By Scott Golden, CFO and co-founder, Golden & Cohen
Photo: Max Baucus, maxbaucus.info
It would have been tough not to see the headlines this month in the Washington Post and New York Times announcing the big news from Senator Max Baucus, the Democrat from Montana who chairs the Finance Committee.
His slimmed-down price tag of $856 billion over 10 years for health-care reform is a cut from the $1 trillion once proposed. Baucus’ plan also has middle-class American families paying 13 percent of their family income in health-insurance premiums before co-payments, deductibles and other cost sharing. Here’s a look into what we think and why.
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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE, September 2009
September has always seemed to me to be a time of new beginnings the start of cooler fall weather, the start of a new school year. This month, we were thrilled to be part of a new start for the Lincoln Leadership Academy in Allentown, Pa., where I spoke as part of the grand opening ceremony on September 8.
Joining me on stage for the inaugural day of this wonderful new charter school were Rep. Charles Dent (R-Pa.), Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski, Eastern University President David Black, and our very own Jim Getty, who as always did a great job portraying Abraham Lincoln.
The Lincoln Leadership Academy will provide a holistic education to 250 students in grades 6 to 9 coming from high-risk environments. We are thrilled to be one of their strategic partners. Scroll down to see some photos of the opening.
In this months e-news blast, youll also hear from faculty member Bob Prosperi, who recounts his experience leading President Jimmy Carter, Egyptian President Anwar El Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin in September 1978 when they were working toward the agreement that the following year, was signed as the Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty at Camp David.
The dignitaries stopped in Gettysburg for a tour and history lessonand some say that their walk through the battlefield led the three men to make the new start toward finding a peaceful solution to their conflict. As we say during our Transformational Journey from Gettysburg program, you never know when a small pebble can turn into a powerful avalanche for leaders.
Read on to learn more and as always, please send your comments and questions to our managing director, Angela Sontheimer, at angela@lincolnleadershipinstitute.com.
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August 2009 — The future of health reform is making headlines, seemingly daily, so of course it was one of the main topics for our August e-blast. From our perspective as insurance brokers, the health insurance industry was never broken, just sprained. We definitely think the system needs a tune-up, with much less waste and fraud, but there are many ways that this can play out — and everyone involved needs to be responsible for a more positive outcome. Unfortunately, we don’t believe the proposed public plan will work, for a few basic reasons. Read on to learn more.
We also are proud to announce some new partnerships — with ADP and Goodman & Company. And we’re excited to invite all of our clients and friends to an Oct. 22 event featuring author/journalist KATI MARTON and health care publisher ROBIN STRONGIN, who will talk about the future of health care, the Holocaust, and Kati’s life in spotlight. Lastly, don’t miss our tips on protecting yourself from Swine Flu.
We’ll talk to you next month! — Stephanie, Scott & Jack
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Welcome to the dog days of summer! August is proving to be as hot and steamy as it was back during the Civil War. Fortunately, we have the luxury of taking some time off and escaping to a relaxing retreat for some downtime. My special place is Nantucket. The sea, the surf and island life combine to provide a unique and wonderful place to do some of the critical and proactive reflection that we talk about in our leadership program.
Did you realize that Abraham Lincoln himself had a special summer place where he retreated for reflection, peace and solace during the heat of Washington summers? Beginning in 1862, when the pressures of the war and the summer heat got to be too much, Lincoln would escape to a hilltop cottage on the grounds of the Soldier’s Home, just four miles from the White House.
There he would walk the grounds, read, and visit with soldiers. Some historians believe that he spent one-quarter of his presidency there. Now you too can visit Lincoln’s summer retreat, which was restored and opened to the public just last year. For more information visit www.lincolncottage.org. Read on to learn more from LLI faculty member Matt Pinsker, Lincoln historian and author of a book about Lincoln’s bond with the Soldier’s Home.
I encourage you to take some time to find your own retreat for personal reflection. Maybe it is an island, or maybe like Lincoln’s it’s a grassy hill a few miles from home. Wherever your special place is, take the time to consider where your leadership practice is headed. I guarantee it will be time well spent!
Don’t forget to visit our blog at http://blog.lincolnleadershipinstitute.com/. We’d love to hear your thoughts and feedback!
Best regards, Steven B. Wiley
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In this month’s newsletter, Bernard Wolfe, CFP ®, founder of Bernard Wolfe & Associates helps readers understand Roth IRA conversations and the new rules, which go into effect on January 1, 2010. “We wanted to provide a little background, the pros and cons, and help you understand how this may impact your financial management,” he says.
In a second article entitled, “5 Statistics Women Need to Know About Managing their Money — and 5 tips on how to take control,” Samantha Fraelich, a financial representative Bernard R. Wolfe & Associates, Inc., offers insights for women on how to best manage their money. “Whether you’re a women who is single, divorced, or widowed, it’s more likely than ever that at some point in your life you will need to fend financially for yourself,” Fraelich advises.
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AUGUST 2009 — Just as the London Symphony Orchestra works in harmony to play a beautiful concerto, any successful collaboration can be one of the most satisfying experiences we have as professionals, explains Dr. Alice Waagen in her July-August e-newsletter.
“That’s because when collaborative efforts click, everyone understands and values each other’s role on the project and the unique contribution each person is making,” she says. “In fact, successful collaborative efforts can often be the height of a person’s professional career.”
So, why is it often so hard to collaborate? That’s a great question, especially given the fact that nearly every project in today’s workforce requires an element of collaboration. First, I’ll assess the problem, then I’ll offer some suggestions for how you can be more effective in your collaborative efforts.
The problem with collaboration In my experience, the biggest obstacle to successful collaboration is that egos are often vying for dominance. It’s natural, given the competitive environment of the workplace. The challenge, then, is to understand it and find ways to tackle the problem from the start.
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The summer is off to a great start here at LLI. We have enjoyed hosting several more Ohio-based teams from Pfizer and welcomed Benco Dental, members of the Inspector General community, and a team from the Office of Personal Management in our leadership program this month.
This month also marks the graduation of our Managing Director, Angela Sontheimer, from Duquesne University. Angela now holds a Masters of Leadership and Liberal Studies. Her thesis focused on viewing the Gettysburg Address through a modern coaching model to show how it functioned as a problem solving document for Lincoln and how it continues to serve as a seminal document that our nation calls upon in times of crisis or stress. We’ve incorporated some of her research into our program and have been having great success with participants using this simple yet effective coaching model in their own leadership practice.
Don’t forget to log our blog at http://blog.lincolnleadershipinstitute.com/. We’d love to hear your thoughts and feedback!
Best regards, Steven B. Wiley
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Hello, and thank you for taking the time to review our July newsletter. We are very excited to announce that this year, once again we have made the list of the Top 10 largest health insurance firms in Washington Business Journal’s Book of Lists.
We are incredibly proud of our accomplishments, as we have built our business brick by brick. We want to thank all our loyal clients, many of whom have been with us since our inception. We will continue to work hard everyday to make sure each and every client is receiving world-class service and the best possible insurance strategy for their needs and budget. In fact, making Washington Business Journal’s prestigious list just spurs us on to rank even higher — because making this list, or any list, merely reflects the real driver of our growth and success: whether our clients are satisfied and are referring us to their clients and friends.
So a warm welcome to all of our clients, — and potential new clients — with this, our monthly e-news blast. Our goal is to help you get the most out of your health insurance — and to that end, below you’ll find need-to-know information about timely changes in term life insurance, a new health-insurance subsidy for small businesses in Maryland, and the work we are doing with the Greater Washington Association of Health Underwriters. You’ll also find quick summaries of two recent healthcare articles we think you should know about, along with our reactions to them. And finally, we leave you with some parting thoughts on what we consider to be the meaning of success.
If you enjoy reading our monthly newsletter, we’d be thrilled if you would tell a friend. Simply click the button at the top of this page, or send us the emails of anyone you’d like us to reach out to and we’ll extend a personal invitation.
Here’s to your health!
Stephanie Cohen, stephanie@golden-cohen.com
Scott Golden, scott@golden-cohen.com
Jack Cohen, jack@golden-cohen.com
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Hello and welcome to the inaugural issue of Golden & Cohen’s monthly e-newsletter. We’re also proud to announce that we have a new website, www.golden-cohen.com. It’s chock full of information that you and your employees need to stay fully informed about your benefits.
You’ll also find contact information and details about our team, our press mentions, articles, and excerpts from the book we’re writing, “You gotta laugh: Life and the death-defying reality of the health insurance debacle.”
The newsletters will also be filled with short but interesting details we think you need to know each month.
We look forward to staying in contact with you, and always know you can reach us 24-7 to help you with your health insurance needs. Talk to you soon!
Stephanie Cohen, stephanie@golden-cohen.com
Scott Golden, scott@golden-cohen.com
Jack Cohen, jack@golden-cohen.com
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June Newsletter: Lincoln Leadership Institute — Hello from Gettysburg! A recent article in The Washington Post caught my eye. It turns out that in a survey of federal workplaces, strong managers rank high.
Entitled Money’s Nice, but a Good Boss Is Better, Post staff writer Steve Vogel wrote in the May 20 article: “When it comes to sizing up the quality of their workplaces, federal workers value strong leadership and straight answers from their bosses more than even pay and benefits, according to a new comprehensive study of the federal workforce.”
The study, based on the Office of Personnel Management’s biennial federal human capital survey taken last year, highlights the importance of having good, strong leadership skills and clear lines of communication. In fact the top-ranking agency in the study (the Nuclear Regulatory Commission) earned good marks “because senior management takes the time to listen to the staff.”
This is something we consistently talk about in our Transformational Journey from Gettysburg program because it seems so easy to just listen — but too often it doesn’t happen in the workplace. As you’ve probably heard me say “listen ‘til it hurts.” I guarantee that it will help you be a better leader, colleague and family member.
Give it a try this month and let me know what happens! Talk to you in July.
Best regards, Steven B. Wiley
As always, send your comments and ideas to our managing director, Angela Sontheimer, at angela@lincolnleadershipinstitute.com.
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