it was also enjoyable to them. That was about 5 months ago and we are looking for another team member to add and I still know each morning that the office will have a warm pleasant atmosphere when I enter. Also, my production is about 40 to 50% higher than the first three months of the year and I am one team member less than I had then. I am now better prepared to hire a new team member and know how to prepare them and train them to be productive in the agency.

I have been with State Farm for 35 years and 30 years as an agent. This is the best course that I have taken or in which I have been involved. I have taken many State Farm courses, been involved with study groups, and taken outside study courses for which I have paid and this has had more impact on me than any or all of them. It is very well designed to allow you to put your arms around “leadership” and understand it. It is a fantastic course and Richard and Shirley are a bonus.

I am very glad that I was asked to participate.

Dale Viniard

Phil McDonald
Dr. Parrott,

If there is a recipe for building and sustaining a successful agent then LDP is that recipe. I’m a much better agent and person in large part because of LDP.

Specifically, I weeded out the staff that was not a part of a successful agency. Then I hired, I believe, my best staff addition to my agency. I have also broken ground on a 2K sq. Ft. Office to replace the 60 year old house converted to office that I currently call my office.

Some, if not all, would be nice and call me conservative with my choices in business. However, I chose to attend LDP even though it cost some money. I encourage you, if you are seeking to have the best agency capacity/production YOU can have, then attend LDP. You will get more than your money back, I gained the power of my life back. Funny thing is I did not realize I did not have total control of my life. It is just that important!

Personally, I realized my home literally affected my business capacity. I realized how to increase my business capacity by the choices I had at home.

I am more alive today in my agency and my home life because of LDP. I still have a lot to understand and to learn! There is so much YOU can learn about the big and little things that make us all tick in sales. I promise this class will help you realize things about the people around you that you did not know. These things when used properly will propel your sales to new levels. You will also learn to motivate your team for results much easier than you ever have been able to motivate them before. It is a no-brainer to attend!

If I can explain in more detail or answer any questions you have, e-mail or call me. Remember, the best sales team wins!

Phil McDonald

Linda Nervis
Dear Dr. Parrott,
As I near the completion of the formal LDP program, I want to thank you for the valuable, insightful, and useful information and tools that have been presented. In a nutshell, LDP has helped me “get a grip” on my agency.

For example, every year, agents are requested to submit a business plan, and part of that plan includes a mission statement. Every year I would go through the motions, just to get it done. But, for the first time, thanks to LDP and the development of values, profit centers, assignments, etc., I feel like my agency mission statement is alive. The decisions that are made, be it a process change or the hiring/firing of team members, are guided by determining whether the decision supports the mission and whether it is consistent with our values.

I always knew that communications between agent and team members was important, but LDP has reinforced that fact. Team members are not mind readers, and just because I think that something is a “given”, they may not feel the same way. I have to be clear about the way the agency is headed – and I need their input and buy-in.

Every session there is something said that just hits home. It then becomes very exciting to see the positive results that come from perhaps a rather minor change.

All in all, I would highly recommend this program to any agent who wants to grow both personally and professionally. I have thoroughly enjoyed and learned from my LDP teammates. When I look at the money I have put into my business for different things, I can definitely say that unlike some of my other “brainstorms”, LDP has given me a great return on my investment.

Sincerely,

Linda L. Nervis

What do you think about LDP?
“If an agent attends the LDP program and expects to get all of the answers, they will be dissatisfied becauseLDP did not give me all of the answers; it helped me come up with the questions. I recommend LDP as a starting point to a more successful agency career.”
-Charles Giordano
Germantown, TN

“I can’t possibly do it all and do it well. I ‘hire to my weaknesses’ and put the right people in the right position. My office runs extremely smoothly now and we have sales people who like to sell, and detail people who like the administration. LDP was well worth my time, and money.”
-Robin Brown
Louisville, KY

“LDP has taken my office to a new level. Dr. Parrott has helped me be a much better leader of my staff. This is one of the best programs State Farm has ever offered.”
Mike McClaskie
Hilliard, OH

Don Gardner
Dr. Parrott,
Thank you for helping to make our December 3rd AFO retreat both memorable and practical. I have heard extremely positive comments from all in attendance regarding your content and delivery!

As we continue to encourage agents to lead their teams by becoming a more balanced leader, your contributions through retreat topics, Personalities at Work, and LDP are invaluable. Specifically, your style of combining thought provoking introductory comments followed by meaningful group discussion on the topics of Influence and Credibility as a leader hit a home run with our team last week. The exercise on intentional thinking gives us a better model to use as we make key decisions in the future.

Richard, your ability to communicate powerful principles while speaking in terms that agents and field leaders can relate to is truly a gift. Thank you for the impact that you are making with our agents and with me personally!

You are a winner!

Don Gardner
Agency Field Executive

Courtenay Bythewood
Dr. Parrott,

I have been a State Farm agent now for nearly 24 years. I have enjoyed and prospered from the guidance this great company has given me in my career. Unfortunately I found that at the end of the day I had not fulfilled my needs and desires so much as the company goals and the desires of others. I sincerely wrestled with the question of “What do I truly want and need?”

One year ago I was told of a program, the Leadership Development Program, led by Dr. Richard Parrott. I quickly pursued the opportunity to participate, began the program in August 2004 and loved every minute of the experience. Nothing I have ever taken part in regarding my career has been more helpful or fulfilling. I have benefited, my family has benefited, my staff has benefited, and my agency benefits from the tools I received in LDP.

I encourage every agent, new or well experienced, to participate in the Leadership Development Program.

Courtenay Bythewood

Brad Schwab
Dr. Parrott,
I want to thank you again for conducting the LDP series. I felt you did a great job of relating the material to a State Farm agency. I have discussed LDP with several agents and tried to explain to them what it consisted of. It was pretty hard to put your meetings into words. My dad and other 40+ year agents always say

“State Farm has always done a great job in training us sales techniques, product knowledge, and claim handling procedures but they never train to manage an office.”

Well, LDP does just that. You learn how to manage your office. It’s as simple as that. Thanks again for your time and fellowship.

Sincerely,
Brad Schwab

Glen Reichenbach
Dr. Parrott,
I have been evaluating not only my effort but also the program the last couple of days. My recommendation is as follows:

Leadership is a skill that you can identify when you see it, is often written about, and is cause for lifelong personal refinement for those who seek it. LDP was a positive step for me in my pursuit of increased effectiveness as a leader.

The course uses self-evaluation and reflection, self-study, skill sub-set implementation/practice, peer mentoring, small group discussions, and large group lectures to accomplish its goal of growing better State Farm leaders. I have a better understanding of the topic from an academic perspective. More importantly, LDP helped me in both structure and content to take action on many of the aspects of leadership.

I am a more effective business person, parent and community member by my participation. I recommend this course to those who are willing to change and wish to grow themselves as long-term effective leaders.

Glen Reichenbach

Jane Morris – Southern Ohio
Dr. Parrott,
I wanted to take a moment to thank you for all your time and effort in the Leadership Development Program. I found my time well spent. With each session I found I was equipped with more and more practical tools for use within my own environment. It was a pleasure to work with the agents on my team throughout the process and to learn right along side them.

We learned together how to implement those tools not only over the program period though plan now to go back and relearn them together again. I believe I could go through the program several times and develop my leadership skills through the use of the tools and activities you teach each time. I am thankful for the notebooks I have to go back to so I might utilize these things throughout my career.

I would be remiss if I did not also thank you for assisting me in identifying my true and authentic self. By completing the Seize Your Life process I was able to connect and strengthen my vision for what I am trying to accomplish throughout my life. I was also able to reconnect specifically with my Self-Care which I know affects every other area of my life as well. I will continue to strive to be a better leader and thank you for your investment in helping me to accomplish this.

All in all, you have assisted me in becoming a better asset to State Farm, my community, my friends and family.

Thanks so much,
Jane Morris
AFE, Southern Ohio

Testimonials
Corby Leach
Dr. Parrott,
Thank you. I interviewed 2 people last week and used the competency model approach to evaluate each candidate. It was amazing to see significant competency differences between 2 people that were both very pleasant to talk to in my initial conversations with them.

Nobody had ever taught me what to look for in an interview. Now, I know. This was EXTREMELY helpful! We hired one of these candidates as an additional staff person in our effort to increase our business capacity.

Corby Leach

Jeff Chokreff – Cleveland
Dr. Parrott,
One benefit from LDP was the experience of working with fellow agents. Each of us grew together as we dialoged about common business issues. We built friendships that will last for the rest of my career.

Another benefit of LDP is the dynamic challenge of following a structure that guides you are you work through specific issues with your team. The whole process is tailor fit for you and you operation. For me, I had the chance to try things out and learn from others. .I received specific tools that are transferable. They work with my staff and their development.
Overall, I can’t say enough good things about the Leadership Development Plan. It is a paradox, it’s about the business, but it’s about more than the business, it is about becoming the person you want to become and developing your own operation to help you achieve what you’d like to achieve.

Jeff Chokreff, CLU, CFP®

Paul Gillern
Dr. Parrott,
I highly recommend The Leadership Development Program to other State Farm Agents, because it is uniquely appropriate to our business! LDP has helped me to gain a renewed perspective of the organization of my agency. Instead of viewing myself as only a salesperson, I was able to shift my role to that of the leader of a SALES TEAM.

The program provides practical “HABITS” that have immediate application for empowering my team members to become effective in the “PROFIT CENTERS” within the agency. Working in small groups, with other agents, affords an opportunity to share failures & successes in a non-competitive environment. LDP has proven to be a worthwhile expenditure of time & money, and promises to be an ongoing learning tool.

My Thanks to Dr. Parrott & All those who have made the Program available to us!

Paul Gillern

Dane Donaldson – Toledo, OH
Dr. Parrott,

I wanted to just say a few words about the last ten months going through your “Leadership Development Program”

I would strongly recommend this course for any agent that wants to either get reenergized about their agency or raise the bar from average to excellent! This course will force you to take a long hard look in the mirror and fix yourself first before you start helping others with their challenges.

The camaraderie is second only to the content of the material, you not only get the life lessons of Dr. Parrott but those of your fellow agents that you have some much respect for already. Do yourself a favor and invest some time and energy in to YOU and YOUR agency, you need it!

Dane Donaldson
Agent, Toledo East AFO

Peggy Karolak – Wellington, Ohio
LDP has taught me to look at my business and Team in a whole new way. We often throw around terms such as “teamwork” and common goals” but after completing LDP and implementing what I’ve learned, there is a noticeable positive energy in our office.

I find that we don’t have to revisit goals & responsibilities as we had in the past, everyone is working toward those things that will better our business and everyone is clear on their responsibilities. We spend more time talking about marketing, staffing, and activity levels.

One thing we hadn’t worked on which obviously was an obstacle for us, was Me! LDP not only helped me see my business through a different perspective, but it provided me with tools that have made a difference in my personal and a professional life too.

Thank you Dr.. Parrott, I am becoming less and less of an obstacle to my success everyday!”

Peggy Karolak