Interested in Learning Leadership Skills? NJM Has a Program for That!

When Alison joined NJM in 2008, she was performing an entry–level role taking claim reports. She earned a promotion to Property Damage Adjuster in 2009. Today, she is a Supervisor in the Claims Business Process Unit, a group that helps to improve customer satisfaction and efficiency within the department.

She attributes her career progression to her supervisors’ belief in her to take on new challenges. “I wouldn’t have gotten where I am without the guidance from leaders that I’ve had,” Alison says. “Throughout my career so far, I’ve felt encouraged in my growth and privileged to have NJM and its leaders supporting me.”

In addition to the training that new employees receive during onboarding, the General Claims Department has a scheduled promotion structure. Employees can qualify for the next title in their role by completing specific courses through NJM’s in–house and external training partners. Anyone can enroll in these courses, at their own pace, with their supervisor’s approval.

By obtaining the Associate in Insurance (AINS) and Associate in Claims (AIC) designations, Alison progressed from an associate to a senior role in just a few years. Then, she started assisting the Business Process Unit with training and testing, which gave her the skills to eventually move to that group.

Employees are encouraged to speak to their supervisors about their career goals. But Alison never thought she’d be interested in leadership. “I’m not really someone who has an outline for specific things I want to achieve in my career,” she says. “Instead, I asked questions, like, ‘What opportunities are there? How can I help? Sure, I’ll learn that.’ Being open to change, new information, and new tasks led me to taking on an unofficial leader role.”

That attitude led Alison’s supervisor to recommend her for the Leadership Discovery Program in 2021. She joined a cohort of 20 employees from different areas of the company.

The program has five objectives:

To assess your own and others’ communication styles
To build effective relationships for productive outcomes
To apply tools for effective communication within all levels of the organization
To develop a network of alliances and widen your circle of influence
To understand and apply problem solving principles

During five sessions, participants develop self–awareness, explore communication and relationship–building, learn change management and adaptability techniques, and develop a results oriented approach. They form groups to analyze a real workplace scenario, applying the tools and techniques discussed in each class. Finally, they present their newly acquired knowledge in front of senior leaders.

“The skills I learned in Leadership Discovery help me to understand myself and other people,” Alison says. “Everyone has different ways of thinking and communicating about things. By acknowledging those differences, you can adjust your behavior and meet people where they are. I use these skills every day in my job to maintain positive working relationships with my team.”

Within a year after completing the Leadership Discovery Program, Alison became a supervisor. She has continued growing professionally by taking classes designed to build effective leaders.

Since the Leadership Discovery Program was introduced in 2021, approximately 25% of participants have taken on supervisory roles, 30% have received promotions, and 90% are still with the company.

“We have a continuous learning culture here at NJM,” says Jamie, a Senior Talent Development Specialist. “Everyone at NJM is and has the potential to be a leader, and this program helps a lot of our employees to absorb that identity for themselves.”

Interested employees should discuss their career goals with their supervisor in their one–on–one meetings. If you aspire to a leadership role, your supervisor could recommend you for enrollment in the program.

Are you considering a career move? Join us!

NJM Talent Acquisition Team
NJM Insurance Group
Careers@njm.com

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