Description: A regularly occurring column in this Leadership and Development Section publication, it is a platform for the Section Chairperson to communicate with the readership regarding upcoming important topics that this Section will focus on in the current year. This article provides an overview of the new plan of focus for the newly-elected Leadership and Development Section Council for 2023.

Description: In his final chair corner, Kevin Leavey encourages fellow section members to get involved.

Description: This article highlights the importance of communicating concisely and effectively through email and other written forums, and when/when not to use written vs. other forms of communication.

Description: in the November 2015 edition of The Stepping Stone, executive coach Marcel Schwantes outlined how great leaders display authenticity—one of the foundations of effective servant leadership. Here Schwantes returns for part two of a six-part series that delves into the best practices of how a servant leader values people.

Description: This article focuses on actuaries’ self-perceptions regarding their strengths and weaknesses and the implications of these perceptions on their effectiveness as leaders.

Description: This article is about how times are changing and we must adapt and keep up as individuals, professionals, and companies

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

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: Providing ways to master the art of soft skills and embracing agility to propel actuarial success in today's market.

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.