Well, this is a new one.

I'm sitting in a conference room, listening to three technicalexperts from Accenture Duck Creek wax poetic about the softwaresolution they've created, what it does, how it empowers business.They're very excited about it.

The strange and wonderful part is, they've got meexcited about it, too.

Excited. About software.

It's an experience I wouldn't have had otherwise, had I had notdecided it was in NU's best interest to bolster ourcoverage in the insurance tech space, to place some editorial focusback on that sector. There's a desire for more content in thatchannel on PropertyCasualty360.com, and some of the best contentcomes from thought leaders. How does one connect with thoughtleaders? You go out and find them. In this case, I was attendingthe Insurance Accounting and Systems Association (IASA)'s annualconference in Las Vegas, where I met many similarly talented andinsightful experts who will be sharing their thoughts with ourreaders.

I've been traveling a lot lately, in fact, and that is a verygood thing.

Truth be told, I really don't mind business travel. That's notto say I'm huge fan of cramped seats in coach, delayed or cancelledflights, or the occasional disappearing luggage, but like many inthe insurance industry with something to sell, I like getting outin the world and meeting people.

Incidentally, I have to ask: What is it with airlinepassengers who insist on leaping out of their seats and standing inthe aisle with their bag, the second the seat belt sign is turnedoff? I find those folks at once amusing and annoying. It's not likeyou're getting off the plane any faster than the rest of us, bub.Sit down.

Anyway, as ambassador for the brand, I enjoy representingNU in our continued effort to cover the P&C industryas best we can, and a large part of that process is buildingrelationships at all levels of the business. What my team and I dois in reality not vastly different from the work of agents andbrokers: going out, meeting and talking with industry figures andlearning about the issues that matter most to them, and then—if wedo our jobs right—providing them solutions.

The thing is, you don't forge relationships by sitting behind adesk. You have to get out among the other humans and make yourselfavailable.

It's fascinating to me that once you meet someone in personthese days—not just exchanging e-mails with them or even talking tothem on the phone—a stronger bond is forged in which you bothbecome far more receptive to the other's reach-out. Once you've metthat person and shared some time with them, you'll take their calla lot faster—and in a lot of cases, they'll do the same.

In May I had the opportunity to attend one of Lloyd's ofLondon's "Meet the Market" events (this one in Atlanta), aninvitation-only gathering hosted to introduce more Americaninsurance professionals to the London insurance market and educatethem in the market expertise afforded by its coverholders, some ofwhom are leading experts in their respective lines.

Having the chance to share perspective and exchange ideas onissues in various P&C insurance markets with some veryintelligent people from some top carriers was invaluable. At theend of the day, I'm a journalist, and I can't do my job in abubble. Again, the same could be said for people who make a livingselling insurance.

At the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation's Women inInsurance Global Conference in New York City last month, I had asimilarly enlightening experience among a comparatively smallnumber of men in a ballroom full of female insurance professionals.One new contact I made that day—one that put me on the trail of agreat claims-fraud story in the Sunshine State—sat down to lunchwith my colleague Rosalie Donlon and me and joked, "There's amaaaaaan here?"

"Yes, I feel like a spy," I told her. But all jokes aside, theperspective I gained extended far beyond the usual acquisition ofinterview notes. I felt very glad to have attended.

Ask yourself: Am I really "out there"? Do I make myselfavailable? Not just to clients, but to prospects? Even the ones Ihaven't yet identified?

It's an important question worth asking, regardless of yourstation in this business. I'm a firm believer that you can learnsomething of value from every single person you meet.

While you're at it, take a second, relax and take a breath whenthe plane lands. You'll be back in the race soon enough.