AXA Lord Vader Wannabe

Axa Affin Life Insurance had experienced very poor operating results in 2015, and 2016 was projected to be even worse. With missed revenue targets, negative earnings, high employee turnover, demoralized shareholders, the company is close to imploding. One management practice stood out like a sore thumb: The company Chief Agency Officer (CAO) was a bully. He suffered from what I call the “smartest guy in the room” syndrome. 

At a all axa affin agency review meeting with agency leaders - the CAO - in an accusatory tone, shouted and scolded agency leaders (with derogatory words and foul language) why they were not generating more sales or recruiting more new agents. When the agency leaders explained their reasons and offered recommendations for closing more sales & recruitment, the CAO dismissed their answers, calling them nonsense or unreasonable.

He embarrassed the agency leaders with caustic remarks in front of their peers.Employee's ideas were never good enough to be considered, much less implemented. He chastised employees for not being more aggressive about making their quotas. He appeared to be competing with them by boasting that he always met his sales quotas and never had any of the problems they described.

Axa affin employees and agencies - view the CAO's management style as “abrasive,” “abusive,” “arrogant” “condescending" and "sexual harassment.” Many employees had put their resumes “out on the street” and left the company and more is leaving. Hundreds of agents have left and more is leaving.Bullying in the workplace usually starts at the top. Bullying puts all employees, not just those who are being bullied directly, into a state of fear. As a result, it’s extremely difficult to be positive, creative or productive. 

Bullying is one of the most demotivating, demoralizing and debilitating of all management practices. It’s the quickest way to lose your most talented people and develop a reputation in the marketplace for having a ”poor work environment.”

Employees/agents also experienced poor communication - disorganization and indecision especially from the CAO. CAO uses whatapps (like Trump uses tweeter). Employees/agents did not trust senior management especially the CAO. When it came to corporate values, management did not “walk the talk.” 

It’s demoralizing for staff to see senior management (CAO) spouting the rhetoric of corporate values but not practicing those values. Senior managers who fail to model appropriate behavior in the workplace or in their personal lives send a message of shallowness and phoniness.

The company’s board of directors should have terminated this bully CAO. The culture of the company and its operations issues were beyond repair if he continues to lead the company.