Cheers to 25 years!
8 Key Lessons my career journey has taught me
On February 6, 1995, I walked through the doors of Allstate Insurance to embark on my brand new career as an insurance adjuster and never looked back. Truth be told, I didn’t even know what an adjuster was before I interviewed for the position, nor did I realize how many opportunities this industry would afford me or how rewarding the path I was about to take would be.
For those that know me, you know I value reflection and life-long learning. In that vein as I ponder my 25-year career anniversary, I spent some time reflecting on what this industry means to me, how it has helped me grow as a professional and as a person and the lessons it has taught me over the years. I share these with you in hopes of motivating others to reflect and share their journey too. Who knows, maybe it will inspire the next generation to consider a career in this phenomenal industry as well!
How the insurance industry helped mold me into the person I am today:
FOUNDATION
Having started my career at Allstate Insurance gave me the foundation I needed to lay the groundwork for success. From the technical training, the financial support while I pursued my insurance designation and the people and culture, this organization taught me to continually challenge myself, what it means to live into values, and how it feels to be part of a team. It’s not surprising that 25 years later, I have returned to my roots!
NETWORKING & INNER CIRCLE
As I moved from the Insurance company sector of the industry to the Independent Adjusting stream, I learned the value of building relationships, a lesson that I continue to practice to this day. I would say early on in my career, I had somewhat of a naïve lens when it came to people in general. I always saw the best in people and although I continue to see the best in them each and every day, I have learned how to become more intuitive as it relates to people’s intentions and who I choose to surround myself with. The world is full of lifters and leaners, and although all of us need to lean at times, if we are leaning more than lifting, it will only lead to falling down. The phenomenal people I have met through this industry continue to be a part of my life, whether I see them daily, weekly or just occasionally. I value each one, the unique relationships that we have and hope that we continue to lift (and occasionally lean) on each other for a long time to come.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
I never had aspirations of being an entrepreneur. I quite loved being a “company” person and truly thought I would live out my career within the relatively safe walls of an organization that valued their people and one that I could add value to, but the universe had different plans for me. When I launched ProFormance Adjusting in 2008, I was young(ish), nervous, scared, and insecure. I had no idea how to run a business, but I decided to push through my fears, take the leap and grow my wings on the way down. Through this expedition, we built the most amazing team of adjusters who serviced the industry with pride, expertise, passion and vigor. When I closed the doors in 2016, I was a completely different person. Stronger, better, wiser and of course, a little older. This entrepreneurial rollercoaster of a journey exposed me to elements of leadership and life lessons that I will forever hold with me from the best of times to the worst of times and everything and everyone in between.
FLEXIBILITY / RESILIENCE
The only constant is change. If we are not changing, we are not growing. Change leads to a world of possibility. It stretches the mind and feeds the soul. It leads us to opportunities that we didn’t know existed and stimulates the curiosity part of our brain. The more flexible we are in our change elasticity, the more resilient we become which enables us to not only adapt to change at a quicker pace but also to anticipate and even drive change to get ahead of the curve or trends.
If we want to move forward in our lives, we must evolve and how we evolve is a choice. We are the drivers of our personality, cognitive capabilities, emotions and actions. I tell my children all the time, life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you deal with it. The evolution of our being is intrinsically associated with how we choose to accept and adapt to change. Change offers us an opportunity to grow, to learn from our mistakes, to celebrate our successes and to continually feed into our insatiable desire to improve upon ourselves.
This industry is riddled with change from market conditions to amalgamations, regulatory changes and living in a connected world. If we have a low adaptability quotient (inflexible), and lack resilience in the face of change, we risk being left behind, and who in the world wants to be left in the dust, certainly not me!
INTEGRITY
Having worked with a variety of leaders over the years whether direct managers, clients, colleagues or stakeholders, one of the greatest things I came to respect and chose to emulate in my leadership journey was integrity. There’s something to be said for a person who is true to their values and stands up for what they believe. There have been times throughout my career I faced difficult choices. Although the decisions I made may not have appeased everyone, I always tried to align my decisions with my values, my beliefs and in the best interest of those they affect, sometimes to my own detriment. Even then, these decisions afforded me the opportunity to reflect, learn and grow. Although I have certainly made my fair share of mistakes over the years, I can take solace in the fact they were made with the best of intentions and from a place of integrity.
PASSION
I was always very passionate about the work I did as a claims adjuster. Having specialized in dealing with catastrophically injured victims, I took great pride in knowing that I was able to help them, even if just a little, create a new “normal” life after injury.
As I continued to develop in my career, I began to unearth a completely new realm of things I was passionate about, like teaching – who knew? I started creating content and teaching while working at Underwriters Adjustment Bureau (UAB) through the IAO School. I’ve been fortunate enough to work with the Insurance Institute to develop a number of programs for the Insurance Industry and I am a part-time Professor at the University of Guelph-Humber. I am also thrilled to share that I recently launched a virtual school – The Self Revolution Academy – which is an online resource of masterclasses for people who want to rock their lives!
I just love the feeling I get from being able to help others along in their learning journey. Every time I finish teaching a class whether for the Institute, the school or creating virtual content, I leave with a feeling of euphoria.
LEADERSHIP
I have been fortunate enough to have held several leadership positions over the years, including the role of OIAA President, which in of itself taught me so much. In 2013, I started studying the philosophy of leadership and had the opportunity to travel the world teaching leadership principles to Government Officials, business leaders and other leaders within the other 7 streams of influence. During this time and as I continue to develop and grow in this area, I have learned that we cannot lead others until we can effectively lead ourselves. Self and social awareness (Emotional Intelligence) are the key to leadership success.
As a leader, I have learned that every person has individual needs, self-perception is not always others’ reality and diplomacy supersedes that of ignorance. First impressions are important but they are not necessarily final and fostering an innovative, commitment culture can lead to amazing things. Regardless of the situation and what you think you may know, honesty, mutual respect and connecting with others are critical to developing and maintaining strong relationships. Strong relationships are integral to respect, trust and your ability to influence others. Moreover, leadership is about your ability to influence, nothing more, and nothing less. When we can influence others, we can lead them, and when they know, like and trust you, people will want to follow.
GIVING BACK
The insurance industry is philanthropic by nature. One of the most gratifying things we can do as human beings is help others through the heartbreak chapters of their lives. When I started my business in 2008, there were many things I was unsure of but one thing I knew for certain was that I had been truly blessed in my life and in true industry fashion I wanted to give back. This lead to sourcing a corporate charity we could call our own - the Jennifer Ashleigh Children’s Charity (JACC). Working with this remarkable charity over the years first as a donor, then on the Board and now as President of their Board of Directors, has opened my world to a whole other level of being. When working with the extraordinary Founder, the staff, the volunteers and the families that we help, gratefulness and gratitude are common themes, which has enabled more of both to seep into my life. Having volunteered for many industry associations, social clubs and Boards over the years has given my life so much more direction and fulfillment.
There are many other things this industry has taught me over the years, but these are the ones I think of when I reflect on how grateful I am to have fallen into such a rewarding career. Not only for the doors it has opened but even more so for the ones that it closed. Those doors are the ones that challenged me to get out of my comfort zone, the ones that pushed me into my growth zone. They ignite my creativity, strengthen my character, and gave me the foresight and vision to see beyond the closed door.
Studies show that working hard in a field you love will give your life meaning and purpose, so from the bottom of my heart, I want to thank this Industry as a whole and all of my colleagues and friends within it for these past 25 years. I am looking forward to continuing on this journey and excited to unveil all of the amazing opportunities, lessons and experiences yet to come!
