Description: Continuation of series applying Buddhist principles to actuarial work setting. This issue discusses the challenges to actuaries posed by the coronavirus pandemic and how mindfulness practice can expand an actuary's perspective and enhance effectiveness

Description: This article is intended to provide young actuarial professionals and job seekers with tips on succeeding in remote interviews.

Description: We are living in a time of significant changes which are taking a toll on some employees. To assist our team members through these tumultuous times, being a supportive manager is key. We discuss using emotional intelligence to help employees have a positive work experience.

Description: After research involving auto insurance is retracted due to fraud, I revisit my own book review and unskeptical quoting of that now-debunked research. A lesson in ASOP 23, on Data Quality, ensues, as it seems data in the research was falsified. There is also a lesson in ASOP 56, Modeling, which includes aspects of relying on outside experts for model input. At the end of it all, the value of our actuarial professional standards, in light of other professions seemingly having no standards (or no serious repercussions for breaching said standards), shines through. Also, be skeptical of 'one simple trick' approaches to transform the insurance industry.

Description: A review of Mihir Desai's book The Wisdom of Finance, and why actuaries specifically should read this book.

Description: A real life situation is posed involving a management, leadership, or other business decision, and readers are invited to submit their responses to "What Would You Do?" This issue’s case study involved an informal job performance appraisal gone wrong.

Description: Darcy Eikenberg explains that while making career decisions is often difficult for people, it can be done more easily when paying attention to your emotions (rather than a 'pro/con' list).

Description: This article describes how the International Association of Black Actuaries is tackling diversity and inclusion in the actuarial profession.

Description: This article is about the need for actuaries and technical professionals to develop critical leadership and other soft skills, and highlights the ways the SOA Leadership & Development section provides tools to develop those skills.

Description: May 2020 issue of The Stepping Stone by Leadership & Development Section. practical information for actuaries, trends that impact section, section activities