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EDITORIAL
Editor-in-Chief Patricia Speer 312.777.1376
Editor Carrie Burns 312.777.1366
Senior Editor William Kenealy 312.777.1372
Associate Editor Justin Stephani 312.777.1378
Online Contributors Jennifer Morrell, Juliette Fairley
Art Director Monica Pizzi
Group Editorial Director John McCormick
Defining
the Carrot
In a leadershIp meetIng recently, a large
p&c carrier brought up the topic of human capital as a
key building block to global excellence.
Where does the industry stand on this? perhaps it
depends on the size of company, but it’s fair to assume
that most insurers are concerned about attracting and
retaining the highest caliber talent, from backfilling
positions due to retiring It personnel to scouring the
world’s higher education system to encourage bright
and talented people to enter the industry.
the group agreed that leaders have a responsibil-
ity long after the attract-and-acquire phase of their
companies’ efforts, specifically to model the types of
behaviors that exemplify an agreed-upon philosophy:
Be all that you can be, and the best at what you do.
the executives provided personal stories of how
they applied that mission to their own personal and
professional lives. their stories were of common
conflicts, challenges and successes, as well as lessons
learned along the way that have been passed along
through sponsorship programs to their mentees.
“I tell them, don’t go through life with a carrot in
front of your nose,” said the highest ranking executive at
the meeting. “It’s distasteful. It’s important to be mind-
ful of the next step, but don’t make that your focus.’”
that comment, while distinctive, may be chal-
lenged by the fact that since human capital has
emerged as one of the most important assets within
a winning organization, it’s pretty clear that insurers
with an eye on innovation and quality improvement
are eager to do whatever is necessary to retain those
top-most employees.
pat speer
editor-in-chief
BUSINESS
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