Description: What does it take for an actuary to be a good people manager? We propose an answer in three words: willingness, love and rigor. A good people manager is dedicated to invest in team members’ success, sincerely cares for them, and subject them to high standards that speed up their growth.

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: Read how to combine people management and mentorship to create positive and open environments and improve employee engagement and productivity.

Description: Investing in and taking care of employees can result in many-faceted positive results, for your team and for your firm. We first state the case for "taking care of employees," then exhibit several practical methods for showing you care for your employees.

Description: In this interview, Caroline Grégoire, formerly from Hannover Re, and now international mentor, coach, trainer and speaker, shares her views on how mentoring can support you on your career path and how it also benefits the reinsurance industry as a whole.

Description: The Taxing Times Editorial Board acknowledges the invaluable contributions of our colleague, Art Schneider, who passed away in August. Throughout his career as a tax accountant, Art generously shared his time and talents to help actuaries and other tax professionals increase their understanding of insurance industry tax topics. We will miss him.

Description: Article about how Toastmasters can benefit actuaries in several competencies areas.

Description: The October/November 2013 edition of The Actuary magazine—the Society of Actuaries’ flagship publication.

Description: Chairman’s letter encouraging all actuaries to explore and consider using social media such as texting, LinkedIn, and Facebook.

Description: The widening gap in life span between high- and low-income Americans may be eroding the progressivity of Social Security retirement benefits. Differential longevity trends have had the effect of raising lifetime benefits for high earners but not for low earners. Social Security’s long-term financial problems result in part from an increase in average life expectancy driven by wealthier people living longer, and, thereby, collecting more benefits. Policymakers should not use funding shortfalls attributable to these trends as an excuse to cut monthly benefits alike for those who have gained (high earners) and for those who haven’t (low earners).