Positive Leaders Are a Valuable Commodity to Insurance Organizations in 2021

Who comes to mind when you think of a leader? You may not be able to describe exactly what they did to create such a positive influence for you, but you likely know how they made you feel. They probably made you feel motivated, supported and respected, among other things. That’s because effective leadership is meaningful and impactful. 

Impactful leadership involves social influence. Leadership is the art of motivating people to meet a common goal which can be achieved by all employees regardless of their position or title. Effective leadership involves adaptability in the face of different situations and obstacles. 2020 was a defining moment for those that possess true leadership abilities. 

Insurance organizations value positive leadership as a way to overcome struggles that have plagued carriers and agencies for years, i.e. perpetuation, new talent development and retention. The best leaders have had to tap into their toolbelt of skills to keep things moving in a positive direction toward achieving three goals simultaneously- theirs, their employees’, and the organization.  

As we move into 2021, with issues old and new (thanks COVID), please keep these things in mind as you think about recruiting, hiring and integrating effective leaders:

• Leading is not the same thing as managing. Managing involves the act itself while leadership is so much more.
• Effective leaders are great communicators and motivators. They are passionate individuals who inspire action in their employees, support their team and instill confidence in others.  
• Effective leaders were able to shine during the pandemic by leading remote teams and will continue to do well with partially integrated remote & in-office teams.
• Successful leaders desperately want to be able to share good news — to be able to tell their internal and external stakeholders that things are going to be okay. 
• Positive leaders see the darkness of this world but don’t dwell on it. When everything else, from the pandemic to RIFs and typical ‘end of the year’ disasters strike, the best leaders emphasize positive feedback and encouragement, strive to create certainty and offer flexibility, empathy, and cooperative goals.   

Effective leaders are more important now than ever. Knowing this doesn’t make the insurance industry unique, but it still gives organizations like yours a unique opportunity to recruit top talent. For more on leadership recruiting, visit our Hiring Resources page or contact me for more information.