America's Benefit Specialist May 2023

VOLUNTARY DISRUPTION

BASEBALL AND BENEFITS: MY TWO FAVORITE THINGS! Playing professional baseball and being an employee benefits broker may seem like vastly different career choices, but they share many similarities. Whether you’re on the field or in the office, these qualities are essential for success. Take me out to the benefits game… take me out to the crowd… isn’t that how the song goes? At first glance, being a professional baseball player and being an em ployee benefits professional may not seem to have much in common. To play baseball as a profession, you must have some natural talent and you likely worked at it since childhood. The other may or may not require much natural talent but, just like baseball, to have a long and successful career as a benefits broker, you’ve definitely had to learn and develop. As a little boy, I always wanted to play baseball for a living. I cannot say the same about being an employee benefits broker, and I bet you can’t say it either. Are you ready to step up the plate and realize the similarities between the two? Let’s play ball! STRATEGY AND PLANNING Being a professional baseball player and being an employee benefits broker require careful strategy and planning. In baseball, teams must analyze their opponents, assess their strengths and weaknesses, and develop a game plan that gives them the best chance of winning. Similarly, employee benefits brokers must assess their clients’ needs, analyze market trends, and develop a benefits strategy that meets their clients’ goals. ATTENTION TO DETAIL Being a professional baseball player and being an employee benefits broker, both require attention to detail. In baseball, every play counts, and players must pay attention to every detail to ensure they don’t make mistakes that could cost their team the game. Similarly, employ ee benefits brokers must pay attention to every detail when developing benefits plans, ensuring that they meet legal and compliance require ments, are cost-effective, and provide the best possible coverage for their employer group clients’ employees. COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION Being a professional baseball player and being an employee benefits broker require effective communication and collaboration. In baseball, players must communicate with each other to coordinate their efforts and execute their game plan. Similarly, employee benefits brokers must communicate with clients, insurance carriers and other stakeholders to ensure that benefits plans are designed and implemented effectively. ADAPTABILITY Being a professional baseball player and being an employee benefits broker require adaptability. In baseball, teams must be able to adjust their game plan on the fly, depending on how the game is unfolding. Similarly, employee benefits brokers must be able to adapt to changes

By Eric Silverman Silverman Benefits Group Towson, Maryland eric@voluntarydisruption.com

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