Everybody knows that top-selling producers are the stars of anyinsurance agency. They're the rainmakers who get all theattention, and the most hotly recruited and carefullygroomed members of the team — kind of like the Heisman-winningquarterback on a football team.

What about the lowly offensive lineman? While the quarterbackgets credit for being the brains behind the plays, the O-lineis often stereotyped as the big lugs in front.

But according to the experts, the quarterback isn't the smartestguy on the team — it's the offensive linemen.

According to the Wonderlic test, the 12-minute, 50-question quizadminstered by NFL scouts to potential draftpicks, offensive lineman average a higher score than playersat other positions. (For fun, you can measure yourself against thebig guys by taking a sample Wonderlictest.)

Why? NFLscout Greg Gabriel writes:

Offensive linemen are a different breed. Unlike any otherposition group, they are a group that has to function as one…Theone common denominator that most teams look for in offensivelinemen is intelligence. As a whole, offensive linemen are probablythe smartest guys on a team. While they may be “nasty” on the fieldthey still have to be level headed and be able to think on theirfeet. They have to be able to pick up line calls and switches inprotection in an instant. If they fail to hear a call or bust anassignment the called play is dead. The offensive lineman also hasto have a high degree of football character. He needs to be aself-starter who is reliable. The lazy player just isn't going tomake it.

Kind of sounds like what a solid agency support staff excels at:teanwork, level-headedness, flexibility, character, determination,and the ability to follow through.

Yet too often, agency principals don't treat CSRs, accountexecutives and other support staffers like the pros theyare.

Madelyn Flannagan, vice president of education and research atthe Big I, estimates that less than 10 percent of independentagencies compensate their CSRs or account executives withcommissions rather than straight salary — and that trendcrosses agencies of all sizes and lines of business sold.

The stats back her up. According to the National AllianceResearch Academy's CSR profile study, “nearly all” CSRsare paid primarily by straight salary; although some receive salaryonly while others may receive commission in addition to salary fortheir sales activities, says research director JimCuprisin.

The study shows that 60 percent of commercial CSRs receiveno additional compensation for sales activities. However, 27percent receive commission, 14 percent receive a bonus, 3 percentreceive an increase in salary, and 6 percent receive some othertype of compensation for sales, such as a flat fee. Thenumbers are a little different for personal lines: 42percent of CSRs receive no additional compensation, 31 percentreceive commission, 25 percent get a bonus, 4 percent receive anincrease in salary, and 8 percent receive some other type ofcompensation.

“I don't know of many commercial lines CSRs who actually get acommission,” says agency consultant Phil Lieberman. “This is because there is aproducer getting a fairly high first-year commission on newbusiness so there isn't a lot of money to spare. I do know ofsome agencies whose philosophic emphasis is on retention and inthose agencies, both the CSR and the producer may get acommission.”

You'd think, right?

Want proof of the importance of the offensive line? Just askBearsQB Jay Cutler, he of the pouting mien when things don't goright. Or Bears offensive coordinator Mike Tice, who has beenquoted as expecting his O-line to be “as coordinated as theRockettes” (this doesn't always happen). And when one of yourO-line stars is injured, the whole season could be in jeopardy.

Okay, this analogy has pretty much run its course. But the pointis, even the highest-paid, most professional producer can't do hisor her job without the backup. Treat the backup like pros, andyou'll have a winning team.

Go Bears.