Moving NAIFA Forward

By Keith Gillies, CFP, MBA, ChFC, CLU

When I first ran for NAIFA Secretary in 2012, I started my candidate’s speech by observing that when confronting challenges and change, experts teach us to think outside the box. But experience has taught me that sometimes, the answers are inside the box. We don’t need to fear change. In fact, we must embrace change to properly affect it.

My ideas about change have been shaped by Chip and Dan Heath’s book, “Switch,” which tells a story that is a metaphor for achieving organizational change. The authors call it The Rider, The Elephant, and The Path. The path is the plan: where we are headed. The riders are us: the leaders. We’re rational, we’re smart, and we can identify what needs to be done. But the elephant—that is our emotional system, where much of our power, commitment and desire to move forward, comes from.

The rider can decide where he wants to go, but if he can’t convince the elephant to move, they go nowhere. That’s how it works with people and organizations. We can make plans for our own good, but without emotional buy-in, we go nowhere.

Embracing change at NAIFA

A few years ago, NAIFA was not ready for the serious change we needed to move forward. But it recently embraced change when you voted to revise our governance model.

In 2016, you showed confidence in your national board of trustees by allowing NAIFA to package corporate dues. We now have many corporate programs that are starting to move the needle on membership.

In 2016, you showed confidence in your national board of trustees by allowing NAIFA to package corporate dues. We now have many corporate programs that are starting to move the needle on membership.

Finally, in May of this year, you made the greatest statement to move NAIFA forward by completely re-writing our by-laws and structure of governance. The response by the industry has been overwhelmingly and unanimously positive.

Under the leadership of NAIFA Past President Jules Gaudreau and NAIFA CEO Kevin Mayeux, we made tough decisions aimed at re-asserting NAIFA as the premier organization for insurance and financial advisors.

When Paul Dougherty assumed the position of NAIFA president, our executive committee formed the Quality Member Experience Task Force under the leadership of Tom Michel, our new secretary. Michel headed the Implementation Task Force and he and Dan Reisinger, our Committee on Associations Chair, led us to the Implementation Playbook we recently introduced you to.

While all of this was taking place, Jill Judd, our current president, revamped our membership growth playbook. Her leadership has us poised for growth for the first time in decades.

The flurry of activity surrounding NAIFA’s efforts to modernize its bylaws has empowered me and NAIFA’s Business Development Team to re-engage with several companies. We have also re-energized relationships with various industry organizations and have formed forward-thinking partnerships that will strengthen the industry and create a more unified voice.

Change is difficult, but it must not be feared. We have plowed the path, we have the drivers, and you have given us the support we needed to ride to incredible success.

Thank you, NAIFA members, for all you have given me, and thanks for giving me the privilege to serve you.

Keith M. Gillies, CFP, MBA, CLU, ChFC, is NAIFA’s Immediate Past President. He is the Managing Principal of Wealth Solutions, LLC and The Pension Center, LLC, and co-founder of United Wealth Advisors Group, LLC, where he serves as Chief Executive Officer. He began his career as a financial advisor in 1981 with a commitment to providing advice and strategies to individuals, professionals and business owners to help them achieve their personal, business and charitable goals.