Description: Overview of a recent visit to silicon valley and how the learnings from this trip can be applied in an insurance setting.

Description: Learning excellence is of value to both candidates and credentialed actuaries learning new areas. Learning mastery and excellence requires 1) use of executive function (EF), multiple brain areas, for example, verbal, formal (algebraic), computational, and geometric (rule of four), and 2) goal-setting, skillful breaking down of complex tasks into subtasks each of which are simultaneously 2a) clear and specific, 2b) achievable in a short time and 2c) challenging. 10 examples are presented illustrating use of the "rule of four" to achieve elegant solutions to otherwise complex problems as well as goal setting using fellowship-exam approaches, approaches to multi-component problems, and skillful use of databases as visual organizers. The material reflects a new approach to learning complexity that is easier to use than the pedagogic hierarchies and unifies them.

Description: Discusses the direction for actuarial research in the areas of experience studies, theory, and practice.

Description: Innovation has become a fashionable concept, but what does it really mean? Are the concepts of innovation and invention synonyms? Is innovation a good thing? If so, why so many oppose it? If we want to become innovators, what considerations should be kept in mind? Are there examples of innovative thought in the actuarial field? If so, can you think of some of them? If you want answers to these questions please read Jay Jaffe’s article, Becoming a More Effective Innovator. Innovation is a big idea in the business education, so much so that many MBA programs are including courses on the subject, so much so that, as we know, our Section is called Entrepreneurial & Innovation.

Description: This was a review of a June 4, 2013 SOA webinar. Jerry Enoch was the moderator. Presenters were Mark Birdsall, Mike Boerner, and Perry Kupferman, regulatory actuaries with Kansas, Texas, and California. The intent was to improve communications between small company actuaries and regulators by clarifying expectations and addressing some issues. ORSA and AG38 were mentioned but the focus was on current Appointed Actuary filings and future PBR requirements.

Description: A business leader and researcher describe the importance of effective leaders revealing their failures as well as successes.

Description: Humor in the workplace can improve productivity. This article describes a typical office relationship problem and how humor helped disparate teams work together.

Description: Resources to help actuaries be leaders in their workplace or profession

Description: Transitioning from college life to actuarial practice can be intimidating for students. Even after almost four years of studying actuarial science, many still wonder “what does an actuary do all day?” Our capstone course, Actuarial Applications in Practice, is designed to bridge the gap by exposing students to projects similar to what they might encounter in their first years in the industry, including how to present their results in both written and oral presentation formats. The course also incorporates Ethics and Professionalism topics to give them the tools they need to make sure the job is done right.

Description: Emails are to the business world what cars are to a road trip: we can't get anywhere without them. This article offers 6 specific strategies to write emails more effectively. The theme is that re-reading your emails to check for a clear goal, conciseness, appropriate tone, etc. is a worthwhile time investment as it saves your reader time and prevents problems caused by miscommunication.