Excellence in Leadership

NAMIC’s CEO Roundtables held in Phoenix, Ariz. last March, was a true gathering of leaders – each one the leader of a successful mutual insurance company, a leader as an effective member of NAMIC, and a leader as a committed participant in the mutual insurance industry.

Property/Casualty Insurance asked a select number of individuals to share their personal definitions of leadership. Their responses were solid proof of their own commitments to excellence and the importance of being a true leader.

NAMIC Leaders on Leadership

David Lehman
President
Mennonite Mutual Insurance Company
Orrville, Ohio

“During last year’s convention in Washington, one evening after dinner, a group of us asked a limo driver to take us around and tour Washington at night, to see the Capitol, the White House and the monuments. We stopped at the Lincoln Memorial, and I was standing on the top step, looking toward the Capitol. Off to my far right, I could see a bit of the Jefferson Memorial, to my immediate right was the Korean War Memorial and to my left was the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. In front of me, beyond the Reflecting Pool, was the World War II Memorial, then the Washington Monument and the Capitol. As I looked at this spectacular sight on a beautiful evening in our nation’s capitol, with all the lights shining and the memorials, I kept thinking to myself, ‘What is the one attribute that weaves its way through all of the people represented by these memorials?’

“Earlier in the day, my wife and I had been to the Holocaust Museum. I thought about the people who were involved in the Holocaust, and some of the leaders who emerged from among the captured prisoners of that time. And the thing that kept returning to me was the ability of people to show their leadership skills when they have to make the really tough decisions – their willingness to stand up when it’s their turn in the barrel, so to speak. Then they must implement the decisions and take action on things that must be done at the time when they are the person in charge of the situation.

When I think of leadership, I think of that ability and the willingness – the intestinal fortitude – that it takes to really be aware of the realities of the situation you’re in, make those tough decisions that must be made and be willing to implement and take action to put those decisions into place.”

Sandra Parrillo
President and CEO
Providence Mutual Fire Insruance Company
Providence, R.I.

“Excellent leaders are certainly knowledgeable, but also are very passionate about what they do. They need to have enthusiasm for whatever that may be. I believe there are some leadership qualities leading to excellence, that can be developed and can be learned, but many of them are innate. There are leaders who have been in their careers for many years. Then, I’ve seen children be leaders among their peers. They can counsel them and help them. So those types of qualities are certainly ones that aren’t developed through school, but rather come from within.

“I think a leader needs to be very compassionate. One of the things I hope people do is show a degree of respect for people within their organization, for friends and for their peers. That’s how leaders are developed. You can’t mandate the fact that you’re a leader. You need a follower; you need people who want to follow you. You must have integrity and trust. Many of these qualities are there and some can be learned, but some leadership qualities are just innate.”

Sharon Woodward
President
Baltimore Equitable Insurance and 1794 Insurance Services
Baltimore, Maryland

“Excellence in leadership involves a person who can see the trends in business and society and put those together, knowing where your company is now, where it has been in the past, what you are, what your company is and where you think it’s gong. Put those all together in a format that can be changed, innovated or modernized quickly and responsively. And I think that’s good leadership.

But what makes it excellent is to transmit that vision you have gathered from all of that information, and transmit the vision to your clients, to your board, to your staff, and to regulators that this is where we’re going. Once you communicate it, then you have to get them all on board. Excellent leadership, I think, is where you have all those things together and you are able, then, to draw everyone in to see and act upon the vision you have for your company and for the company’s future.”

Chris Brown
President
Upland Mutual Insurance, Inc.
Junction City, Kan.

“Excellent leaders have vision and compassion. They approach the leadership process with a servant attitude and compassion for those who will be affected by the outcome of their vision for their company and co-workers. Excellent leaders listen as well as talk, with sincerity and compassion. They approach the planning process in the same way, working with their associates to create a joint vision of success.”

Keith Rollings
Manager
Nixa Farmers Mutual Insurance Company
Nixa, Mo.

“Excellent leaders have a vision for the future. They pursue it objectively, rationally, keeping all things in perspective. Good leaders don’t just ‘do’ – they surround themselves with good people who can support the vision they have for the organization and the individuals involved. Leaders involve others in the process, utilizing talents and ideas effectively. They have good communication skills to explain and create ownership of their vision to everyone involved in achieving it.”

Jerry Zenke
Manager
Mount Prairie Mutual Insurance Company
Houston, Minn.

“Excellent leaders don’t get that way by accident. They are hard workers. They do a lot of research and study to fulfill their vision. They are always looking ahead, trying to see the next thing coming down the road. Great leaders sometimes have to make difficult decisions. When they realize that a modification needs to be made, they do the research, they put together information, and they disseminate it so that informed decisions can be made by their associates. Stepping down is often the hardest thing for leaders to do. To successfully prepare for that time, they bring others in and give them a chance to learn and prepare for taking over when it is their turn. That time comes for all of us. The really great leaders prepare and leave before they lose their enthusiasm for the cause.”

Stuart Henderson
President & CEO
Western National Mutual Insurance Company
Minneapolis, Minn.

“I think the real test of a leader is being someone others are willing to follow. People want to follow someone who can make decisions, has self confidence and ambition, tempered by integrity and values. Great leaders are role models for others. Their confidence, willingness to take risks and make decisions make them people others want to follow.”

Posted: Monday, October 17, 2005 12:00:00 AM. Modified: Monday, October 17, 2005 2:53:04 PM.

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We are 1,400 property/casualty insurance companies serving more than 135 million auto, home and business policyholders, with more than $196 billion in premiums accounting for 50 percent of the automobile/homeowners market and 31 percent of the business insurance market. We are the largest and most diverse property/casualty trade association in the country, with regional and local mutual insurance companies on main streets across America joining many of the country’s largest national insurers who also call NAMIC their home. More than 200,000 people are employed by NAMIC members.