Petty (who, coincidentally, was introduced to new generations by his performance at the Super Bowl halftime show in 2008) earned acclaim not just for his music but for two other things:

• First was the outreach he made to his fans in interviews, unusual at a time of rock star excesses (as tragically glorified by Pink Floyd’s album “The Wall,” which kept his breakthrough album from reaching #1 on the Billboard album charts; “Damn the Torpedoes” was behind it at #2 for seven weeks in 1979). In interviews, Petty made a point of thanking fans for listening to his band’s music and paying for their concerts. He was rumored to have used car stereo speakers to listen to the production mixes of his albums, because that was how most people would listen to it. This was in the days of vinyl albums and 8-track tapes and before the dawn of the Sony Walkman.

• Second was the practical nature of his rebellion. As a follow-up to the hit album, the band was set to release “Hard Promises.” But the record’s release was put on hold while Petty and the album’s distribution company MCA Records argued about the list price. The album was slated to be the next MCA release with the list price of $9.98, $1 more than the usual list price of $8.98 (in line with so-called “superstar pricing” of Steely Dan and Olivia Newton-John albums). Petty took his side to the media, and the issue became a popular cause among music fans. MCA decided against the price increase, and the album was released in May 1981 at a list price of $8.98. (As a dig at the record company, Petty reportedly even had the cover photo, showing himself in a music store, airbrushed to show “$8.98″ in the record bin, although it’s a bit hard to see.)

Rebellion is legendary and revered in popular culture. But I think it’s even more important in business.

In the insurance industry, the rebellion is happening on desktops, in phone conversations, and at industry meetings:

• Independent agents are fighting against the big-box insurance brands and their price competition with their slingshot tool: renewed value propositions featuring expertise and risk management.
• Standards advocates are trying to get more participants in the insurance value chain to exchange data electronically.
• Trade associations are working within the regulatory, political and legislative systems to make the industry more competitive.

How are you fighting to make the insurance industry better? Let’s count the ways.

Peter van Aartrijk and the late Akio Takahashi at a Big 'I' Japan convention in Tokyo.

This is a blog entry I should have written more than a year ago. Perhaps I’ve been in denial about losing such a good friend.

The photo here is me with the late Akio Takahashi. In the last several years, I’ve had the honor of talking about the U.S. Independent Agency System at seminars coordinated by the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of Japan. This was taken at IIABJ’s second annual convention in Tokyo, held June 2008 in a conference room of Kyoei Fire & Marine Insurance Co.

Takahashi was IIABJ’s first president. He was a loving husband, father and grandfather. He chaired a strong, multi-faceted brokerage, World Service Corp., based in Osaka. In all of these capacities, he was a true leader.

Takahashi died on April 5, 2009. I received the following note from his staff, which said in part: “Mr. Takahashi visited Europe and Asia in February and March, and he was looking forward to attend the IIABA meeting in U.S.A. this month. His sudden departure saddens us greatly, but we will continue to uphold his dream of changing the Japanese insurance business. We thank you for your friendship during his lifetime, and look forward to your continued friendship to his family and World Insurance Group.” It really was about those friendships and “dreaming,” as the note says.

Takahashi was proud of the accomplishments of the association he helped found in April 2005.

For instance, a contingent of IIABJ members has come over to the U.S. for IIABA conferences each year, tying in field trips to independent agencies each time. I’ve been on some of those field trips. Watching the faces of the IIABJ members during those meetings is fascinating. They drink in the information they hear from agency principals: how to compensate producers, how to market commercial lines, how the agency management system works, etc. Why? Because the Japanese Independent Agency System is 30 years behind the U.S., as Takahashi would say. (And believe me, the guy knew his stuff; he was constantly in the U.S. working on multinational accounts.) In Japan, a select few huge carriers—with the support of an active (some say overbearing) government regulator—dominate the business of literally hundreds of thousands of mom-and-pop agencies, most of which lack leverage or technology to manage multiple customer and carrier relationships.

Takahashi aimed to change all of that—he dreamed about a more competitive, vibrant personal and commercial lines marketplace for IIABJ members.

And he knew, too, that the Japanese business climate evolves slowly—very slowly. But I think he rests knowing that the proper path has been set, and his association is leading.

IIABJ honors the memory of Takahashi as it continues to pursue that improved insurance climate in Japan. It’s a tall order, sure. But I can see that proud, confident grin of Takahashi as he said repeatedly to his fellow Japanese agents, “We must do it.”

What a lesson for those involved with member organizations. In order to truly make a business difference for their constituents, trade associations require strong, confident, strategic, can-do leadership—not just staffers or volunteers counting beans (or deck chairs on the Titanic). Someone, or a select few, must step up and lead. Takahashi indeed was that leader.

And if you’re a member of an association, perhaps its time to think about leadership—your leadership. What are you concerned about? What can you give back to your industry? How will your fellow members perpetuate their businesses?

Time to step up?