Description: In surveying over 10,000 people, I have found that 75% say a major problem with meetings is that the same 2-3 people dominate every meeting – sometimes regardless of the topic. A common result is that the meeting leaders believe the team has reached consensus when in fact people have just become resigned to the fact that their ideas won’t get heard unless they create a fuss. So they keep quiet. Later on, leaders are surprised when the team does not implement what was “agreed to” in the meeting. Or, they are surprised when they have to change the decision based on “new” information – information that someone in the meeting had but was not able to bring up. In meetings dominated by a few, people don’t buy in. They give in to the dominant voices. This article will give practical ways to overcome domination by a few.

Description: Adapted from portion of book titled "Awake at Work" by Michael Carroll, applying Buddhist philosophy to the reality that all employment arrangements and careers, even those of actuaries, must come to an end.

Description: As an independent actuarial recruiter for the past 15 years, I've observed how some actuarial careers reflect steep trajectories, whereas others plateau or stagnate. The single biggest factor I’ve observed to determine this trajectory is an actuary’s ability to communicate in a way where he or she is perceived not merely as a technical resource, but as a strategic business partner whose insight, knowledge and opinion carry influence with decision-makers. We'll walk through Three Keys to help you create this transformation so that decision-makers no longer perceive you as a technical resource, but will see you as a strategic business partner.

Description: Suggestions for building a plan to develop your leadership during the year

Description: Executive coach Marcel Schwantes returns for Part 4 of a six-part series, discussing one of the most counterintuitive best practices of servant leaders—allowing others to share leadership. Here, he describes the four basics for creating leader-leader rather than leader-follower cultures.

Description: How great servant leaders develop their people.

Description: 3 reasons being why BEING a mentor is an even more important step toward building the leadership credibility and career you want than having a mentor.

Description: This article is a submission to a Leadership Inspiration contest.

Description: This articles showcases the principles of effective servant leadership.

Description: Men and women have different leadership skills. But working alongside men, women can effectively leverage their leadership strengths to bolster their careers.