How do you take your practice to the next level? Everything starts and ends with teamwork.

During an educational workshop on Monday, attendees received some helful hints on enhancing their multiline practice from Kenneth Quach, CLU, ChFC, CASL, a producer with State farm. Quach has been an MDRT, Chairman'scircle and Lone Star Leader, as wll a an Ambassador Travel awardee for several years.

During his presentation, Quach described some of the changes he ha made over the years as he tried to enhance his practice. he made most of these changes, he said, after his participation in LILI. These changes, he pointed out, wee not flashy or dramatic. Instead, they were really what can be described as Leadershi and Teamwork, 101.

first, he said, you should determine who your ar as a leader, your core values, and your guiding principles. for his part, he said, he has created a one-page guiding principles document, which he keeps on his desk so that he can see it every day.

also, you must know who you are and you must write down your guiding principles. "This is the best thing I did to help me make informed decisions," he said.

Then, you need to ask yourself where you want to go. Know your personal and business goals, including your spiritual goals, and include issues related to your finances, health, family, etc. This will help determine how you spend your time.

also, you should ask yourself: do I have a business plan? If you do, put it on your desk and refer to it all the time, he stressed. It should e a working business plan. By participating i LILI, he said, he enhanced his belief in the need for a business plan.

Once you have your personal and business plans in place, you can then turn to building your team, As you do, ask yourslef: Do I hire the best employee or the right employee for my team? In general, you should find someone who is a gret fit for your team and work to develop him. Then review your guiding principles with them immediately after you hire them. In 2008, he said, he was working 40 to 50 hours a week. Afte these changes, he began putting in fewer hours at work and having more t ime to hiself.

Also, you should ask yourself: How much money do I want to make an hour? as yo do this, think of what you are doing in your job and ask yourself if it justifies the amount of money you are making. Unless you enjoy doing what you ar doing, you should delegate it to someone else.

also, try to be engaged with your staff. six years ago, he made the mistake of n ot being engaged with one of his stffers and did not relize what was going on in her life. so after that, every Fridy, he visites with his team members and asks them: What made you feel good this week? What haveyou been blessed with t his week?

This has created a positive change in his agency and has helped him create a family environment there.