Online Event - Bridging the Generational Gap – overcoming the challenges dealing with older and more experienced clients

The Insurance Institute of Cardiff invite you to a webinar on; Bridging the Generational Gap – overcoming the challenges dealing with older and more experienced clients

Event Details:

Monday 10^th August 2026 12:00 – 13:00pm

The webinar will be run via Zoom, a global web-conferencing solution. Zoom is easy to use, a link and joining instructions will be sent to you at the time of booking.

About the session:

When Nick first wanted to move into sales roles in his mid-late twenties, he was told he did not have enough grey hair! Thirty years later, and sadly this is no longer a problem he faces! However, a consistent theme in conversations with our clients, are the challenges that their younger, inexperienced employees face dealing with more experienced clients. Examples include young underwriters dealing with experienced brokers, as well as young brokers dealing with older clients and prospects. This session explores some of the key challenges and provides some practical tools that young professionals can use to overcome them.

Learning and Content:

• What challenges do you face?
• Internal issues – how you get in your own way. Imposter Syndrome.
• External issues – scepticism of others. Perceived credibility and age bias
• Generational communication preferences and styles [Baby Boomer to Gen Z].
• Dealing with imposter syndrome and building confidence
  • Exploring P = p-I [Tim Gallwey]
  • Confidence sells –techniques for accessing ‘relaxed assertive confidence’
  • Flip negative self-talk and flip to powerful self-coaching– ‘mindful distancing’.
  • Frameworks and processes
  • Developing reframing techniques
  • Shift to growth mindset and using insecurity to drive improvement and performance. Upskilling.
  • Preparation, Practise and role play – reality rehearsal, Exposure therapy o Mentorship, shadowing, coaching. Reverse mentoring.
• Building credibility
  • ‘Assumptive priming’ o Invoke the credibility of others
  • How to present arguments with authentic conviction
  • Questions and listening
  • Balancing assertiveness and respect.
• Adaptive communication
• Building intergenerational trust – through the lens of the trust equation
• Troubleshooting session – NT deals with delegate’s specific issues and queries

Learning objectives:

Following this presentation the delegates will be able to:

• To understand the key challenges for younger, less experienced [insurance] professionals dealing with older, more experienced clients, prospects, and brokers
• To develop practical skills and approaches to overcome these challenges

About the speaker:

The Course will be run by Nick Thomas.

Nick offers a unique combination of skills in the UK insurance training sector – an industry sales specialist and a widely qualified professional coach and trainer. Nick is an Economics graduate with over 25 years corporate insurance broking experience. He was a highly successful sales producer in the UK broking market before progressing into regional and then national sales leadership roles. As National Development Director at HSBC, Nick was one of only 40 people from a global workforce of 265,000 selected as part of the STARS programme to recognise exceptional performance. He is a highly trained consultative sales specialist, and his experience includes a secondment with a major management consultant to design a best practice sales process.

In the mid-2000s, Nick developed a chronic health condition; his journey to recovery fostered a new range of interests, and a passion for health, and performance. He studied widely, qualifying as a Master Practitioner in Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), obtaining a Diploma in Life Coaching, before going on to study Corporate/Business Coaching with The Coaching Academy. He is also a qualified Holistic Lifestyle Coach and Advanced Exercise Coach. Nick has worked in a self-employed capacity in training, coaching, and consulting since 2017, including as a specialist adviser in Insurance sector M&A (Mergers & Acquisitions) sector. He set up Nick Thomas & Associates in 2020 in response to demand from his industry network for training solutions designed and delivered by people with a background of working in the industry James has 30 years’ experience in the insurance industry and brings a wealth of claims expertise to HCL. Having spent 20 years at Marsh Ltd, one of the world’s largest brokers, James has worked with a diverse client base from SMEs to some of the most notable FTSE 250 global businesses.

Further information:

A link will be sent via your email address supplied at the time of booking. PLEASE DO NOT share this with anyone else.

Please note that this webinar will be hosted on the Zoom platform which may be restricted by some employers. Members may need to utilise their own personal devices in these circumstances to access the platform.

To view our image and video capture consent statement, please click here.