The UW Profession at Risk 4 Steps to Manage Career Morbidity 2015 NEHOUA Conference October 14, 2015...

The UW Profession at Risk 4 Steps to Manage Career

Morbidity 2015 NEHOUA Conference

October 14, 2015

Kyle Steadham, EdD, FLHC, FLMI, SPHR

Manager, Talent Development

Christopher Guerin

Assistant Vice President, Underwriting

Transamerica Life Insurance Company

Rev. 10-12-15

Objectives

• Understand why professional development is important for underwriters.

• Identify prerequisites for professional development.

• Follow the 4 major steps of the professional development process.

• Recognize left and right brain skills needed in successful underwriters.

• Identify and evaluate professional development activities.

+/-Expand

Current Position

Scope of Professional Development

Current Position

+/-Coaching

Feedback

Training

Performance Improvement

Plans

Future Higher Position

+/-Future

Lateral Position

+/-

Professional Development Plan (PDP)

3 Actions to Prepare for Your Professional Development Journey

Sweet Spot

1) Check Your Motive.

2) Have a Proactive Mindset.

Common Mindset

Increase Career Morbidity

Decrease Career

Morbidity

Boss doesn’t care.I sent my boss an email

about that class, but he/she never got back to me.

I’m in charge of my destiny.

No money I don’t have the resources.I’ll find out how to access free

or low-cost resources.

Too busyI’m working on too many

projects right now.I’ll schedule time with

supervisor or HR.

I’m good right here.I’m satisfied right where I

am.

The organization may have different plans for me in the

future. I need to be prepared.

Not sure howSomebody needs to teach

me.I’ll learn how.

Conners, R., Smith, T. & Hickman, C. (2004). The Oz principle: Getting results through individual and organizational accountability. New York: Portfolio.

3) Have a Champion or Support Network.

• Mentor

• Current Manager

• Senior Co-worker

• Coach

• Teacher

• Family Member

• Fellow Society Members

• Career Counselor

• Spiritual Leader

What’s In It for You?

Commitment

Performance

Satisfaction

Innovation

Networking

Resources

Time

Energy

4 Steps to Manage Career Morbidity

What competency do you want to improve?

What specific and measurable result(s) do you want to achieve?


Refer to Handout

Step 1: Identify Development Opportunities

• Make development significant.

• Establish accountability.

• Identify development needs.

How to Make Development Significant

• Schedule time for planning or discussions.

• Connect development to organizational goals.

• Make development a reward opportunity.

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How to Establish Accountability

• Shared– Design and modify development areas and activities– Evaluate progress

• Manager – Allocate and/or approve company resources– Provide guidance and request updates

• Underwriter– Conduct the research– Allocate or review personal or company resources– Create the plan document– Implement the plan– Share progress with champion– Keep records of goals and progress

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How to Identify Development Needs

• Complete a self or 360 competency assessment.

• Review past performance appraisals.

• Work with a career coach.

• Consider Daniel Pink’s recommendations in A Whole New Mind.

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Current UW Skills

As written in typical UW job descriptions…

Function Understand processes, the business, technical knowledge, sales channels

Argument Document and communicate your decisions clearly

Focus Analyze and process workload

Logic Make “rational” decisions

Quantity Underwrite more cases faster

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Pink, D. H. (2006). A whole new mind: Why right-brainers will rule the future. New York: Riverhead Books.

Maintain Pink’s Left Brain Reasoning Skills

Left Brain Reasoning

Skill

Right Brain Skills

As needed in future UW job descriptions…

Function Design Help create unique processes, policies, products

Argument Story Persuade and negotiate with others; craft underwriting philosophy

Focus Synthesis Cross functional work and strategic underwriting

LogicEmotional

Intelligence

Forging new relationships, resolving conflict, teaching others, working with difficult customers/agents.

Quantity QualityFocus on long-term relationships, creative decision-making, value growth and substance vs. volume

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Build Pink’s Right Brain Skills for The Future

What actions will you take to make this change?

How will you know if an activity/action item was accomplished?

When would you like to have this change in place?


Refer to Handout

Step 2: Define Activities

1. Create list of activities to work on strengths or limitations.

• Link to development objective• Include ways to measure • Establish target dates

2. Champion reviews activities, provides feedback, and helps locate resources.

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Professional Development Risk AnalysisS

tep

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Def

ine

Act

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ies

DebitsDecrease the Quality of Activities

CreditsIncrease the Quality of Activities

“Easy” successes Failure is possible.

Requires minimal effort or is routine.

Requires strong initiative and variety.

Keeps you in your comfort zone. Involves working with strangers.

Stress-free workCreates moderate personal or

work pressure.

Works with or seeks feedback only from people you like

Involves working with people you don’t like. Gets feedback

from outsiders.

MicromanagingInfluences people or factors over

which you have no direct control.

Lombardo, M. M. & Eichinger, E. (1989). 88 assignments for development in place. Greensboro, NC: Center for Creative Leadership.

Examples of Activities to Promote Right Brain Skills

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Right Brain Skills Example of Activities

Design

• Help design insurance products that make the business better than competitors

• Craft underwriting guidelines• Use innovation and creativity to design and offer

value-added activities beyond daily production

Story

• Shape and sell underwriting philosophy• Coach or mentor other underwriters • Conduct research and persuade stakeholders• Create and conduct persuasive presentations


Examples of Activities to Promote Right Brain Skills (cont.)

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Right Brain Skills Example of Activities

Synthesis• Work on cross functional or strategic teams.• Use project management. • Pursue a degree in leadership.

Empathy

• Train others on effective communication, human relations, customer service skills.

• Volunteer in industry association or community.• Go out in the field with agents to listen to customers.

Quality• Apply Six Sigma and/or LEAN methodologies. • Create effective hiring practices and design tools to

improve the quality of hiring underwriters.


Drawing a “6” Isn’t So Easy Is it?

• While seating, lift your right foot off the floor and make clockwise circles.

• While doing this, draw the number "6" in the air with your right hand.

It takes patience, practice, persistency to develop new skills.

Where are you in the process?

What demonstrations of competency have occurred?


Refer to Handout

Step 3: Initiate Activities

• Organize the activities into your calendar.

• Adjust the plan when necessary.• Share successes and lessons with

champion.• Attend training classes at your

company.

What is the outcome of the development activity?

To what extent was the Step 1 Development Objectiveachieved? If more change is necessary, return to Step 1. Otherwise,

celebrate success.


Refer to Handout

Step 4: Evaluate Results

1. Share feedback about development progress: – How have knowledge, skills, or behaviors changed?– What were your strongest learning experiences? Why?– Where did you experience difficulty? Why?– What would you change about the development process to

make it better?

2. Document the progress.3. Consider modifications.4. Celebrate success.

Who is in your driver’s seat?

Enjoy the rest of the

conference!

References• Browning, H. & Van Velsor, E. (2004). 3 keys to development:

defining and meeting your leadership challenge. Greensboro, NC: CCL.

• Conners, R., Smith, T. & Hickman, C. (2004). The Oz principle: Getting results through individual and organizational accountability. New York: Portfolio.

• Colvin, G. (2015). Humans are overrated: What high achievers know that brilliant machines never will. New York: Portfolio.

• Goodkind, N. (2015, Aug. 11). How to keep your job in a world of automation. Yahoo Finance at http://finance.yahoo.com/news/how-to-keep-your-job-in-a-world-of-automation-122831704.html#

• Lombardo, M. M. & Eichinger, E. (2004). For your improvement : A guide to development and coaching. Minneapolis, MN: Lominger Limited.

References

• Lombardo, M. M. & Eichinger, E. (1989). 88 assignments for development in place. Greensboro, NC: Center for Creative Leadership.

• McCully, W. (2006). Value of professional development. http://www.nsls.info/articles/detail.aspx?articleID=45

• PDI. (2000). Successful manager’s handbook, 6e.• Pink, D. H. (2006). A whole new mind: Why right-

brainers will rule the future. New York: Riverhead Books.

The UW Profession at Risk 4 Steps to Manage Career Morbidity 2015 NEHOUA Conference October 14, 2015...

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