Description: A compilation of reader responses is presented to a real life situation posed involving a management, leadership, or other business decision. This issue’s case study involved whether a 'promotion' was truly such, and what should be the actuary's next step.

Description: Principle #4: People make buying decisions based on emotion and justify these decisions with logic. To be influential, we need to take into account both logic and emotion. Of the two, emotion is a much more powerful motivating force. Unfortunately, too many people ignore the emotional component and focus solely on logic - neglecting what compels people to buy.

Description: Chairperson's Corner recaps the transformation L&D experienced the last few years. Do Nothing is a tribute toleaders and provides background/leader's traits.

Description: Tips on Making an Effective Presentation by Philip J. Lehpamer from The Stepping Stone Newsletter, September 2001, Issue No. 7.

Description: In Search of Relevance by Dave Duncan from The Stepping Stone Newsletter, July 2004, Issue No. 15.

Description: Negotiation has been a critical skill for me for most of my career. I’ve worked as a product actuary, represented a major distributor and now I’m a reinsurance intermediary. Technical actuarial skills were never my strength. However, I’m often able to get parties with differing goals to find a common ground, enabling a project to be completed to everyone’s satisfaction. From The Stepping Stone, April 2005, Issue No. 18.

Description: This article discusses the determination of the proper level of centralization of functions in a company. The author makes the case that more is not always better.

Description: Persuasion is as much about heart as facts and figures. Find out what you can do to develop your powers of persuasion.

Description: Article presents the basic terminology and theory of attribution theory, the theory explaining the causes that people attribute their successes and failures to. The article reviews i) typical attributions(e.g. effort, luck), ii) dimensions of attribution (controllability, stability), iii) useful and non-useful attributions, and iv) attribution retraining and v) other aspects of the theory (such as accompanying emotions)

Description: The latest in a series of articles connecting the principles of Zen Buddhism to the working world of actuaries. This issue focuses on techniques for cultivating a gratitude mindset under all types of conditions - even stressful ones, in order to maintain equilibrium and harmony for a more productive workday.