Description: The article presents specific operational guidelines when managers and staff are having difficult conversations. The article reviews half a dozen "popular" guidelines but shows that they are not specific. The article then in two layers presents specific operational guidelines. First the article based on a commonality of principles of email etiquette and Jewish Speech Laws reviews five guidelines for ordinary conversations: focus on events vs. people, focus on fixes vs. blames, being holistic (acknowledge any good done), be operational (indicate outcome and how to accomplish it), and use of tentative tone. The article concludes by adding three specific guidelines for difficult conversations: shared-self-evaluation, skillful use of breaks when emotions flair, and use of open-ended lead-on questions coupled with continuous empathy and offers of collaborative support.

Description: This article covers the importance of letting teams lead you as a leader, that it's okay to admit you're not okay even at work, and that it's important to find informal ways for virtual teams to connect.

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 a very new actuarial manager trying to deal with a disruptive employee.

Description: A article summarizing the SOA 2024 Regional Symposium in Riyadh

Description: The Society of Actuaries Research Institute, in collaboration with Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated, a leading global life and health reinsurer, announced findings from new research on behavioral science for the life insurance sector. This research simulated online term life insurance purchasing to test behavioral science techniques.

Description: Email blast process and email preference setting description.

Description: In an effort to cultivate a more diverse profession and membership for their organizations, The Society of Actuaries (SOA) and the Casualty Actuarial Society (CAS), through their Joint Committee for Inclusion, Equity and Diversity Charter (JCIED) have made a commitment to significantly increase their funding and support of the International Association of Black Actuaries (IABA) for the next three years (2019-2021).

Description: The SOA announced the top winning entries of the 2020 student research case study competition.

Description: A compilation of reader responses is presented to a real life situation involving a business decision. This issue’s case study involved a recently promoted chief actuary receiving pressure to make a downward reserve adjustment at year end.

Description: This article provides a high-level description of how the One Big Beautiful Bill passed enacted on July 4, 2025 specifically affects life insurers. Primarily in this article, ACLI reflects on its 18-year collaboration with the Society of Actuaries through the Taxing Times publication, highlighting key tax legislation impacts and ongoing advocacy for the life insurance industry. This final column acknowledges past achievements and emphasizes continued commitment to industry representation amid evolving challenges.