Description: "In this video titled The Power of Perseverance by Dave Dilon discusses the importance of resilience in both personal and professional life. Dave shares his experiences, including overcoming setbacks while working on health insurance regulations in Louisiana and teaching at Georgia State University. He emphasizes the value of a growth mindset, focusing on solutions, and being open to new challenges and learning opportunities. Contributors: Dave Dillon, FSA, MAAA, FCA,; Scott Allen, FSA, MAAA; Sam Behrend, FSA, MAAA; Jon Forster ASA, MAAA. "

Description: The article describes principles for optimal sub-tasking of a project goal. Two experiments each one comparing different approaches are presented. A summary of principles for optimal goal setting presents seven key points: i)levels of outcome goals should be recognizable and lack ambiguity; ii) each subtask should be atomic, i.e. not be capable of being broken up into further subtasks, iii) the subtasks should be uniform, lacking ambiguity, so that any new trainee could master it without the need for further guidance; iv) each subtask should be attainable in a reasonable amount of time; v) mentor feedback should be provided during the initial stages of learning or training; vi) upon mastery of each subtask trainees should be encouraged to maximize their overall score; vii) after mastery of individual subtasks, while attempting to maximize scores, trainees should be provided with a mixture of easy, intermediate, and difficult tasks.

Description: It is well established that empowerment of staff is a critical leadership trait. But what are the metrics to recognize that you have achieved it? What steps enable this achievement? Which psychological attributes explain its efficacy?This article proposes to answer these questions through a multi-disciplinary examination of empowerment in the context of three leadership domains.

Description: Latest installment of a series applying lessons from Buddhist philosophy to the working world of actuaries. This installment focuses on practicing the yogic principle of "ahimsa" or non-harming with ourselves, and the importance of respecting and caring for oneself in order to better serve the needs of others.

Description: This is the first installment of a two-part series that aims to provide valuable insights on how a new (re)insurance company can become an attractive destination for actuaries (Part I) and then how to retain them (Part II), thereby facilitating the company’s long-term growth.

Description: This article addresses dealing with distractions, avoiding habits like multi-tasking, and providing guidance on how to reach a state of "flow" to concentrate on deep work.

Description: James Glickman delivers his general session speech at the SOA 2019 SOA Annual Meeting & Exhibit in Toronto.

Description: In this session Chris Lombardi FSA, MAAA, CERA discusses insights form the book “The Coaching Habit” by Michael Bungay Stanier, focusing on effective techniques for facilitating conversations during manager meetings. The goal is to encourage genuine curiosity and active listening, allowing the other person to steer the conversation’s direction. Key questions, such as “What’s on your mind?” and “And what else?” are highlighted to promote meaningful dialogue, discover underlying issues, and help individuals improve personally and professionally through self-awareness and proactive decision-making. Contributors Chris Lombardi FSA, MAAA, CERA, Anthony Champi, FSA MAA, Jing Lang, FSA, FCIA, FLMI, MAA, Jon Forster ASA, MAAA

Description: In this video Anthony Champi, FSA MAAA takes you through the journey from an Individual contributor to a leader of people. Anthony is a Director of Actuarial at Prudential Financial. He has over 15 years experience in actuarial work and is a member of the Society of Actuaries Professional Development Curriculum and Content Creation Council. He emphasizes the importance of developing leadership skills in the actuarial field, regardless of one’s position on the organizational chart. He highlights key differences between individual contributors and leaders of people, including the shift in accountability from personal deliverables to team deliverables and the need to continuous learning and setting expectations as a leader.

Description: This video is presented by Chris Lombardi FSA, MAAA, CERA who is an Associate Director at Willis Towers Watson. Chris has been an actuarial consultant for over a decade serving a variety of clients. Chris has a passion for managing and mentoring and outside of work is a wrestling coach. In this video Chris passionately discusses his approach to people development within a professional context, drawing parallels between coaching individuals and training high-level athletes. He emphasizes the importance of clarity, action, belief in oneself, and building trust are objectives in his coaching philosophy. Contributors Chris Lombardi, FSA, MAAA CERA, Anthony Champi FSA, MAAA, Jing Lang, FSA, FCIA, FLMI, MAAA, Jon Forster ASA, MAAA