After more than four decades of leadership and service, Jeff Rommel, senior vice president, Personal Lines Operations, will retire from Nationwide on Jan. 31, 2027.

Rommel joined Allied Insurance, a Nationwide company, in 1985 as a claims representative. During his 41-year tenure with Nationwide, he has held various leadership positions across claims, sales, distribution and operations.

Since assuming the role of senior vice president of Personal Lines Operations in October 2024, Rommel has helped transform the experience Nationwide delivers by advancing service, ease and trust, while helping the organization sharpen its focus on customer outcomes and build capabilities that contributed to industry-leading experiences.

Throughout his career, Rommel’s deep knowledge of the Personal Lines value chain has helped deliver the company’s mission to protect people, businesses and futures with extraordinary care.

“Jeff’s leadership has made a lasting impact on our company and on the people who have worked alongside him,” said Mark Berven, president and COO, Property & Casualty for Nationwide. “Jeff helped lead the business through important moments with a steady hand, a clear focus on our customers and a commitment to building strong teams.”

Beyond his service at Nationwide, Rommel has been an active and dedicated member of his community throughout his career.  He has served in various Board roles and collaborated closely with community partners including the Greater Des Moines Partnership, Food Bank of Iowa, United Way of Central Iowa, ICON Water Trails, Science Center of Iowa, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation of Greater Iowa and the Vaughan Institute Advisory Board.

The search for a new leader of Personal Lines Operations is underway.

Their conversation explored the talent and technology trends that are shaping the future of the insurance industry, how distribution partners can adapt to these changes, and why careers in insurance continue to be a smart choice for the future. Check out some key takeaways from the discussion below.

What are the key technology trends impacting the insurance industry and distribution partners?  
Key takeaway: AI, hyperconnected systems and advanced computing are three forces reshaping every industry. These are powerful forces, and Nationwide is making a powerful response. We’ve invested $5B in technology modernization since 2015. Today, we have plans for an additional $1.5B through 2028 – with 20% of our investment focused on scaling AI responsibly and in alignment with our values. 

As we think about our distribution partners, how can they balance technology, including AI, with the human touch?
Key takeaway: The right balance of technology and human interaction starts with understanding customers’ preferences. AI should streamline simple, routine tasks, while people focus on high-stakes, high-emotion or high-complexity moments where customers want reassurance and confidence.

What are some of the key talent trends that are taking place in the P&C industry? 
Key takeaway: As the P&C insurance industry becomes even more specialized—requiring deeper expertise in specific risks and products— the industry is also seeing a heightened risk of losing institutional knowledge, with an acceleration of retirements. This reality requires us to rethink how we hold on to this knowledge so that we are prepared for what is ahead. Technology and AI are also fundamentally changing how work gets done. Digital fluency is no longer optional — it’s foundational. 

What advice do you have for distribution professionals for how to address these talent gaps? 
Key takeaway: Carriers and distribution partners who take a long-term view of talent will navigate this dynamic landscape most successfully. That means investing in the next generation of talent early in their careers, developing people intentionally (with a focus on building digital and AI fluency) and evolving to more flexible work models.

Why should a recent college graduate join the insurance industry? 
Key takeaway: Insurance careers provide an opportunity to use data, technology and problem-solving to help people on their worst days – and get them back on their feet. The industry is transforming fast—offering flexibility, growth, and a chance to build skills that are in high demand. There are tremendous opportunities for those who can combine tech savvy with a passion for protecting customers.

Nationwide intends to transfer the underwriting and management of all renewal policy opportunities included in the transaction – currently $1.2 billion in premium – to Ryan Re Underwriting Managers, a managing general underwriter specializing in reinsurance and part of Ryan Specialty (NYSE: RYAN).

“This acquisition accelerates Nationwide’s reinsurance growth and deepens our strategic alliance with Ryan Specialty, through Ryan Re, established in 2019,” said Nationwide CEO Kirt Walker. “Together, we’ve built a strong foundation in specialty reinsurance. This transaction builds on that momentum and broadens the range of opportunities we can bring to market.”

“These renewal rights create new opportunities to grow and diversify our reinsurance portfolio while adding specialized talent to Ryan Re’s team,” said Mark Berven, President of Property & Casualty at Nationwide. “We’re ready to provide Markel’s clients with the solutions and service they’ve come to expect, while delivering new value for broker partners.”

Transaction terms have not been publicly disclosed.

Nationwide plans to delegate the underwriting and management of all renewal policy opportunities included in this transaction – currently $1.2 billion in premium – to Ryan Re Underwriting Managers, a reinsurance managing general underwriter of Ryan Specialty (NYSE: RYAN), expanding the strategic alliance between Nationwide and Ryan Specialty established in 2019.

"By working with two respected names in the industry, this strategic acquisition reinforces Nationwide’s position as a diversified risk partner and creates an opportunity for us to expand our reinsurance footprint,” said Nationwide CEO Kirt Walker. “Nationwide’s collaboration with Ryan Specialty, and Ryan Re in particular, has positioned us to increase our presence in the specialty reinsurance market. This strategic move accelerates this progress, and we’re excited about the diverse portfolio it unlocks.”

“We are confident in our ability to meet the protection needs of Markel’s clients and deliver long-term value to broker partners,” said Mark Berven, President of Property & Casualty at Nationwide. “Our partnership brings the scale, reach and specialized capabilities to offer these clients a broad suite of products, including specialty lines that enhance their options in meaningful ways.”

Berven also noted that the agreement provides the opportunity to strategically expand the team with specialized reinsurance underwriting talent, ensuring the continuation of exceptional service to renewing clients.

Transaction terms have not been publicly disclosed.

About the J.D. Power award: The J.D. Power 2025 U.S. Auto Insurance Study, measures customer satisfaction with auto insurance in 11 geographic regions. The category addressing usage-based insurance (UBI) along with diagnostics that influence UBI participants’ experience with their insurer’s usage-based auto products, ranks Nationwide as the highest-ranking auto insurer for usage-based insurance. The study also found Nationwide is #1 in Customer Satisfaction among auto insurers in Texas.  

What we’re saying: "As a protection company, customers look to us for innovative solutions to keep them safe," said Mark Berven, President and Chief Operating Officer, Nationwide Property & Casualty. "In addition to money-saving discounts, the technology powering usage-based insurance provides insights to improve driving behaviors, reduce distractions and make our roadways safer for everyone." 

For more than a decade: Nationwide launched their usage-based insurance product SmartRide® in 2012 and its pay-per-mile program SmartMiles® in 2019.  The products gained broader customer awareness during the pandemic as more people became open to auto insurance that is priced based on how safely or how much someone drives.   

Interested in test driving a telematics program  Nationwide has introduced the new Focused Driving Rewards® (FDR) programⁱⁱ, a first-of-its-kind initiative that offers reward for all drivers, customers and non-customers alike, for reducing phone use behind the wheel.  

Key program details include:  

• App-Based Participation: The program is managed through the Nationwide app, with participants earning points redeemable for gift cards when they avoid distractions over time.  
• Rewards Pilot Success: Preliminary results from an FDR pilot program suggests that about half of approximately 1,000 driver participants saw their distraction levels decrease—and for those who improved, distractions dropped by an average of 48%ⁱⁱⁱ.  
• No Strings Attached: FDR is open to everyone, not just Nationwide customers, and offers younger drivers up to $60 in gift cards every six months for those that keep their focus on the roads while driving.  
• Simplicity & Focus: The program only considers phone handling events (like tapping, hand-held calls, or phone motion), making it an easy way to try out a telematics experience and be rewarded for improved focus.  

What sets Nationwide apart: Using usage-based insurance to provide new ways to solve customers’ future needs, including helping drivers better understand and manage their risk through personalized insights and behavior-based feedback.  

Where usage-based insurance is headed: The programs will keep evolving to build the next generation of usage-based insurance offerings. This will provide continuous engagement and open possibilities for integrating further into current rating capabilities. New rating features are beginning to emerge that are not event-based features like the number of hard brakes we’ve seen in the past.    

Go Deeper: Learn more about usage-based insurance from Nationwide. 

ⁱ Nationwide received the highest score in the Usage Based Insurance (UBI) segment of the J.D. Power 2024-2025 U.S. Auto Insurance Satisfaction Studies of customers’ satisfaction with their auto insurance provider. Visit jdpower.com/awards for more details.

ⁱⁱ Focused Driving Rewards is not currently available in AK, CA, FL, HI, LA, MA, NY or OK.  Drivers 29 years and younger can earn up to $60 every 6 months. Drivers 30 years and older can earn $2.50 every 2 weeks, up to $30 every 6 months. Focused Driving Rewards is not insurance and does not require the purchase of a policy or a quote. Participation is optional and subject to terms and conditions. Nationwide may terminate the program at any time. Results pulled from drivers in the program though February 2025.

ⁱⁱⁱ Results pulled from drivers in the program through February 2025.

Devastating wildfires have affected thousands of people and businesses this year, leaving a lasting impact. The Nature Conservancy (TNC), a global environmental nonprofit and the world’s leading nonprofit organization addressing fire issues, conducts controlled burns to restore health and diversity to natural lands. Since 1962, TNC has conducted controlled burns to balance the role of fire in nature and help communities prepare for, manage and live safely with fire.

Recognizing the increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires, the Nationwide Foundation has approved $750,000 in funding since 2023 to help support TNC’s North America Fire program and fire practitioner networks. For the past 20 years, this program has been instrumental in restoring the natural role of fire in ecosystems.  

“Understanding the critical need for proactive measures, our investment in The Nature Conservancy aims to mitigate the impact of disasters like destructive wildfires,” said Chad Jester, president of the Nationwide Foundation. “By supporting controlled burns and other fire management practices, we can help restore the natural balance of ecosystems, building a safer, more resilient future for all.”

TNC uses controlled burns to maintain healthy landscapes by mimicking natural, low intensity burns that reduce flammable vegetation and accumulated fuels. Controlled burns have been proven to enhance biodiversity, lower risks over time and support the health and sustainability of natural habitats. The vital work and research conducted by TNC supports communities and nature in over 80 countries and territories and protects more than 125 million acres of land.

“We’re so appreciative of the partnership with the Nationwide Foundation. We’ve received some federal funding in support of our work, but the private foundation funding is just so critical to support the diversity of practitioners,” said Marek Smith, TNC North America Fire Director and Fire Networks Co-Director.

Mark Berven, President and Chief Operating Officer of Nationwide Property & Casualty, recently spoke with Marek Smith on how TNC is working to reduce environmental risks as well as science-backed strategies and practical approaches to build resiliency in communities.

Click here to watch Mark and Marek’s full discussion, and learn more about TNC's Many Paths Project. 

Nationwide is turning to a 25-year insurance industry veteran to lead its new Property and Casualty Business Performance Office. Jen Kyung has been tapped to head up the team and is charged with working across Nationwide’s P&C organization to optimize the business’s capabilities, standards and performance.  

Kyung spent more than five years at USAA, where she led underwriting strategy and innovation, integrating AI solutions, automation and enhanced data analytics to improve underwriting precision and customer solutions. Prior to that, she held leadership roles at Ernst & Young, where she led underwriting business transformations; Zurich Insurance, where she oversaw large-scale strategic initiatives; and Accenture, where she built foundational expertise in P&C underwriting operations in Commercial and Personal Lines.  

“Nationwide’s P&C business is widely regarded across the industry as best in class,” said Kyung. “My goal is to take the work the talented and high-performing associates are doing to the next level by finding ways to do things more efficiently to the betterment of our customers and distribution partners.” 

The newly formed P&C Business Performance Office will collaborate closely with Nationwide’s P&C businesses to identify common approaches, tools and best practices that can be shared across the P&C organization to increase efficiency and effectiveness. 

“Jen brings a data-driven approach to business transformation and a leadership style that fosters collaboration and innovation which makes her the perfect choice for this role,” said Mark Berven, President and Chief Operating Officer of Nationwide Property & Casualty. “We look forward to the impact she will make as we continue to build on our strong momentum across the P&C organization.” 

Kyung’s leadership is well regarded in the P&C industry. Among many notable awards and affiliations, she served as the chair of the Insurance Information Institute’s (Triple-I) Executive Leadership Committee from 2020 to 2024 and was recognized as one of Reuters’ Trailblazing Women in Insurance in 2024. 

Kyung begins her new duties on April 21, 2025. 

Through August, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reports there have been 19 confirmed weather/climate disaster events this year alone with losses exceeding $1 billion each to affect the United States. These included one tropical cyclone event, 15 severe storm events, two winter storm events and one wildfire. Overall, these events resulted in the deaths of 149 people and had significant economic effects on the areas impacted.  

Severe weather isn’t going away anytime soon, so the hardworking scientists and engineers at the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) are helping Americans understand how weather behaves and developing new ways to protect themselves, their homes, and their businesses.   

IBHS was formed by the property-casualty insurance industry in 1977 to help coordinate emerging property insurance plans under the name of National Committee on Property Insurance (NCPI), which Nationwide was a founding member of in 1978.   

Nationwide’s President & COO of Property & Casualty, Mark Berven, recently had the opportunity to visit the IBHS Research Center in South Carolina where they use cutting-edge science and put it into action to help make our homes and businesses stronger, guide the insurance industry, and support communities.   

While he was there, IBHS performed a controlled burn showing how one tiny ember could burn an entire house. They also demonstrated how IBHS’s FORTIFIED construction and re-roofing standard prevents building damage and helps structures withstand Mother Nature’s fury.    

This is the type of information Nationwide and IBHS are passionate about getting out to customers, insurance agents and government officials. Education is key to preventing disasters and making communities more resilient, while letting government officials know that stronger building codes are needed to prevent damage and protect lives.  

“FORTIFIED building standards don’t just have benefits today. Those are sustained benefits that can last a decade and over multiple owners of the same structure,” says Roy Wright, President & CEO of IBHS. “Nationwide’s voice makes a difference when spreading that message to their customers, their distribution partners and policymakers,”   

Nationwide is launching a new video series highlighting Mark’s visit to the IBHS research facility. New videos will post every few weeks through the end of the year on the Nationwide protection page.   

You’ll also find Mark’s interviews with industry leaders discussing the need for stronger building codes on the page. 

Nationwide’s survey polled “commercial property stakeholders” – defined as commercial property owners, new construction builders and business owners – to gain an understanding of their concern around severe weather and their attitudes toward commercial construction standards.

Strong Building Standards are Vital for Protection
Big Picture: Property stakeholders agree on the importance of building code policy and the role it plays in climate readiness. However, many are concerned the current building codes in their region fail to fully account for the climate risks they face, especially in coastal states.

By the numbers:

• Nationally, 84% acknowledge the importance that building codes need to be improved
• In hurricane-prone states, nearly two-thirds (65%) are concerned about outdated building codes
• Virtually all (99%) agree that complying with current building codes is vital to protect their properties against weather

Why it matters: Commercial property stakeholders are increasingly concerned about climate risk and the high costs associated with recovering from severe weather events.

In fact,

• 36% of property stakeholders, and 59% in hurricane-risk states, have suffered damage from natural disasters in the past five years.
• Of those, approximately half (49%) say their recovery took between four to six months and cost between $20,000 and $50,000.

What you should know: Commercial customers say they are willing to invest to better protect their properties from weather damage, especially those in hurricane and wildfire-prone states.

• More than half (53%) say they would be willing to spend more to increase their structure’s resiliency against weather, with a median investment of $20,000.
  • This jumps to 66% in hurricane-risk states and 57% in wildfire-risk states
• Another 52% (66% in hurricane-risk states) report already building/repairing their properties to standards above current code requirements.

What we’re saying: “Climate risk is reshaping the protection needs of businesses, with severe weather being a year-round and widespread concern,” says Mark Berven, President and COO of Nationwide’s Property & Casualty business. “A collective approach involving insurance, proactive risk management, and robust building standards is crucial for resilience as climate impacts persist. Many of our commercial clients are taking extra steps to prepare their properties for severe weather events, but they can’t do it alone. The industry must continue to advocate for strong building codes to safeguard our communities and property investments.”

Nationwide Advocates for the Adoption of Modern Building Codes

As a founding member of the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS), Nationwide advocates for the mandatory adoption and uniform enforcement of statewide building codes as well as enforceable standards for permits, inspections and building code inspector licensing and training.

IBHS believes strong, enforceable building codes are the simplest and most effective way to help protect property, reduce damage, save lives and lessen the burden for post-catastrophe aid.

“Our research shows the business community is behind these efforts to build more resilient communities, as 97% of those we surveyed agreed that enhancing building standards will help better protect their properties,” added Berven.

Learn More about building codes in your community, Nationwide’s efforts to update local and state building codes, and how the industry can take action together to build a more resilient future.

“These associates do an excellent job taking care of our distribution partners and customers while also being leaders in their communities,” said Mark Berven, President of Property & Casualty, “Congratulations to this year’s winners, you represent Nationwide well.”

Property Casualty Sales Associates of the Year include:

• Kevin Bauer – Nationwide Agribusiness
  Kevin always provides his colleagues and agents with the highest level of service. Outside of work, Kevinvolunteers at the Food Bank of Iowa and coaches his son’s baseball, basketball, soccer, and football teams.
• Alyssa Bonavito – E&S/Specialty
  Alyssa is a team player committed to helping meet and exceed goals. When help is needed for any fundraisers or volunteer opportunities, Alyssa is always the first to assist in any way she can.
• Todd Opyt – Middle Market Underwriting, Commercial Lines
  Todd volunteers for Care for Real, a Chicago-based organization providing food, clothing, pet food, referral,
  and additional services to the community to improve the health and well-being of low-income residents.
• Kyle Shearer – National Sales Solutions, Personal Lines
  In his spare time, Kyle and his wife run a rescue ranch in Arizona for sick, hurt, or unwanted animals. They currently have five donkeys, four horses, three mini horses, one pig, one goat, two turkeys, 30 chickens, five dogs and three cats.

Nationwide Financial Sales Associates of the Year include:

• Andy Johnson – Corporate Solutions
  At work, Andy has established himself as a collaborative problem solver. In his spare time, he continues to volunteer and is involved in the community as a youth coach.
• Brooke Miller – Life Insurance
  Brooke is passionate about finding ways to help protect more people with life insurance. She serves as a mentor to Life wholesalers looking to get into the field, helping ensure a talent pipeline for Nationwide Financial’s future. She is also an avid supporter of organizations such as the Hantz Foundation and volunteer opportunities that benefit children.  
• Bill Vassas – Retirement Solutions
  Bill sells Nationwide in all that he does, with an overarching focus on continuing to connect with current and new advisor partners.
• Julie Stewart – Nationwide Annuity
  After mentoring informally, Julie signed up for Nationwide’s formal mentorship program launched in September. She’s a member of the Nationwide Financial Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council and volunteers with several charitable organizations in the Atlanta area.
• Sal Scudiero – Nationwide Annuity
  Last fall, Sal stepped up his impressive commitment to his community by assisting with cleanup after Hurricane Ian and doubling his blood donation efforts to help his fellow Floridians.
• Sohil Patel – Life Insurance
  Sohil’s caring nature shines through his volunteerism in the Columbus community with organizations like the Mid-Ohio Food Bank, Ronald McDonald House, Pelotonia and homeless shelters.

“We’re proud of these associates’ outstanding performance and their dedication to members, distribution partners and each other,” said John Carter, President and COO of Nationwide Financial. “It’s clear that the sales associates of the year are committed to providing extraordinary care at work and in the community.”

Learn more about Nationwide’s volunteerism and corporate giving efforts. The company also has a number of open roles across the enterprise. 

A recent Harvard Business Review article by John Coleman, Critical thinking is about asking better questions, got me thinking about how authentic leaders are often good critical thinkers because they ask better questions.

One of the best ways to learn is to ask questions. And I would add that one of the best ways to lead is to use questions to guide your team, so you don’t always have to be directive in your approach. By asking questions of those you lead, rather than always telling them what to do, you give them the autonomy to figure things out for themselves which, over time, helps them learn and grow.

In Coleman’s article, he outlined several ways to enhance our ability to ask good questions and I found that many of them are also indicative of authentic leadership. Here are a few examples:

Hold hypotheses loosely
Coleman reminds us that, even as developing a hypothesis is a key step in problem solving, we shouldn’t become too attached to our first solution or we may look for data that only prove what we think is true. This reminded me that authentic leaders need to always be open to new ideas and approaches, even if we know a solution has worked well in the past. By being open, we can find the best solution for our customer, which may not always be our first solution or the easiest one for us to implement.

Listen more than you talk
Fans of authentic leadership will recognize this alignment right away — authentic leaders are great listeners, and they listen to learn and understand, not to respond. Coleman also calls out active listening in his article, noting that it lets the person or group you’re listening to know you care about what they are saying and take their perspective seriously. Exactly right.

Consider the counterintuitive
This is a great point and one I personally don’t hear often enough. So often when solving a problem, it can be easy to fall into groupthink and assume that, because we all agree, we must be headed in the right direction. A group can often benefit from a contrarian point of view, someone who questions conventional thinking and asks why. This is also true for authentic leaders, who should be prepared to question the status quo, if only to make sure a better solution isn’t being missed.

As Coleman notes in his conclusion, critical thinking is at the heart of solving complex problems, and asking better questions is a big part of that. For me, questions are a tool that authentic leaders can use to stimulate new ideas, better solutions and encourage people to find better ways of doing things themselves, rather than always relying on their leader for the answer.

As business and leadership expert Tom Peters famously said, “Leaders don’t create followers, they create more leaders.”

I was recently asked about my career path and, like many others, it's been an interesting journey.

Of course, there's no one way to build a career, in insurance or any other field. The best advice I can give is to look for the things you like to do, the things you do well and always look for ways to add value.

If you're true to yourself, it's hard to go wrong.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 1.8 jobs for every person unemployed in the month of February. No matter what you choose to call it — great resignation, great reprioritization or something else — there’s no doubt your employees have options today. One strategy an authentic leader can use to retain associates is to provide flexibility that supports their passions outside the workplace.

In a recent Harvard Business Review article, To Retain Employees, Support Their Passions Outside Work, the authors conducted research that suggests being flexible and supportive of associates in this way will make it easier for them to stay. The authors also suggested associates need to know they shouldn’t feel guilty about leaving work or wonder whether doing so would jeopardize their performance reviews.

One example shared in the article was about a father who always wanted to be a soccer coach for his daughter’s team, but practice took place during his scheduled work time. The father asked his supervisor for some flexibility and his leader committed to making sure he could leave early on specific days in exchange for coming in earlier. Importantly, the leader also encouraged other people on his team to request planned time off to pursue non-work interests, as well. I’m willing to bet the father in this example wasn’t actively looking for another job.

The authors’ example reminded me of my own experience earlier in my career at Nationwide. My son played in a travel hockey league that meant he would be playing at different times and sometimes far from home. Nationwide provided me the flexibility to adjust my schedule and attend many of his games and still get my work done — and this happened long before our current work-from-home environment had taken hold. I can tell you I appreciated being able to have those experiences with him and there’s no doubt it helped strengthen my commitment to the company.

I’m also proud that, for many years, we’ve given our associates the time and resources needed to support their charitable passions, as well, including providing paid time off for volunteering and matching the financial contributions associates make to the organizations they care about.

The HBR article also addressed concerns leaders may have about a reduction in performance. The authors say there is no support for the idea that competing passions weaken work performance. In fact, they said research suggests that people who have a side hustle perform better at their main job.

The article also reminds leaders to reinforce the fact that flexible schedules aren’t just for the musts of life, like picking up children from school or daycare. This flexibility can and should also be used for the wants of life, including supporting the things your associates are passionate about, whether it’s a child’s sport or a charitable organization.

Authentic leaders can take advantage of this strategy by listening to understand what’s important to their associates. Knowing where their associates’ passions lie is the first step in fully supporting them.

I was inspired by a recent Harvard Business Review article, Leaders Don’t Have to Choose Between Compassion and Performance, where authors Mark Mortensen and Heidi K. Gardner talk about how leaders, given the almost-continuous demands on them for compassion today, may think they have to choose between compassion and performance.

In making their case, the authors lay out several ways leaders can adapt and win today, and I think they are great examples of the benefits of authentic leadership. Here are some of their insights along with my thoughts:

Figuring out what matters: collect data
As Mortensen and Gardner recommend, leaders need to collect data on what employees really care about rather than assuming they already understand. In today’s environment, things are constantly changing and assumptions are dangerous. For me, this all comes back to listening. An authentic leader listens well, so they can gather the facts and know what matters most to their teams today, rather than assuming what they knew yesterday is still the case.

Compassion takes time
The authors’ key insight here is that leaders shouldn’t give up time for one part of their role, like supporting their team, for another important element, like setting performance expectations. Today’s leaders need to find time for both, in some cases by trusting their team’s knowledge and expertise. My thought: authentic leaders know they can’t do it all and welcome the help of others — business is a team sport!

Increase transparency
This one should feel natural for an authentic leader. By being more transparent in everything they do, leaders can normalize conversations about the support people need. By making that the norm, they can foster an environment where everyone feels empowered to raise issues that may hinder the team’s performance so these issues can be addressed and resolved.

Co-create solutions
When it comes to addressing the kinds of issues that are slowing a team down, leaders shouldn’t be rushing in to fix the issue themselves, because they can’t understand it as well as the associates on the team. Any solutions a leader creates in isolation run the risk of being ill-informed or, at best, tone deaf. By inviting others into the problem-solving process, the problem is addressed more efficiently and the solution will be more relevant to everyone.

Of course, challenges like these aren’t going away. In the new normal that includes remote work and continuous change, leaders must be prepared to adapt. When leaders choose to be their authentic selves, it opens-up a variety of choices for them. The good news is that one of those choices doesn’t have to be whether to be compassionate toward their teams or to ask them for high performance.

By being authentic, leaders can be supportive and, at the same time, set clear expectations about performance. They don’t have to choose.

“In addition to remarkable sales performances, these associates are living out Nationwide’s mission in their communities,” said Mark Berven, President of Property & Casualty, “They help make Nationwide a trusted, caring and customer-focused protection company.”

Property Casualty:

Amanda Bianconi – Excess & Surplus/Specialty

• Amanda served as a member of the Advisory Board of the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation since 2018 and, after completing the Forum for Emerging Leaders program herself, she decided to give back to the program by serving as a coach to current participants.

Brent Dorman – Nationwide Agribusiness

• Brent volunteered with the Nationwide Ag Consulting Team, the Premier Customer Program and the Club 26 Committee and is active in many ag industry events across his territory to support the continued growth of members and the industry.

Gina Franklin – Small Commercial Sales and Distribution

• Gina volunteered over 100 hours of time in 2021 with several organizations and was the co-lead for the United Way campaign for California associates.

Valerie Lunasol – Nationwide Private Client

• Valerie was a mentor for associates, completed the Scottsdale Leadership Development Academy (LDA) program and served as a coach.

"We are proud of these associates’ outstanding contributions that have impacted our partners, members and communities,” said John Carter, President of Nationwide Financial. “These associates have gone above and beyond to provide extraordinary care in all that they do.” 

Nationwide Financial:

Doug Allen– Nationwide Retirement Solutions

• Doug organized a Christmas toy drive for firefighters' children in LaFourche Parish who lost their homes in Hurricane Ida.

Paula Cole – Nationwide Corporate Solutions, Pension Risk Transfer

• Paula has served as the AWARE associate resource group (ARG) vice president and was on the Board of Trustees for Thurber House. She also serves as the District Activist Leader for the National Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society for Columbus, Ohio.

Brian Harriff – Nationwide Annuity

• Brian volunteered and donated to Samaritan's Purse, a charity that aids the world's poor, sick and suffering with food, medicine and other assistance. Brian also volunteered at the food bank in Allen, Texas.

Karl Kuenning – Nationwide Life Insurance

• Karl is an active member of Be an Angel, a charitable organization benefiting children with multiple disabilities or profound deafness.

Barbie Walsh – Nationwide Retirement Solutions

• Barbie supports Forge Evolution, a Colorado Springs organization that offers a restorative justice teen court program.

Alisha Zaayer – Nationwide Life Insurance

• Alisha has volunteered for several organizations, but focuses on autism-related charities such as NEXT, TACA, and Autism Speaks.

Learn more about Nationwide’s volunteerism and corporate giving efforts. The company also has a number of open roles across the enterprise.

For more information about the wide variety of career opportunities at Nationwide, visit the careers page today.

Kirt Walker, Chief Executive Officer
After a devastating tornado on June 28, 1979 ripped through my hometown in Iowa, I learned why insurance was so critical to help families get back on their feet. When the Allied claims people were the first at the scene, it stuck in my mind that I wanted to help people. If you love helping people, I can’t think of a better way to do that every single day of your life than to work in insurance.

Mark Berven, President and COO, Nationwide Property & Casualty 
I’ve worked in the insurance industry for almost my entire career, so I may be a little biased about this. But working in insurance has appeals beyond the typical job-related perks, like a competitive salary and good benefits. In the insurance industry, we’re given the opportunity to help people every day. Whether it’s responding with humanitarian relief in the aftermath of a hurricane, providing the resources to restore people’s lives to the way they were before something happened, or simply making sure someone has reliable transportation while their vehicle is being repaired after an accident, it’s our job to be there. And that feels pretty good.

Gary Douglas, President, Nationwide National Partners 
My younger self wasn’t considering a career in insurance, but I’m glad I had educators and mentors who recognized how my skills could fit into an industry with such a great diversity of opportunities and career paths. I’m thankful to those who helped me build my future and I’m committed to paying my debt forward by helping to build the future of others. No matter your career goals, you can find success and enrichment here. 

Tony Fenton, Vice President, Nationwide Commercial Lines Underwriting & Product Development & Delivery 
I feel incredibly honored to work in an industry and for a company that is here to protect others when it matters most. Commercial Lines insurance is a dynamic industry filled with innovation and technology that’s rooted in relationships – all the best aspects of a fulfilling career. 

Brad Liggett, President, Nationwide Agribusiness 
Growing up on our family farm, insurance was a foreign word to me, and I certainly never thought I would find myself in the insurance industry for 35 years. But I’ve truly been blessed with two of the most noble professions out there as agriculture helps clothe, feed, and fuel the world and insurance helps protect all those things. To current ag students I would say don’t be surprised when you hear the passion of ag professionals whose path led them unexpectedly — and sometimes on purpose — to the insurance industry. 

Beth Riczko, President, Nationwide Personal Lines 
Math nerd finds a way to make a difference! I stumbled into my insurance career after graduation, a degree in physics and math was a natural fit for actuarial science. What I didn’t know was how fantastic it is to be part of an industry that truly cares about people. I get to be part of something bigger than me, something to be proud of — an industry that helps people recover and rebuild after a loss. The stories we hear from our customers, the stories that make you cry when you realize how we make a difference, that’s what makes this industry special and a career in it so rewarding.

Jeff Rommel, Senior Vice President, Personal Lines Sales & Distribution 
I am so fortunate to have found my insurance career right after graduating from Iowa State University (Go Cyclones!). Over the decades, I’ve had an opportunity to work in multiple areas including Sales, Service, Claims and more. Each has taught me something new while reinforcing a very important lesson… people are at the heart of everything we do! Whether those people are our members, our distribution partners, our communities, or our employees, we exist to serve and protect their futures. 

I recently read a Harvard Business Review article called Celebrate to win by Whitney Johnson, CEO of Disruption Advisors, and it reminded me just how important celebrations can be. In the article, she talks about how celebrations—even small ones—can help a team or organization reflect on and build upon its successes and it reminded me how authentic leaders need to remember to use this sometimes-forgotten tactic to keep their team engaged.

Although it may sound cliché, as authentic leaders, we need to remember to pause and celebrate each win, especially now, in a time where we may not see each other face-to-face as often. In the article, Johnson says, “Celebration is an important opportunity to cement the lessons learned on the path to achievement,” and I couldn’t agree more. Here are a few other elements she shared that I think are relevant for people who want to embrace the idea of authentic leadership:

Celebrate early and small
Formation of a habit, Johnson says, is more than just 21 days of consistently doing something. We also need the dopamine release that happens in the brain when we celebrate to help reinforce the learning experience. She also shares the simple but powerful example of cancer patients ringing a bell after completing a course of treatment. It’s not an elaborate celebration—but is certainly significant.

Celebrate in the interim
There’s no reason to wait until the end of a project (or a quarter, or a year) for a celebration. Celebrate along the way! Johnson uses the example of birthdays—we don’t just celebrate our first birthday and our last, but every birthday in between. Don’t miss a chance to celebrate meaningful accomplishments with your team, even if they aren’t a true milestone.

Celebrate the day
Johnson sees every day is an opportunity to celebrate. She suggests taking a few moments at the beginning of the day to reflect and prepare for the things you want to achieve. Then remember to celebrate them once you do. This works at the individual level and in teams, with huddles or daily stand-ups.

Finally, Johnson reminds us that celebration is an event, not a destination. Like the journey of life, it’s not about making it to the end, but the celebrations, both big and small, that happen along the way.

In fact, we took some time recently to celebrate the success of associates on my team by creating our own P&C Choice Awards show to wrap up the year. It was a lighthearted, yet genuine way to reflect on our collective success and hand out some well-deserved recognition.

Authentic leaders use the not-so-secret ingredient of celebration to help their teams, learn, grow and win.

All things evolve over time. So, too, should our leadership.

A recent article by Jim Detert, a professor at the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia, talks about what courageous leaders do differently and many of his points resonated with me and my thoughts about authentic leadership.

Detert talks about how, many years ago, leadership used to be about things like strength, bravery and courage — and that made sense when our daily survival depended on it (like when we literally had to avoid being eaten by dinosaurs). Thankfully, as times have evolved, most working environments are no longer kill-or-be-killed situations, but there are times when we can still think about leadership in this outdated way.

Today’s courage, Detert says, is more about openness and humility and I would add that today’s authentic leaders are also more self-aware and eager to listen. Evolution, indeed. The article goes on to break down how the courageous leaders of today have adapted, and I think these are great examples for anyone who seeks to be an authentic leader, as well. They include:

Courageous leaders display openness and humility

• When they don’t know, leaders can build credibility simply by saying so
• Leaders who share the challenges they’re going through personally with their teams, rather than acting as if nothing is wrong, will win-over more followers and create a stronger team
• Leaders who apologize when they’re wrong aren’t showing weakness, they’re building trust

Courageous leaders put principles first

• Leadership isn’t a popularity contest and some decisions that need to be made won’t be popular
• By acting in alignment with her or his core principles, leaders are being consistent and reliable

Courageous leaders focus on making environments safer for others

• Today’s leaders don’t just watch out for their teams, they actively look for ways to help them lead
• Leaders need to surround themselves with people who help them learn, rather than those who may be flattering them

Since we’re no longer being chased by dinosaurs, today’s authentic leaders can actively choose to be vulnerable, if that means inspiring others to do the right thing, and that’s the kind of evolution we need.

Authentic leaders are resourceful. And they don’t always have to be people leaders in the truest sense. We are all leaders in certain ways, and there are times you may be asked to inspire a team or group you don’t formally lead. Be ready for that challenge and know that authentic leadership principles can help.

A recent article about how to influence without authority does a nice job of detailing the other sources you may be able to use if you don’t have formal organizational leadership on your side. Here are a few examples from the article that I appreciated:

Share your expertise

If you find yourself trying to motivate a group of people you don’t formally lead in the organization, use your unique skills and knowledge to convince others to follow your recommendations. People want to succeed, help them understand that following your lead is the best way to win.

Share your relationships

Authentic leaders build real relationships that allow them to build trust and understanding. This can help motivate others to follow your lead, regardless of whether you have a specific title.

Share your organizational understanding

If you just know how things work around here, take advantage of that. I would also add that if you have a unique understanding of the industry or the marketplace your business operates in, that can also help you gain authority, as well.

These ideas can also help those who come from outside an organization, whether it’s someone who’s joining a new employer or perhaps they’re a vendor or consultant offering their outside perspective. This is especially true of salespeople, who understand the value of relationships naturally, but may not always realize how valued their expertise and understanding can be.

The next time you’re called upon to lead a group that doesn’t officially report to you, be ready to show them you’re an authentic leader by sharing your unique sources of authority.

On my journey to become a more authentic leader, one of the things I’ve discovered is that listening is critical. Listening to my leaders, our associates as well as our customers and partners allows me to hear from a broad spectrum of people — and I almost always learn something new.

There’s no additional cost to be a good listener and I believe it’s a great investment of my time. And, if you don’t agree with someone’s point of view after listening to them, you’re under no obligation to follow it. But if you aren’t willing to listen, the opportunities to learn are few and far between.

Perhaps the most famous listening leader, Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group, attributes much of his well-documented success to listening. From his meager beginnings as a high school dropout who got his start with a mail-order record business, Branson has founded more than 200 businesses and is estimated to be worth nearly $4 billion. He consistently talks about the value of listening and is often quoted as saying, “Listen more than you talk. Nobody learned anything by hearing themselves speak.”

So listening is important. But that doesn’t mean it’s easy.

A study at the University of Minnesota found that two months after listening to a talk, the average listener will remember only about 25% of what was said. In fact, the study found that, after people learn something new, they tend to forget from one-half to one-third of it within as little as eight hours. If you think technology and social media were factors here, they were not. This study was completed in 1957.

Clearly, listening has been important for a long time. But there’s no question that retaining information has become more difficult recently as we ask our minds to do more things simultaneously.

So, what can we do?

Authentic leaders can listen for understanding and with a bias for action. By actively listening to understand — not just to respond — leaders can learn more than they ever could in isolation. Then, by taking decisive action quickly, leaders can put this new-found knowledge to work right away before it’s lost among the thousands of pieces of information our brains must take in each day.

Encourage your teams take advantage of active listening coupled with a bias for action and watch the speed and effectiveness of your organization take off.

Being honest and transparent with your team — especially when the news isn’t good — helps a leader build trust over the long term. In business, failure is often something people want to hide or explain away, when it’s actually the single best way to learn and grow.

There’s a quote attributed to businessman and investor Ziad K. Abdelnour that says, “Life is like photography. You need the negatives to develop.” And it’s true. We don’t learn as much from success as we do failure, and leaders need to embrace that. Letting their teams know when something isn’t working gives the team the opportunity to fix it.

It reminds me of a story about the culture at the Ford Motor Co. when CEO Alan Mulally took over in 2006 facing a $17 billion loss. As the story goes, the new leader implemented a color-coding system for weekly reports: green was good, new issues were yellow and problems without solutions were red. At the first meeting with his leaders, he was surprised when all the charts were green. The company was losing billions of dollars and there were no problems?

The next week, after challenging the team with the facts, one of Mulally’s leaders (who would later become his successor at Ford) showed a new problem with an assembly line for the Ford Focus that caused the leader to stop production. The issue appeared on his weekly report in yellow. Mulally’s reaction?

He applauded.

Within a few weeks, more color — green, yellow and red — began appearing on the weekly reports. "At that moment, we all knew that we were going to trust each other," Mulally said. "We were going to share everything about the plan, and we were going to help each other to turn the reds to yellows to greens."

Because he gave his leaders permission — even encouragement — to share their failures, Mulally created a culture where failure was simply an opportunity to get something right. And it worked. Ford was the only American auto maker that didn’t need government assistance in the wake of the great recession and, by the time he retired in 2014, Ford had returned to profitability.

This story is a great reminder of how authentic leaders can build trust with their teams by being transparent and consistently providing honest feedback. Of course, failure is never the goal. But, by creating an expectation that failure can be embraced as an opportunity for success, leaders can ensure their teams are focused and trust each other.

I recently read a story that reminded me how authentic leaders need to make sure the organization is going in the right direction, but they also need to give people the freedom to think differently about solutions.

The story comes from the book, Start with Why, how great leaders inspire everyone to take action, by Simon Sinek. In it, Sinek tells the story of some American auto manufacturing executives who took a trip to meet their Japanese counterparts.

On a Japanese assembly line tour, the American executives noticed that the Japanese car builders put the doors on their hinges, just like the American car builders do, but there was a step missing. The Americans had someone with a rubber mallet strike the doors at the end of the process to ensure a precise fit. When the American executives asked why the Japanese car builders didn’t require this step, the Japanese executives said it wasn’t necessary. Their response was illuminating:

“We make sure it fits when we design it.”

Sinek noted the story provides a great metaphor for how many organizations were being run at the time: if something doesn’t go as planned, a series of tactics were often created to resolve the issue, rather than giving the team the freedom to make a change earlier in the process. Many of these issues have since been resolved with Lean processes like root-cause problem solving which, of course, have their beginnings in Japanese manufacturing.

The story is a great reminder for leaders that problems don’t always require a separate solution and that we need to give our teams the freedom to find the best solution, no matter where it might be in the process. And employing this kind of mindset can have significant benefits.

Not only did the Japanese team not have to employ a mallet striker (or buy mallets, for that matter), their cars also had tighter-fitting doors, which meant a quieter ride and better durability. So, by allowing the team to address a potential problem at the outset, the Japanese leaders also made their product less expensive, longer lasting and of higher quality.

That’s what I would call a great return on investment.

There are times when the subtle difference between words doesn’t matter all that much. Whether you’re apologizing for being late or for being tardy, you’re essentially saying the same thing. But there are times when the words a leader chooses are more important. An authentic leader understands this difference and chooses their words carefully when it matters most.

I was recently inspired by an article from Michael Hyatt called, The Five Marks of Authentic Leadership, in which he describes five key elements he sees in an authentic leader. What I was able to take away was the small but important differences in some of the words he chose to describe authentic leadership. On the surface, these words may not appear much different, but the meanings they convey can be significant. Here are some of my thoughts:

Insight rather than vision
People often mention vision as a critical trait for a leader. And, while being able to see into the future is important, insight may be a more powerful idea, because it captures how a leader makes decisions in the moment. An authentic leader can’t always be future-focused; there are times when she or he needs to evaluate a situation, gather insights, and take decisive action now.

Impact rather than entertainment
The ultimate measure of a leader isn’t found in the leader themselves, Hyatt says, but in the impact the leader has on others. Leaders who are in it for their own reasons are merely entertainers. When I think about the authentic leaders I’ve been fortunate to work with, their actions weren’t for show, they were trying to accomplish something and that’s the kind of impact that creates real, loyal followers.

Integrated rather than separated
Individual leadership skills can be powerful by themselves, but they reach a new level of effectiveness when they are compounded. It’s no accident the word integrity is closely related to the word integrated. Authentic leaders understand that their skills and abilities are much more powerful when they are all working well together.

Authenticity is all about being true to yourself and others. Often, the words we use can help us be more authentic and, as a result, a more effective leader. The next time you find yourself searching for just the right word, take the time to choose carefully — those who follow you will appreciate the clarity it brings.

I’ve worked in the insurance industry for almost my entire career, so I may be a little biased about this. But working in insurance has appeals beyond the typical job-related perks, like a competitive salary and good benefits. In the insurance industry, we’re given the opportunity to help people every day.

Let me explain what I mean.

Sure, we have spreadsheets, emails and phone calls, just like any other industry. But the product we sell – protection – isn’t a tangible one that sits on a shelf or gets delivered by a truck. And that can make all the difference.

In some ways, it can be more challenging to explain what we do as an underwriter or claims adjuster or any one of thousands of jobs in our space. But, when one of our members or distribution partners need us, that’s when we really shine.

Whether it’s responding with humanitarian relief in the aftermath of a hurricane, providing the resources to restore people’s lives to the way they were before something happened, or simply making sure someone has reliable transportation while their vehicle is being repaired after an accident, it’s our job to be there. And that feels pretty good.

We also have the opportunity to help people in other ways, too. Many insurance companies offer ways for associates to give back to the communities and charities that are important to them, often on company time. We’re all passionate about something, whether it’s fighting homelessness, hunger relief or any other worthwhile cause, and companies in the insurance industry are always among the best at supporting our communities.

We help people. It’s in our DNA.

If you’re just starting out in your career or thinking about making a change, consider a career in insurance. In addition to a competitive salary and benefits package along with the professional challenges that can help you develop your career, the opportunity to protect people, businesses and futures is a reward few other industries can offer.

Before you can fully understand others, you need to understand yourself. Self-awareness is key to being an authentic leader, according to an article from the Harvard Business School called The truth about authentic leaders.

This article was interesting to me because it talks less about what it means to be authentic and more about how each leader can develop her or his own authenticity. It inspired me to think about my leadership style and I hope it will do the same for you. Here are some key takeaways for me:

Understanding brings confidence
As leaders develop a deeper understanding of their own beliefs, it helps them to be more confident and resilient in difficult situations. A better understanding of yourself can give you the confidence to lead when your team needs you most.

Don’t just react to feedback, seek it out
How a leader wants to be seen can be quite different from how others see them. Authentic leaders understand this by not waiting for feedback but seeking it out on a regular basis. Surround yourself with a diverse group of people who will give you honest feedback.

Understand your purpose
Rather than focusing solely on success metrics, leaders who focus on their purpose can more easily define the unique gifts they bring to the challenges they face, helping them align people around a common goal. Know where you want to go, and success will naturally follow.

Tailor your style to what’s needed
As leaders gain experience and develop greater self-awareness, they become naturally better at adapting their style without compromising their character. Authentic leaders understand that adapting your style to the situation doesn’t mean changing who you are.

For me, the bottom line is that authentic leaders don’t need to be rare. Every leader can find a more authentic version of themselves and they — and, more importantly, the teams they lead — will be better for it.

When I started my first job in the insurance industry, I had no idea the career and life it would lead to. And today, more than ever, recent graduates may be surprised by all that an insurance career offers, including the ability to serve others, ways to make an impact and challenging work.

According to recent a white paper from Vertafore, millennials (those born between 1981 and 1996) say they expect many things from their careers, including: work-life balance; a job that provides them with healthy compensation, funding travel and helping them enjoy different experiences; ways to contribute to their community; and growth and personal development.

It’s good to have high expectations and, as more young people are learning every day, the insurance industry can provide ways to reach many of their goals. Let’s break them down:

Give me work-life balance
Many employers say they are committed to work-life balance but, digging a bit deeper shows that some on-site amenities, like barbershops/salons, dry cleaning pick-up and delivery and banking facilities, tend to keep employees at work. Many employers in the insurance industry show their commitment to work-life balance by giving associates clear ways to balance work life and home life, including regular work hours that typically don’t extend into the personal parts of their lives and hybrid work environments.

Compensate me fairly
As some of the most stable employers around, companies in the insurance industry can provide competitive compensation that includes much more than salary. While dollars and cents are always important, so, too, are things like generous time-off policies and other benefits that are often subsidized by larger insurance employers, including health, dental and vision insurance. All of which help compensation go further.

Give me experiences, experiences and more experiences
Some of the same features mentioned above, fair compensation, affordable benefits and generous time-off, can also help millennials achieve another life goal—traveling and experiencing life. Whether it’s traveling around the world, making their own vintage of wine, or learning something new, millennials want to do things, not collect them. An insurance career can help fuel that desire.

Help me support my communities
Perhaps powered by technology like social media, younger people today are more aware of the communities they live in an those they support—and they want to contribute to both. Employers in the insurance industry can often provide ways for people to give back, whether through volunteering or using their creativity and resourcefulness, and that makes working in insurance more appealing.

Empower me to grow
Finally, growth and personal development are very important and a career in insurance can often give people the ability to control their own career path. Because of the wide variety of jobs in insurance, people can work for the same organization for decades and not do the same job for more than a few years. It’s one of the reasons employee tenure in insurance companies tends to be quite long.

When you look at the insurance industry with fresh eyes, it can be a great place to build a career.

Authentic leadership is, by its very nature, unique to the individual. And that’s what makes it so powerful. By earning the respect of their teams, authentic leaders can establish their own path as they develop the next generation of leaders.

A recent Fast Company article, Seven Habits of Highly Respected Leaders, inspired me to think more about the leaders I admire. There are many things new leaders can do to build respect, and many of those things can also help long-time leaders maintain it over time.

Leading by example
Great leaders set the tone for their teams, they aren’t watching from the sidelines. As the article says, a respected leader is often the hardest working person on the team. I couldn’t agree more. Roll up those sleeves and show, don’t tell.

Giving credit where it’s due
Great leaders aren’t in it for attention or fame. You can recognize an authentic leader by how they give the credit to others — they’re always looking for ways to share the limelight. Want to earn the respect of your team? Make sure the light shines brightly on them, not you.

Being more comfortable taking risks
Authentic leaders empower their teams to take risks without fear of retribution. They understand learning is a journey, not a destination, and they remind future leaders that, as they’re learning, they are also earning respect. Want to empower your team to take more risks? Make sure they know you understand failure is often one of the best ways to learn, even if the outcome isn’t ideal.

No two leaders are the same, and that’s one of the best reasons for being authentically you. One of the most important traits an authentic leader has is the respect of their teams, and that’s earned every day.

As with most things, Take Your Child to Work Day, which happens on April 22 this year, may be a little different. Originally started in 1992 as Take Our Daughters to Work Day, the event continues to grow and now offers boys and girls of all ages an opportunity to learn firsthand where their parents work and what they do.

Even if you only have the chance to take your child with you down the hall and into your home office this year, I would encourage you to take advantage of the many opportunities the unique times we’re living in can provide — not just today, but every day! Some ideas include:

Let your child do the teaching
In 2014, researchers at the University of California, Santa Barbara found that, when students teach the content of a lesson, they develop a deeper and longer-lasting understanding of the material. This research was highlighted in a 2019 article, Want students to remember what they learn? Have them teach it, which states that the original research found the difference to be significant: learning by teaching can potentially improve C students to a B+ or even an A-. If you let your child show you what she or he is learning about, you can let them take you to school!

Help your team know they can take a break
If you lead people, this event is also a great time to make sure the parents on your team know they can take time to be with their kids and be present in the moment. As leaders, we might assume our teams know this, but let’s not leave anything to chance.

Share your calling with the next generation
Those of us in the protection business have a particular opportunity here, as this event gives us a great chance to dispel the myths about our ‘traditional’ industry and help us build future generations of people committed to protecting others. From Babylonian, Indian and Chinese traders who would redistribute their commodities across multiple vessels to limit losses due to any single boat sinking, to colonial America, where Benjamin Franklin helped to popularize the practice of property insurance to protect against fire — insurance has a long and proud history as a bastion of society. Let’s be sure to pass along our proud heritage of risk management and protection to the next generation.

While I have a passion for promoting #insurancecareers, I hope you’re able to share your own passion with your children and that they’re able to share something with you, as well.

Enjoy #takeyourchildtoworkday!

There are times when we need to exercise leadership, even when we’re not in charge. Authentic leadership isn’t bestowed on someone, it happens when people can convince others to do something that’s in their collective best interest. While it may seem that leaders are frequently named or chosen, they are more often created when they do things that persuade others to follow them.

Put simply, the best leaders lead by example.

A recent article in Fast Company offers some tips to practice leadership when you’re not in charge. Reading it inspired me to think more about the role we all play as leaders or mentors of leaders—no matter our position in an organization.

Leaders have the courage to act
It takes courage to step up and say, “Let’s go this way.” It takes even more courage when the person speaking up doesn’t have traditional organizational authority. I’ve found it’s much easier to set a collective vision when you have a two-way dialogue than simply telling everyone where the team needs to go. Be inclusive rather than directive.

Leaders are values-driven
Natural leaders are completely in-tune with their personal values, not just their company’s values. Even if leadership doesn’t come naturally, living by your values is a great way to demonstrate to others that your desire to lead isn’t coming from a place of self-interest or ego. Stand out by standing for something.

Leaders tap into their sense of purpose
Some leaders are good at using their own purpose as inspiration to stay laser-focused on the mission and show others the way. Other leaders are good at spotting someone else’s purpose—even if they may not see it in themselves—and helping them tap into it to become more effective. Always do things on purpose.

So, what’s the bottom line? You don’t need to hold a certain job title or manage people directly to be a leader. People who aren’t in traditional leadership roles today can find ways to use persuasion and influence to get things done. As a result, they can position themselves for a more formal leadership role in the future, if that’s their goal.

While leaders can delegate tasks to get more done, leadership isn’t merely telling others what to do. The most effective leaders inspire people to bring their best selves to work every day.

Since the company made the announcement to transition to a fully independent model in 2018, new written premium driven by independent agents has increased 35%. Nationwide boasts more than 11,000 independent agents across the country that sell personal lines, commercial lines, agribusiness, excess and surplus and financial services solutions. Nationwide has worked with independent agents since 1929.

This transition comes at a critical time for independent agents. According to a recent Nationwide Agent Authority survey, independent agents say that their biggest challenges are driving new business to keep their agency strong for the future (69%) and maintaining their portfolio of clients due to the economic impact of COVID-19 (62%).

“Despite the challenges associated with the COVID-19 crisis, we’ve made tremendous progress in transforming our business to meet the needs of independent agents and set our former exclusive agents up for success within the independent agent model,” said Mark Berven, President & COO, Nationwide Property and Casualty.

Continuing a legacy of meeting the changing needs of agents and consumers

Nearly 100 years ago, Nationwide began building its Property and Casualty business offering auto insurance to Ohio farmers through exclusive and independent agents, an approach that remained a backbone of the company’s business strategy as it grew to a Fortune 100 powerhouse. As times changed, so did the needs of agents and consumers. Agents wanted more flexibility and choice to grow their business. Consumers began to value more options that they can get from an independent insurance agent.

To address the challenges independent agents are facing in today’s evolving business environment, Nationwide accelerated a variety of transformational investments in both its personal and commercial lines businesses enabling the speed, ease, price stability and competitiveness that independent agents demand.

“Nationwide brings the best of both worlds to the table. We have deep experience listening to our members and offer a broad portfolio that is unequaled by other carriers serving the independent agent market,” Berven said. “At the same time, we’ve been listening to independent agents to understand what they want and need to grow their business.”

“On the personal lines side, we’re redesigning and simplifying our digital operations, improving our pricing and underwriting sophistication, enabling agents with the tools they need and using data and analytics to enhance customer and agent interactions. Our commercial lines team is focused on streamlining the cost of acquisition, accelerating small market underwriting, expanding mid-market capabilities, optimizing servicing, enhancing claims effectiveness and completing our commercial lines technology transformation.”

Cutting-edge technology to help agents build their business

Technology investments have enhanced agent self-service capabilities, allowing customers to pay their bills, check their balances and get quotes, highlighted by tools like Nationwide Express and the Commercial Digital Storefront (with an agent-focused portal rolling out soon). To provide agents with new solutions to meet client demands for personalization, Nationwide expanded its suite of telematics, or usage-based insurance products, including SmartRide^® and SmartMiles^®, as well as commercial lines telematics solutions.

“This transition will provide our agents with more flexibility and choice to grow their business in the future,” Berven said. “They will have access to Nationwide’s breadth of products, while receiving more flexibility to diversify their revenue streams and have multiple options to meet the needs of their customers.”

“We celebrate the exclusive agents who helped us build our business in the past, and we’re excited they are joining us in the independent channel on our journey forward,” he added.

Distribution partners seeking multinational solutions will need to become appointed with N2G. N2G will quote, bind, underwrite and issue on behalf of Nationwide domestically and with GC&C on foreign exposures. N2G will leverage Nationwide’s strong U.S.-based brand recognition and distribution with Generali’s footprint as a global insurer with a large international network and marketing capabilities across the property and casualty spectrum. Utilizing the combined resources of both Nationwide and Generali, N2G will be well-positioned to address the needs of multinational organizations with U.S. operations as well as U.S. based clients with complex multinational insurance needs.

“We are proud to join forces with a strong partner like Generali, combining our trusted customer-focused protection with their existing multinational footprint,” said Mark Berven, President & COO of Nationwide Property and Causality. “This partnership between two insurance powerhouses will elevate the solutions we can offer to commercial members to help them protect their business across the globe with extraordinary care.”

“This partnership is part of our strategic plan 2021 to be a Life-Time Partner to our customers, offering them innovative and personalized solutions,” Marco Sesana, Country Manager Italy & CEO of Generali Italia and Global Business Lines Generali said. “Today we are proud to announce this joint venture that brings together Nationwide’s brand recognition and distribution with Generali Global Corporate & Commercial’s extensive global network and local knowledge in over 160 countries around the world. N2G will be fully equipped to offer a comprehensive and seamless multinational program to its customers” he added.

Bill Skapof will lead N2G as Chief Executive Officer. Skapof joined Generali in 2015 as Head of GC&C US, Executive Vice President and Chief Underwriting Officer. Skapof is a senior P&C underwriting sales executive with 30 plus years’ experience developing highly successful product, distribution and sales strategies in support of global commercial markets, having established successful multinational capabilities for the most prominent insurance players in the segment.

Backed by Nationwide, rated A+ by both A.M. Best and Standard & Poor’s – and Generali, rated A by A.M. Best and A by Fitch, N2G will be an organization brokers and agents can trust. N2G will be based in New Jersey and focus solely on serving the needs of multinational commercial insurance clients, opening for business in second quarter 2020.

Learn more at www.N2G.com.

N2G will exclusively promote, distribute and administer insurance solutions for multi-national exposures on behalf of both organizations. Business to N2G will be sourced through independent agents, brokers and wholesalers. N2G will leverage Nationwide’s strong U.S. based brand recognition and distribution with Generali’s footprint as a leading global insurer with a large international network and marketing capabilities across the property and casualty spectrum. Utilizing the combined resources of both Nationwide and Generali, N2G will be well positioned to address the needs of multinational organizations with U.S. operations as well as U.S. based clients with complex multinational insurance needs. Nationwide will assume U.S. risk exposures and Generali (directly or through its partners) will assume non-U.S. exposures.

“We are proud to join forces with a strong partner like Generali, combining our trusted customer-focused protection with their existing multinational footprint,” said Mark Berven, President & COO, Nationwide Property and Casualty. “This partnership between two insurance powerhouses will elevate the solutions we can offer to commercial members to help them protect their business across the globe with extraordinary care.”

“This partnership is part of our strategic plan 2021 to be a Life-Time Partner to our customers, offering them innovative and personalized solutions,” Marco Sesana, Country Manager Italy & CEO of Generali Italia and Global Business Lines Generali said. “Today we are proud to announce this joint venture that brings together Nationwide’s brand recognition and distribution with Generali Global Corporate & Commercial’s extensive global network and local knowledge in over 160 countries around the world. N2G will be fully equipped to offer a comprehensive and seamless multinational program to its customers” he added.

Bill Skapof will lead N2G as Chief Executive Officer. Skapof joined Generali in 2015 as Head of GC&C US, Executive Vice President and Chief Underwriting Officer. Skapof is a senior P&C underwriting sales executive with 30 plus years’ experience developing highly successful product, distribution and sales strategies in support of global commercial markets, having established successful multinational capabilities for the most prominent insurance players in the segment.

Backed by Nationwide, rated A+ by both A.M. Best and Standard & Poor’s – and Generali, rated A by A.M. Best and A by Fitch, N2G will be an organization brokers and agents can trust. N2G will be based in New Jersey and focus solely on serving the needs of multinational commercial insurance clients, opening for business in second quarter 2020.

Learn more at: www.N2G.com

About Generali

Generali is one of the largest global insurance and asset management providers headquartered in Italy. It is present in 50 countries in the world, with a total premium income of more than € 66 billion in 2018, serving 61 million clients. Generali Country Italy and Global Business Lines is the largest unit within the Group, leader in the Italian retail insurance market and is amongst the major insurance players worldwide focusing on corporate business. Via its two units, Generali Global Corporate & Commercial and Generali Employee Benefits it caters the needs of medium and large businesses by providing flexible, custom tailored insurance solutions in P&C (property, casualty, engineering, marine, aviation, cyber and specialty risk) and Life, health protection, and pension plans to local and expat employees of multinational companies in more than 160 countries around the world. For more information, visit www.generaliglobalcorporate.com.