In the COVID era, the only certainty is that nothing is certain.
Forming and maintaining authentic connections, for instance, has taken on new meaning. As we pass the one-year mark of the pandemic, I want to reflect for a moment on how things have changed and grapple with what staying connected has meant during an unforgettable 12 months.
One of the most vivid ways the pandemic has complicated our connections is through the disruptions it introduced to home life. Schedules had to adapt to accommodate online schooling. More adults also now work at home. Even when these potential distractions are overcome, there is still Zoom to contend with, which presents its own challenges regarding connection and collaboration.
“Zoom fatigue” is a real thing. It is far more difficult to develop an emotional connection with fellow meeting participants through a computer screen. It can be incredibly challenging to simply stay in the moment and not get distracted by what is going on in the virtual environment.
The disconnection of working remotely has even, at times, been a source of stress, which is why it has been important for companies to prioritize self-care and the emotional and mental well-being of their employees. One of the many things that I appreciate about Alliant National is that, from the first day of my employment, I have felt as if they cared about me as a person – not just as a professional.
A silver lining of the pandemic, however, is its universality, which I suppose, in a way, is its own form of connection: a connection built around shared experience. Whether it be the lack of communication or struggling with technical difficulties, we have all been required to adapt to a new way of working. I mean, at this point, who isn’t familiar with the pain of a disruption in video or sound on a communication platform?
The new world created by the pandemic has also had an impact on the nature of connection as it exists in my job. In sales, more than anything else you are selling trust. Pushing a product during a time when many people are under immense strain can feel a little callous. But helping your clients adapt to a virtual world builds trust and helps them protect their business. I have also found that making yourself available outside of traditional working hours and through a wider array of communication platforms (such as social media) can be enormously beneficial for these relationships. In the COVID era, we need to be collaborating and not merely pitching our clients.
COVID has had other positive impacts on connection, particularly when it comes to technology and family life. Older generations have been pushed to embrace technological solutions to stay in contact with their personal and professional networks. Our family interactions have become less scheduled, with real, genuine moments of spontaneity now being possible with children and spouses. I feel that this dynamic with our loved ones has become somewhat of a rarity. For all the destruction the virus has caused, reconnecting with friends and family in a deeper and more protracted way has been a true blessing of the past year.
Nearly everyone had to get creative to connect with clients, extended families and to fill time. Many turned to home renovation and improvements. DIY is at an all-time high, and people want to change their interior space to make it more conducive to family rooms that really function for families. They have added home offices or updated kitchens that are really being cooked in now.
Personal hobbies have skyrocket. Cooking classes, exercise forums, online knitting groups, even virtual interior design classes have sprung up to take the place of in-person site visits. The innovation of the pandemic is truly inspiring. While we still crave the personal interaction of experiences, the option of a virtual experience opens up opportunities for all of life’s challenges outside of a pandemic.
Flash forward to today, and we are now potentially at a turning point in the story of the virus. I am looking forward to a return to the office, as I feel it is healthy and necessary to communicate in a live environment as opposed to solely a virtual one. Spending this year largely separate from my colleagues has confirmed what I already suspected: as a salesperson, I need the type of face-to-face interactions that a computer simply cannot replicate.
Still, it is important to recognize that some things have probably changed for good. Full-blown office environments are likely going to be a thing of the past. Companies have invested heavily in equipping their employees with solutions to facilitate remote work. They have also realized that their work-forces are capable of being productive while off site. Whatever the future holds, there is no doubt that the coronavirus has taught us many lessons about the nature of connection – both personal and professional, good and bad. We should carry these lessons with us long after the pandemic ends.
Patrick Hagler Receives the October Research 2020 Philanthropy Award at NS3.
Denver, Colo. – (Sept. 2, 2020) Patrick Hagler, State Council-Georgia, Alliant National Title Insurance Co., has received the 2020 Philanthropy Award from October Research, LLC. The award was presented today at the 2020 National Settlement Services Summit (NS3).
The Philanthropy Award honors professionals in the title, underwriting, lending and settlement services industries for exemplary accomplishment in the area of philanthropy.
“It’s an honor to recognize Patrick Hagler for his philanthropic work outside of the office,” October Research CEO and Publisher Erica Meyer said. “We were impressed at his dedication in helping the homeless, specifically the youth, in his community.”
Currently, Hagler runs a non-profit called Loving Hands of Hope, which focuses on providing homeless teens and young adults with essential items such as clothing and hygiene kits. He is a long-time supporter of Lost and Found Youth Atlanta, an organization that facilitates counseling and other services for homeless young adults. He also volunteers with their 24-hour hotline that helps children find places to sleep and access to hot meals.
Other non-profit work includes volunteering at the Dr. Anise Mabry Foundation’s diploma program, Chris 180, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and Backpack in the Park. Lastly, Hagler is a Toy Party volunteer for the Kid in All of Us organization.
Receiving this award is incredibly meaningful to me,” says Hagler, commenting on the accolade. “I was deeply affected when I started doing this work five years ago. You see people who are just looking for a little bit of compassion. Devoting some of my time to spreading warmth, love and hope is the least I can do, and I am humbled to have that work acknowledged by October Research and others in my field.”
NS3brings together more than 700 professionals from across the country for an educational experience unlike any other. For three days a roster of expert speakers and noted industry veterans share their experience with their partners across the real estate transaction.
NS3 2020 offers multiple educational tracks focused on innovation, compliance and cybersecurity. Attendees return year after year to earn CE/CLE credits, learn about the latest strategies to advance their businesses and to stay current on regulatory developments.
Alliant National distinguishes itself from competitors by combining strong underwriting capability with independent agents’ in-depth knowledge of local markets. The result is a nationwide network with deep roots in local communities, and a wealth of expertise that is flexible, nuanced, and continuously growing.
Cathie Beck Capital City Public Relation e : cathie@capitalcitypr.com p : 303-241-0805
ABOUT ALLIANT NATIONAL TITLE INSURANCE COMPANY
The Independent Underwriter for The Independent Agent® – Alliant National believes in empowering people to thrive.
The company protects the dreams of property owners with secure title insurance and partners with 500+ trusted independent title agents as a licensed underwriter in 25 states and the District of Columbia, with annual revenues exceeding $126 million.
Alliant National Title Insurance Company is pleased to announce the hiring of Karen Tucker and John Kotleba as Georgia Agency Managers.
Karen Tucker brings more than 20 years of experience and knowledge to Alliant National. She was previously an AVP, Senior Sales Executive and top salesperson for a major underwriter, and an Office Manager for a large real estate firm. Her past experiences have enriched her understanding of processes and workflow, allowing her to assist agents in efficiently growing their business.
“Karen’s strong marketing skills and extensive network within the industry will be invaluable in expanding our presence in Georgia,” says Tracey Webb, Alliant National Senior Vice President and Southeastern Region Agency Manager. “We are excited to have Karen as part of our growing team of professionals representing Alliant National.”
“I am so excited to be a part of the Alliant National team and to work with such well-respected professionals in Georgia,” says Tucker. “It already feels like home!”
John Kotleba brings nearly 20 years of experience to Alliant National. He has held a variety of previous roles, including State Manager; Vice President, National Commercial Account Executive; and Sales Manager and Chief Operations Officer for various title companies and underwriters. His years in the title insurance industry will be essential in his new responsibilities at Alliant National, which will include identifying new law firms to partner with for their title insurance and business needs.
“I am honored and thrilled to join Alliant National,” says Kotleba. “Becoming a part of such a diverse, passionate and accomplished group of professionals is incredibly satisfying. I look forward to applying my years of industry experience to drive growth and achieve success for our agents.”
“We couldn’t be more excited to have John join the Alliant National team,” says Webb. “His longstanding commitment to fostering positive, empowering and collaborative relationships with agents will undoubtedly contribute to the ongoing growth and development of our presence in Georgia.”
Cathie Beck Capital City Public Relation e : cathie@capitalcitypr.com p : 303-241-0805
ABOUT ALLIANT NATIONAL TITLE INSURANCE COMPANY
The Independent Underwriter for The Independent Agent® – Alliant National believes in empowering people to thrive.
The company protects the dreams of property owners with secure title insurance and partners with 500+ trusted independent title agents as a licensed underwriter in 25 states and the District of Columbia, with annual revenues exceeding $126 million.
Patrick Hagler, Esq., Alliant National State
Counsel-Georgia, walks the streets of Atlanta handing out blankets, hygiene
kits, and gloves to any and all homeless teenagers he comes across. Doing so
has been his mission and passion for over five years.
Not only does he not ever see himself
stopping this philanthropic effort, he has 2020 plans to start his own
non-profit 501(c)(3) in order to broaden the scope of recipients to include
everyone–women, children, and men of all ages. “I
started volunteering with the group Lost and Found Youth in
Atlanta five years ago,” he says. “The
organization provides counseling and services to homeless youth and young
adults in the Atlanta area and surrounding region. I also work their 24-hour
hotline. Kids need a place to go, to find a meal, and this is an effort that
helps them do that.”
Why does
Patrick do it?
Patrick does it because he cannot help himself. “Doing street outreach with Lost and Found Youth and seeing all the people living on the streets affected me deeply and broke my heart,” he says. “You see these people, human beings, with sullen faces and desperate eyes just looking for some compassion. When it is cold in the winter and brutally hot in the summers, giving my time and spreading some love, human touch, compassion and hope is the least we can offer.”
Some
might wonder if Patrick ever felt threatened or if he ever found himself in a
dangerous situation. In the five years Patrick’s been working the streets, he’s
never been afraid. “Most people I have encountered welcome the support and
only take what they need,” he says. “I have gone into places with
some reservation, sure. But showing people you are there to help and just
providing some compassion, well, any fears subside. They are living human
beings that are down on their luck.”
What began as a simple helping effort, has morphed into Patrick soliciting donations from friends and family. Those efforts now make his second bedroom a sort of ad hoc stock room. The outpouring of support from the Facebook page he currently keeps up, has been one of his biggest surprises Loving Hands of Hope @Haglershope.
“I began collecting money and then
collecting hygiene kits,” he says. “We began hitting the streets,
looking for kids in different locations where they typically stay.
“What I found so often, especially when
it’s cold,” he adds, “is that the men typically defer to the women
and children so they get into shelters first. Literally everyone is out there.
“Today I have a spare room and two cars full of stuff,” he says. “And after reaching out to friends on Facebook, their friends now donate. Alliant National is also donating 150 hygiene kits. It all began as a way to give back and it’s slowly grown.”
Patrick hopes his planned, 2020 new
organization will continue to assist not only the youth and young adults that Lost
and Found Youth of Atlanta serves, but to all people who never thought they
would be on the streets. “One of the things I have found it that not all the people
that are homeless want to be there,” he says. “They are not all
deadbeats and drug addicts just living on the streets because that’s what they
planned for their life.
“We are all just one job loss or one bad
decision from being there ourselves,” says Patrick. “There is no
demographic for the homeless. They are simply trying to
survive.”
