Beyond the Tweet

Thoughts on leadership, innovation and more

Recent Posts

Categories

March 27, 2020 — 0

Planned vs. forced innovation

This week, several cities and states issued shelter-in-place or safer-at-home mandates to help slow the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In many cases, these decisions also make it clear we’ve got a long road ahead of us. This doesn’t seem like it’s going to be over anytime soon. It’s going to stretch our collective abilities to think of new ways to be there for each other.

Make no mistake. These are unsettling times. We can’t plan for everything. Now, more than ever, an innovative culture and mindset will help us navigate things with fewer interruptions and more courage.

You may wonder, “When will things be back to normal?” My answer? Never!

At American Family Insurance, we’ve quickly transitioned to remote work, but when the virus curves start moving in the right direction, we’ll need a plan for how we resume.  

  • What will this new normal look like?
  • How much remote work is good, and in what areas and for what types of people?
  • What does span of control look like?
  • What are the skills needed by our leaders in that new environment?
No alt text provided for this image

I believe organizations must think about these ideas NOW, because when state and federal actions are lifted, it won’t be about just everyone heading back to their offices.

Be ready to move quickly and understand what our new environment looks like. Innovation will be important but so will working together to solve problems. Don’t sit back and rely on old processes or someone to tell you what to do.

This is changing how we lead, too. It will affect how we lead ourselves and how we lead others. We need to be intentional about connections, development and goals. 

A crisis can – and often does – generate rapid adaptation, change and innovation. It’s what I consider forced innovation. Right now, many of us are learning on the fly because of all that’s happened since this pandemic shook our planet. We’re forced to adapt, change and learn – rapidly.

External threats do that, and they’re sometimes necessary. But they’re best when also paired with planned innovation. I’m grateful we have this mindset at American Family. It is in our culture – our DNA – now. It’s one of our values!

Our recent history includes plenty of examples of planned innovation. Things like data science, AmFam Ventures, StartingBlock Madison, the Spark or our Milwaukee initiative are products of our company’s planned innovation.

We also rolled out a Changing Nature of Work initiative, and learning programs to help us develop transformational skills. These set us apart inside and outside our industry. They make us more competitive. They help us grow. They attract stronger talent. And, they manifest more innovation.

Imagine what it’s like at companies not wired this way? Where a growth mindset and culture is lacking? Or where technology is outdated? We’re seeing an awakening. Many organizations are now being forced to get up to speed quickly – from a variety of factors, but especially remote work.

American Family has been intentional about planned innovation. I’m challenging our people to take the short-term innovation forced on us by COVID-19 and make it systemic and long term. This innovation can help us grow, create better processes, adapt how we staff areas and so much more.

I’m convinced all organizations can be stronger and more resilient when this crisis ends. Some of that comes from who you were before. Some will come from what you learn – and adapt to – after we emerge from this.

March 3, 2020 — 0

A transforming enterprise

My first policyholder meeting as CEO was March 2012. It doesn’t seem that long ago. Yet, it’s incredible how far American Family Insurance has come since.

We were just one company then. Today, we’re a transformed enterprise.

This all started around 2007, when the insurance industry was in the middle of its own disruption. My predecessor, Dave Anderson, and many other leaders at the time started American Family’s transformation. It continued when I became CEO.

But, it was a bumpy start. Industry disruption continued, and AmFam’s investments in the future stagnated our results. To truly transform, we needed to revamp our strategy, culture, leadership and technology.

So we did. We have. We studied and assessed trends that affect business in the future.

We researched those trends and turned them into strategic beliefs. They’re core to where we believe the world is headed. Then we turned those beliefs into opportunity and applied action through our strategy.

This led to multiple acquisitions. Some small, some in excess of $1 billion. We launched start-ups as innovation dramatically ramped up across our company. We invested heavily in data, technology and products.

Today, American Family Insurance is a leader in homeowners and small commercial insurance products. Our brand stands out because of the investments we made in it.

Our investments in people, culture, service capabilities and our communities may not be as visible. But these are all critical aspects of our transformation. We will need them in the next decade, too.

For our organization, it’s created paradoxes and contradictions. It’s required us to get comfortable being uncomfortable. This likely will continue to be part of our growth. It’s part of meeting customers where they need us, while improving the overall value of our work.

Released today, our annual report demonstrates this transformation. No, we’re not a sleepy, Midwestern insurance company. We’re a national and international enterprise of companies.

We offer multiple distribution channels because customers demand them. And they’re getting them: A stronger exclusive agency owner channel. A vibrant independent agent channel. Direct auto options. And, partnership direct offerings.

We stand out in the industry … best in class across all those channels.  

Policyholder meetings are good for reflection. They show where we’ve been, where we’re headed and why. And, while society and customers will continue to change, American Family will use its strategy as a guide.

As retiring Chief Business Development Officer Peter Gunder recently told Innovators on Tap, we’re not going back. We’ve come so far, and we will rise even more during the next decade.

I truly believe that.

January 30, 2020 — 0

Embracing paradoxes and contradictions

The start of a new year and new decade is an exciting time. For leaders, it’s a chance to look ahead and consider about what’s possible. It also a challenging time.

For starters, technology is replacing jobs due to the growth of artificial intelligence, robotic process automation and machine learning. Companies are becoming more efficient, which means some of your people are losing their jobs, or parts of them. At the same time, companies are making major investments in infrastructure, technology and their people – to remain competitive in a tight job market.

Leaders can expect employees to ask, ‘Why do we have to cut any jobs?’ Others will ask, ‘Why aren’t we doing more to reduce expenses?’

Do you see some leadership challenges here?

We’re in a moment – as leaders – where we must do things simultaneously that would appear – on the surface – as going against each other. This process may confuse and anger your people. It could generate unfavorable news coverage.

These are what I consider times of contradictions and paradoxes, and they require strong leadership.

Leaders at my company are embracing this challenge. We’re seeking expense reductions to improve our cost competitiveness, but we’re also aggressively … investing.

We’re gaining efficiencies that have and will affect staffing, yet we’re doubling-down on initiatives we believe will help us grow and innovate. We’re investing in pay improvements and employee development, while simultaneously eliminating or changing work and roles, based on what’s important to customers.

These may seem at odds with each other. I would argue this is the reality of business today. As leaders, embracing paradoxes and contradictions is vital for how you remain relevant in your industry, and with your customers.

Paradoxes and contradictions are part of an ongoing transformation of my organization. We’re meeting customers where they need us, while improving the overall value of our work. We’re attracting and retaining world-class talent for transformative work, too. So that means we’re deliberately investing in them.

As leaders, understand that you can’t necessarily control or even minimize these opposing forces in your organization. Embrace them. This is where humility and vulnerability are crucial assets. It’s OK to welcome the unknown with open arms. There’s value in experimentation – and failure. This is also a time to over-communicate your vision and get buy-in for your culture.

Embracing paradoxes and contradictions can help you take on a rapidly changing and complex business world. And it’s a vital skill for any leader today.

September 10, 2019 — 0

The ‘how’​ is just as important as the ‘what’​

Historically, corporate strategic plans focus on goals, initiatives, measures and financials. This is the “what” of most strategies: What you’re doing and what you’re measuring.

At American Family, we recently added emphasis to the “how” of our strategy. This is our mission, vision, values and culture. It’s how we deliver products and services to customers. But it’s also how we work with each other, how we show up in our communities and how we impact society.

As CEO, I believe the how is just as important as the what.

At the core is our talent … our people.

Research shows a diverse and balanced workforce, along with an inclusive company culture (how we work together), yields strong business results. 

And whether you are a racially and ethnically diverse male or female, are part of the LGBTQA community, a white male or female, have different abilities, are a veteran, are early or tenured in your career … there are opportunities for you at American Family.

If companies aren’t focused on the how, they won’t survive in today’s economy. Customers expect this. Employees demand it.

American Family has and will continue to focus on the how.

This starts with programs like matching gifts and scholarship dollars through the American Family Insurance Dreams Foundation or raising millions for charity through the American Family Insurance Championship. Or how our people volunteer locally. 

How we show up also requires bold action. So we support venture funding and investment in socially responsible startups through the American Family Insurance Institute for Corporate and Social Impact.

The issues our communities face are bigger, more complicated and tragic than ever. Turn on the TV and every day there is a new shooting … more violence, bias, racism and bigotry taking lives.

We can’t expect government to solve these problems. This isn’t about right or left, it’s about moving forward. It requires bold leadership, and we are ready to lead.

At American Family, we stand for diversity, inclusion, social justice, and improving communities. It’s our moral fiber – from front line to senior leadership to Board of Directors – and it’s something we’re only going to continue building.

This is a stake in the ground I’ll gladly stand by. I hope other leaders will too.

March 5, 2019 — 0

This is who we are

Later today, I’ll share 2018 American Family Insurance results during our annual member meeting. Thanks to investments we’ve made and leaders who supported it, American Family is positioned to be more than just a great exclusive-agency insurance company with a 19-state footprint. That’s who we were.

Today, we’re more. We’re a …

  • Direct-to-consumer insurance company.
  • Technology company.
  • Data company.
  • Partner company.

Thanks to last year’s largest-ever merger of property and casualty companies, we’re now an enterprise with independent agency owners. And, we’re looking at additional growth options right now that will help us continue our evolution from what we were, to what we are – a national brand. 

American Family’s evolution is apparent every day – not just when we report annual results. We must continue to evolve by expanding our consumer brand and people brand strategies. This mean creating strong partnerships and community investments across the country. It means reaching new customers and tomorrow’s workforce. 

Here’s how AmFam shows up … last year, today and in the future.

  • Our foundation supports charitable organizations nationwide. 
  • Our logo is on the jersey of the winning Major League Soccer Cup team – Atlanta United.
  • Our first-ever brand ambassador, Steve Stricker, is the 2020 Ryder Cup captain.
  • We host a PGA TOUR Champions golf tournament that’s raised $4.7 million for charity.
  • We have strong partnerships with several NFL teams.

This is who we are. 

In the last few years, American Family also made $1 billion in technology investments, with some pretty remarkable results. We’re investing in employees and facilities in all of our operating states. We’re committed to supporting agency-owners. We’re building that national brand with better customer service and world-class claims experiences. 

We’ll continue the challenging work of improving how our enterprise works together. That means developing new skills in our current workforce while also being adaptive, agile and open to new ideas. It also means we will need to attract new talent.

We need both. But we also need bold moves. 

You’re seeing that in Milwaukee, where we’ve secured naming rights to a Major League Baseball stadium, and planned a downtown technology hub. Both strengthen American Family’s national brand.

Our presence there is more, though. It syncs with American Family’s ongoing diversity and inclusion efforts, and racial and ethnic hiring designed to drive inclusive excellence. It fits with being an innovative and agile company. It supports a hub-and-spoke approach to hiring that taps into places outside the reach of our National Headquarters – or even our home state of Wisconsin.

Milwaukee is an example of what it means to have access to different perspectives and backgrounds. This approach goes hand-in-hand with an entrepreneurial spirit and – equally importantly – business results. That’s a big part of #AmFaMKE!

This is who we are becoming.  

Annual results are important. But I want American Family to be about more than just generating positive financial returns. We must a good employer, and a terrific place for agency-owners to build businesses. Our work should excite consumers and attract the best people. Along the way, we should help solve social, environmental and community problems where we live and work.

In 2018, American Family wrote the latest chapter in its history. Our story continues in 2019.

This is who we are … and we’re not done.

February 19, 2019 — 0

A Culture of Innovation That Will Reinvent an Industry

Insurance – like many industries – has dramatically changed. I’ve talked about this disruption for some time now. Customers have different needs. Emerging technologies, a heavier reliance on data, automation … they all factor in.

Shifting workforce needs are also important. They reshape our company’s narrative … how we talk about what we do.

During the past few years, we’ve anticipated a world needing more data, better analytical capabilities and greater product personalization. We’ve seen customers relying on us more for customized protection, as they work toward better lives for their families.

But needs constantly change, and insurance companies must be ready to shift with them.

It’s why American Family has invested so much in our infrastructure, culture, and people. We acquired new companies – Homesite, The General, Networked Insights and Main Street America. We continue to evolve our talent and leadership teams. We’ve expanded into in new areas of the country. And, we’re serving customers differently – with best-in-class online and agent-led experiences.

No one else is doing insurance quite like American Family.

As CEO, I believe we are prepared to tackle new risks and seize new opportunities presented by this disruption in our industry. It’s from this point of strength that American Family plans to expand our team. We want to hire more of the best technical minds to help us solve challenges making our industry inefficient.

We want to develop, recruit and retain innovators who will build groundbreaking products in a culture rooted in strong values, and community and social impact. This requires highly skilled specialists in data science, software engineering, dev-ops, and the application of artificial intelligence and machine learning. It’s valuable expertise for our enterprise and for our customers – so we can each take smarter risks.

While I see these as bold moves, they are still closely aligned to American Family’s long-held goals: attracting and engaging the right talent and strengthening our inclusive culture.

At American Family, we want people to have the autonomy to create. We need professionals to build a new industry using data that’s uniquely ours. (PS – we’re hiring!)

Yes, we absolutely still inspire, protect and restore dreams. But in the digital era, that means putting the best talent into a culture of innovation to reinvent an industry that makes everyone’s lives better.

December 13, 2018 — 0

Amplify Gratitude

“How do you amplify gratitude?” I asked this question recently on Twitterand LinkedIn because I believe in the power of gratitude.

It’s an essential element of organizations move forward. Gratitude is built into what we do every day, and how we connect with customers, our communities where we live and work, and with each other. We would not be here without them. All of them. Gratitude plays a role in each of these vital relationships.

Customers trust us to deliver on our promises. At American Family, we’ve done that – again – this year. From responding to a busy storm season, to introducing new technology, to changing how our enterprise looks – we are building a better future for them. We continue to adapt in ways to meet their expectations. We should appreciate that trust. I know I do.

Our people are evolving to meet the changing needs of those customers, and adjusting to rapid technology advancements. This is our new normal. But it is an evolution, not a revolution. I appreciate their desire to learn and adapt. Leaders at all levels should take time to thank their teams – often.

Our communities need us, too, and we need them. I think about the impact for 250 nonprofit organizations receiving $1,000 grants from the American Family Insurance Dreams Foundation – nominated by our customers. Look at the faces of kids like Bodhi O’Rourke, who received world-class care at American Family Children’s Hospital. Understand how United Way programs improve the lives of so many across our operating territory. I love seeing the impact American Family makes – thanks to our employees and agents – in cities and towns, near and far.

Whether it’s personal or collective, being grateful means you understand success didn’t magically happen. It’s supported by others, and we should celebrate those sources of good. Leaders: See your teams through this gratitude lens! Leaders can appreciate the effort of their teams with the wisdom and maturity that goes with gratitude. And, we can back it up with humility … another important leadership trait.

We need gratitude, too. Improved health, better sleep, higher self-esteem … these are all proven scientific benefits of gratitude. Yes, there’s science, but there’s also common sense to this. Focusing on the good stuff makes you feel better than worrying about the bad stuff.

Gratitude is a selfless act. It doesn’t take a lot of work. When we show people they’re appreciated, it spreads.

Let’s all amplify gratitude!

October 11, 2018 — 0

United as a Catalyst for Change

One of my favorite parts of American Family’s culture statement comes at the end, when the focus turns to our communities.

We are a catalyst for change. So people will say: “This is a better community because American Family is part of it.”

As American Family’s United Way campaigns draw to a close, I wasthinking again about all the ways we’re doing what’s right for our communities. United Way is a huge part of this!

To me, our involvement is the key.

In my time as CEO, I’m proud our employees, agents and company invested more than $11 million in our communities through United Way – including more than $2 million in 2017 alone.

Serving as the 2014 United Way of Dane County campaign chair was one of the best professional experiences I’ve had. It was amazing, but hard work. I saw firsthand how United Way – and the people and organizations who support it – can be a catalyst for change.

Keep in mind, this was when the Wisconsin Council on Children and Families released the “Race to Equity” report. It hit me like a punch in the gut, with data clearly showing disparities in employment, education, juvenile arrest rates, and adult incarceration levels. Unfortunately, these disparities are common across our country. But, in our hometown, the results were among the worst in the nation.

The report also became a catalyst for work that my wife, Sarah, and I – and American Family – have supported since: United Way’s HIRE program.
HIRE benefits adults who haven’t graduated and are seeking steady employment. It links local businesses to diverse talent, and provides training for job seekers to ensure families are more stable.

Since 2013, more than 2,200 people have found gainful employment through HIRE. And last year alone, nearly 400 people found jobs through HIRE, about 130 of which pay $15 an hour or more.

We need to keep being that catalyst – finding new and better ways to help families coordinate childcare, transportation, job training, and affordable housing. We must make sure we are supporting the whole family.

I’m convinced if we want to be a leading company long into the future, we must find more ways to positively impact the communities where we live, work, and serve. Being a growing and profitable business is really important. But we need to be more. That’s why we:

  • Are a leading United Way supporter.
  • Have a foundation providing matching dollars.
  • Host a PGA TOUR Champions golf tournament three years running.
  • Make a Summerfest investment in Milwaukee that includes a big community component.
  • Built Spark.
  • Launched the new American Family Institute for Corporate and Social Impact.

There are many ways to give back to our communities. Supporting United Way is at the top of the list for American Family agents, employees and our company as a whole. Thanks to all our people – and those in our communities – who make United Way a priority in your giving and volunteering.

October 4, 2018 — 0

Courageous Innovation

American Family Insurance has been part of this community for more than 90 years, and part of my life for almost as long as I can remember. We started as Farmers Mutual in 1927, in the Tenney Building on Madison’s capitol square. Now, we’re a Fortune 400 company.

Through our history, we’ve grown and adapted to meet the changing needs of our customers. We’ve expanded from auto insurance only to multiple insurance products, as well as expanding our geography and our agency force.

While many in our community know us through local agents, our distinct advertising messages, or perhaps the charitable work we support, American Family has made significant changes throughout our history.

More recently, we recognized the need to adapt again, adding companies that support our innovation – including The General, Homesite, Networked Insights, HomeGauge and most recently our planned merger with The Main Street America Group. Our revenue has steadily risen, and we are as financially strong as ever.

We’re investing in projects like connected home technology, which benefits our customers and industry. We support entrepreneurs, through American Family Ventures and now with Spark – an eight-story building at 821 East Washington Avenue – just down the hill from where it all began for American Family 91 years ago this week.

This is all part of intentional efforts we’ve made, which enhance the growth and sustainability of our business – but also support the communities where we live, work and serve.

Come visit Spark! Appropriately named, it will be a catalyst for innovation and inspiration in our region. But Spark also represents American Family’s values at work, as we help this community look ahead and make bold moves of its own.

You’ll see this inside the new DreamBank, a free, interactive space to help community members find their passions, and resources to pursue them. It’s also evident in Spark’s other tenants: StartingBlock Madison, with dedicated space for entrepreneurs, and help from established start-ups and business leaders in the Madison area; and an American Family agent office.

Spark is also home to the American Family Insurance Institute for Corporate and Social Impact, a new venture that will support leaders, coaching them in entrepreneurial thinking, processes and partnerships that address social issues facing our communities, schools and governments.

Together, we’ll tackle issues facing K-12 education, community sustainability and resilience, and economic opportunity for all. These are not new issues, but through collaboration, entrepreneurial thinking and courage, the Institute for Corporate and Social Impact will seek innovative solutions, and measure their impact.

American Family is an established company with the energy and dreams of a start-up. At our core, our mission remains: inspiring, protecting, and restoring the dreams of our customers. But we know to succeed today, we must do even more.

Our planned merger with Main Street America, Spark, and our work through the Institute all demonstrate the courageous innovation happening at American Family.

It’s a journey filled with big changes, bold moves, and exciting work ahead. American Family will help lead this, but we want to partner with our community, and with our customers, employees and agents – and dream fearlessly together.

Newer Posts
Older Posts