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September 20, 2018 — 0

Relearning how to learn

When I was in college – a few years ago – my main objective was to learn a discipline in four years. Back then, colleges and universities hoped that by teaching all this content, something else would rub off.
As students, we were supposed to figure out how to think critically, adapt, question things, become curious. A college degree was a way to learn how to learn.

That’s still the case today. As I talked to the parent of a college senior recently, I saw how very little has changed. This student was a biochemistry major, and the college was pushing medical school. There wasn’t consideration for how jobs and careers will change in the next decade and beyond.

Higher education hopes that in teaching a discipline or major – somewhere along the way – students learn how to learn.
But think about that in context of your career. Would you ever get four years to become proficient in a single discipline?

Of course not. And why not? Because the world is changing more quickly than that. It’s too long.

Way too long!

I believe today it’s actually more important we figure out how to adjust, be agile, and learn on the fly than ever before – to relearn how to learn.
I believe it’s more important to figure out how we learn to critically think. How we learn to challenge each other … to be courageous. That goes both ways, too. We don’t take offense to the questions, but when we ask, we do so in a respectful way.

One tool that seems lost in learning is the ability and willingness to question. The average four-year-old asks more than 300 questions a day. The average college grad asks just 20 questions a day.

How many questions do you ask? How can you – in a rapidly changing world – use the power of asking questions to learn? How can you ensure a culture of curiosity in your organizations, by learning how to ask more questions?

We need to become more inquisitive. More curious. I’m not saying that specific domain knowledge isn’t important. It is! It’s just not everything, like it used to be.

What you know right now is less relevant than what you can learn.
Regardless of any of your past achievements, your future depends on your ability to keep learning. It’s a reality today’s organizations have to embrace.

It’s vitally important to take control of learning at work – improving ourselves, having hungry minds.

Our future depends on our ability to keep learning.
 

August 21, 2018 — 0

My Pledge to You: Every Voice Matters

I’ve talked a lot about the transformation my company – American Family Insurance – has made.

We’ve adapted to changing customer needs with a solid strategy, structure, and mission, vision and values. We’ve expanded our reach through acquisition and mergers. We’ve brought in new leaders and fresh voices.

And, we’ve grown … in many ways.

Underneath it all, we’re changing the culture at American Family. This is what organizations need to compete in the 21st century. It’s also what those organizations (including American Family) deserve – an environment and set of principles and behaviors that reflect the transformation of our customers, company and communities.

I’ve talked about this many times, for years. But it’s more important than ever to welcome everyone when we work together – their ideas, backgrounds, and unique experiences.

An organization’s leaders and its employees must create a place where how we work is as important as the results of that work.

Every voice matters.

At AmFam, whether we’re protecting customers, working with each other, or living in our communities, when we feel included, we do our best.

This isn’t just talk. Our company has made significant strides to walk this walk. And now we’re making more strides – outside the walls of American Family.

On Tuesday, Aug. 21, I signed the CEO Action Pledge for Diversity and Inclusion on behalf of American Family Insurance. This is the largest CEO-driven business commitment to advance diversity and inclusion in the workplace today.

I am so proud to join more than 450 other CEOs and company presidents who support more inclusive workplaces.

Across our country, persistent inequities still exist. So does what seems like a growing lack of inclusive behavior. I see it every day.

Signing the pledge means we’re committing to drive meaningful conversation and action inside our organization and with other companies that signed the pledge. We’re committing to creating a safe space for complex, and sometimes difficult, conversations about diversity and inclusion

We’re already starting this work at American Family. We created the Diversity and Inclusion team. And we’re making progress by:

  • Creating an Executive Diversity Council committed to drive a culture of inclusion through our corporate values.
  • Providing diversity and inclusion learning opportunities for leaders and employees, including unconscious bias training and inclusive leadership workshops with industry experts.
  • Developing an online manager toolkit with resources and suggestions to incorporate topics in team activities.
  • Conducting empathy interviews to inform our work in building mentoring programs.
  • Building a social media platform with educational resources and conversation starters around these topics.
  • Strengthening connections to our business resource groups to enhance their impact on cultural competency.
  • Using company leadership events to build awareness around the business case to further diversity and inclusion.

Our Executive Diversity Council – which I proudly serve on – recently completed formal inclusion education and a nine-week “Black History for a New Day” course. This experience helped all 18 members better understand African-American history, uncover biases and create allies.

It’s just a start. Cultural change starts at the top. I’m committed to this work, but I want us all to be leaders … to have voices … to set examples for others in the communities where we live and work.

We have much to contribute as an organization, but much to learn as well. Our participation in the CEO Action Pledge only enhances the work we’re doing to create the culture we deserve.

June 20, 2018 — 0

Investing in Our Communities is Inspiring and Powerful

As CEO of American Family Insurance, I want us to be a great insurer – the most trusted and valued customer-driven insurance company.

But, as I’ve said before, we need to be more than that.
We also need to be a great place for agents and for employees. We need a strong and vibrant brand. We need to take a stand on issues that are important in our country. And we need to be a difference maker in our communities.
Each of these on its own is important. When we bring several of these elements together, the power of what we can produce is amazing!
That’s how I view the American Family Insurance Championship. This is a terrific event. But more importantly, through this event and other ways, we’re inspiring people and making a powerful difference. We’re using the event to successfully invest in our brand, provide meaningful recognition for high-producing agents, and deliver one of the can’t-miss events of the summer in Wisconsin.
At its core, the AmFam Championship is about community. And this story really sums up the impact. Last year, the executive director of a small nonprofit organization told me how overwhelmed she was at the impact of the AmFam Championship. It was important to her work, which has been supported by a $10,000 grant made possible by proceeds from our annual PGA TOUR Champions event.
Our exchange was emotional and inspiring, to say the least. I knew our event was much more than golf, but that sealed it for me.

As a reminder, proceeds from the tournament are donated to the Steve Stricker American Family Insurance Foundation for distribution to American Family Children’s Hospital and other charities.

In our first year, we raised nearly $1.1 million for charity – one of the highest totals ever for a first-year PGA TOUR Champions event, and another $1.6 million in year two. Our event also brings around $20 million to the local Madison economy, according to Tour officials. By the way, the event also generates millions for us in earned media and extensive regional and even national exposure through the web and social media.
It’s a pretty inspiring week for our company, our community and our people.
How we support our communities is inspiring, too. It’s more than just philanthropy. It’s the role our agents play in their communities – serving as trusted advisors for families, farmers, and small businesses … and giving back.
It’s also how we respond to catastrophes. Restoring customer lives makes a difference in the places where they live – and the way we do is part of our culture at American Family. Rebuilding homes and businesses has a ripple effect vital to people we serve – but also to their neighbors. We may not think of restoring dreams in this way, but it is our most important community service.

American Family’s sponsorship of Summerfest in Milwaukee is another inspiring example. Just last week, I saw first-hand how our investment is contributing to improved infrastructure AND creating a new music appreciation program targeted to under-privileged audiences.

When we do these things, it’s important to know we’re not just putting money into advertising or programs. We’re making an economic and philanthropic impact and investment in the communities where we live and work – and where our customers live and work.
In so many ways, our brand, our mission, and our work directly intersect with contributing to stronger communities. What an amazing privilege to deliver these type of benefits to our friends, families, and neighbors!
I’m proud of this work – big and small. But it’s important to note it is intentional and connected. It fits perfectly with our corporate responsibility strategy, which focuses on improving our communities, environment and people.
We want people to say, “This is a better community because American Family is part of it.”

March 27, 2018 — 0

The CEO Podcast: A Conversation with John Legend

John Legend is talented – and busy. The Academy, Grammy and Tony Award winner has a baby on the way. He’s been on a multi-city tour of Asia. And, he’ll star in a live television adaptation of “Jesus Christ Superstar” this Sunday on NBC.
As an American Family Dream Champion, John helps our brand deliver important support and inspiration – like during the One Saturday event in Minneapolis recently. He also helps us stand apart from our competition – because of his work as an artist, entrepreneur and social leader.
John was in Madison recently to perform for patients at the American Family Children’s Hospital, and at the hospital’s gala. John was a big reason the event raised a record-breaking $800,000. (I saw a lot of AmFam folks there, by the way. Thanks to many from our company who chipped in nearly $700,000, making the grand total $1.5 million!)
Before the gala, though, I sat down with John to talk about his career, but also to learn more about his work with Free America, an effort he’s leading to change the national conversation about America’s criminal justice system.
Listen to our full conversation here.

February 21, 2018 — 0

This is too important to just ‘check the box’

I was struck recently after reading an article in my local newspaper. Lawmakers had passed a resolution requiring mandatory sexual harassment-prevention training for themselves and their employees.

What really stood out was the training would only need to be completed every two years. This strikes me as a check-the-box approach. You know what I mean – no meaningful impact accomplished, but one can say the work is complete.

Don’t get me wrong. I understand the reasoning. But, while this kind of training is important for any organization, it’s simply not enough.

The kind of change needed to tackle this issue head-on – one facing our states, colleges/universities and businesses – needs to be cultural. This kind of shift is not accomplished with once-every-other-year “training.”

Yes, training is important. So are compliance measures. We’re very good at these things as a society. But when it comes to abuse of power, which is at the foundation of sexual harassment and harassment of any kind, we need to do more.

We need a cultural change – a significant shift in behavior, attitude and leadership. Only that kind of shift will root out the problem – deal with it at its very core. It starts at the top, but can’t happen without everyone being involved.

Unfortunately, Fortune 500 CEOs aren’t having this kind of public dialogue. I think that’s wrong. This issue is far too important to not aggressively address.

We need to create work environments where everyone can bring his or her best to work … where we value our differences … where we know diversity is part of our formula for winning … where leaders empower and build trust, not abuse power or erode trust.

This is why at American Family Insurance, we’ve accelerated our focus on diversity and inclusion in the past 18 months. We are not checking the box. It’s too important for that. We’re digging deeper – together – to make sure how we treat each other is just as important as what we deliver.

Ultimately … our crucial conversations, our work on this … will be worth it. Together we accomplish so much more. And together, we’ll create an inclusive culture for others to model.

December 21, 2017 — 0

The difference between failing and being a failure

I’m an optimist.

I talk, write and tweet a lot about the great things happening at our company. Letting gratitude, optimism and belief guide my way really and truly is my approach to life.

But, as a leader, at times I also need to have crucial conversations about things that aren’t so great. I don’t only share good news. I also talk about troubling issues. All leaders – and their organizations – simply cannot gloss over failures. Instead, shine a light on them. Learn from them. Use them to become better.

Sunshine is a great disinfectant!

For all of us, failing gives us an opportunity to learn – not complain, not call out missteps, and not point fingers. It can be uncomfortable, but if we do it right, we can get better by taking the Band-Aid off to show things that don’t work and aren’t good.

This, to me, is the fundamental difference between failing and failure.

Failure is what we want to avoid – when what we do, or how we do it, ends poorly, because of bad processes, lack of courage or an untrusting culture.

Failing is not the same. We can fail but still be successful.

To avoid failure, we must learn what customers truly want – by talking to and empathizing with them. We must test our assumptions through experimentation. Then build in flexibility for pivoting or changing direction when things aren’t going well based on customer input or evidence.

Along this journey, we also must assume positive intent. Those closest to the customer are usually best equipped to solve problems. Inclusive and diverse-thinking teams are crucial to getting there, especially those that move with speed and urgency. And our actions – as individuals and teams – affect others we work with.

To avoid failure, we learn from failing.

What can you do? Be transparent with the work you’re doing. Assume positive intent from others. If you’re a leader, listen and analyze feedback you receive! Your first reaction could be, “Tell me more about what’s not working,” instead of taking it personally. Everyone can ensure feedback gets to the right folks. Be heard, but also be open to dialogue from others.

Next time, be seen as a better leader or stronger employee by admitting failure when it happens, and then working together finding ways to improve things. Make it right the next time.

Failing doesn’t have to mean failure. If we work together to quickly pivot and solve what’s wrong – together – we can accomplish so much more.

December 1, 2017 — 1

Walking the Gemba Walk

I took a walk recently through our Personal Lines Operations, Claims and Claims Legal teams at our East Regional Building. They’re working to improve processes, and using Lean techniques to identify and eliminate waste, improve speed for customers and reduce costs.

This wasn’t just any walk. It was a Gemba walk – a specific term used to describe personal observation of work – where the work is happening. (The Japanese term Gemba means the “real place,” and is used to represent where value is created closest to our customers, and where we can go to understand the truth about our business).

It was my first Gemba walk, but not my first walk through our areas – where the work is being done. There’s a difference between the two, and it’s a good reminder of what we’re trying to accomplish at American Family as we stay agile and work together to put the customer first in all we do.

My “humble inquiry” with these teams was just that – a chance to observe from a place of mutual respect and interest in making things faster, safer, easier – better – for everyone. It was not about sharing my opinions or inserting my solutions into these teams.

In fact, Gemba walks are not the same as Management by Wandering Around. Those are more random, lack the clear purpose of Gemba walks, and often lead to distrust. They’re also not nearly as structured or effective, in my opinion.

Gemba walks are about engaging with, and developing, people. They take leaders and decision-makers – at all levels – away from desks and meeting rooms and into the places where the work is being done. Grasping the current situation and witnessing how the work is done, enables leaders to coach employees to be more effective problems solvers and to make better, more informed decisions.

This fits with creating the culture we deserve at American Family. This supports the beliefs and behaviors that show how we work with each other, make business decisions, and take care of customers. It’s also one of the lean tools that help us identify and get rid of waste, speed up how we serve customers, and lower costs.

A Gemba walk is just one more way leaders can support effective, high-performing employees. It’s also tied to improving innovation, collaboration and respect, which are crucial to our inclusion and diversity efforts.

I’m grateful for this time, and humbled by the chance to observe and learn from different teams on my Gemba walk. This isn’t just something for the CEO. It’s how all leaders can do what’s right for customers.

November 7, 2017 — 0

What are your habits for lifelong learning?

I posed a question on Twitter recently, asking folks what their habits were for lifelong learning. I appreciated reading responses and revisiting this idea of making active learning something we constantly pursue.

The article I shared with my tweet was from Jeff Goins, author of The Art of Work, and it included three habits of lifelong learners:

  • Realize how little you know
  • Act like an apprentice
  • Become someone’s case study

While those are terrific thought-starters, how you become a lifelong learner is up to you. In one of my first blogs, I talked about this concept – that there’s a lot more to getting ahead these days than just good grades and smarts.

By that, I mean the brightest of the bright can sometimes get derailed by what they’ve learned and how they react to change. Their past success just doesn’t wire them for winning in today’s fast-paced and changing landscape.

The same is true now – years later – as the rapid rate of innovation and change only accelerates. Being agile – adapting and learning – is crucial, so we’re not falling behind.

How you get there is up to you. But it requires an active and lifelong learning mentality. To succeed in today’s innovative culture, we all have to act differently, be willing to test and learn, and pivot when the world takes us in a different direction.

As I noted in that earlier blog, be sure to stay curious and embrace change. Look for opportunities to pursue innovation with an open mind. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and try new things. Let yourself fail along the way.

What other habits of lifelong learning do you seek? Here are what some ideas to get you thinking.

What would you add? Leave a comment here, or reply to my original tweet.

October 20, 2017 — 0

Building a conscious culture of inclusion

It’s an understatement to say, we’re in a difficult period. There’s division, and a basic and fundamental conflict going on between freedom of speech and equality for everyone. We all honor first amendment rights, right? But where’s the line when those rights attack the fabric of how and why we became a nation in the first place: freedom, and equality?

Perhaps we can start to tackle this issue where we work. If we engage our coworkers, then taking what we learn to our communities can make both places better!

At American Family Insurance, we’ve started the challenging – and sometimes uncomfortable task — of doing this. My company is being very intentional in this regard as we talk about and transform our culture. Our employees’ recent work and efforts around inclusion – and how it fits with diversity – is one example.

We’ve made some strides, and the progress in some ways has been impressive. But we still have a ways to go. This work – the work of inclusion and diversity – is never done! We’ve just started down the path.

Who wouldn’t want to be a part of a company that truly welcomes everyone? A company that believes how we deliver results is as important as what results are delivered. Whether it’s protecting customers, working with each other, or living in our communities … when we feel included, we can do our best work.

At American Family, we believe in striving for top performance at work, but also … at home, and in our communities.

I have lived a fairly charmed life, I must admit. I sit as the CEO of a Fortune 400 company – one that has many things going in the right direction. But, I’ve learned some hard lessons along the way – especially around inclusion and diversity.

Early in life, I saw my childhood friend, Herbie, bullied – in an awful way – because of the color of his skin. I’ve talked about this experience and how I’ve viewed it over time, looking back now, years later. This resonates with me – I guess because I also had to deal with bullying for a time when I was in grade school.

It’s something that I haven’t talked about much in my life, but looking back on those experiences, I know that it’s had a profound impact on things like my leadership style, how I view inclusion and diversity.

Actually, it’s had an impact on how I view the world around me. And, how I want to impact that world. These experiences made me better empathize with disadvantaged people, who often are the target of bias for no good reason.

I’m proud of the way many of our employees see diversity and inclusion working in their lives. More recently, we dove deeper into some of the root causes during a gathering of our company leadership.

Work. Home. Community. We can have a positive impact on all three as we work together on these cultural issues. At American Family, we know that this isn’t easy work! It’s not easy work anywhere else either.

Deliberately connect with people different than you – in the way they think, and perhaps in the way they look. The dialogue alone may make us uncomfortable. But in the end, the courage to participate and contribute in constructive ways provides our path forward – and everyone has a role in building a conscious culture of inclusion. Our voices and actions are critical to finding solutions where we work – and where we live.

August 16, 2017 — 0

Now is the time to accelerate inclusion

Across our country, people from all walks of life are speaking out about the terrible and racist demonstrations that took place in Charlottesville, Virginia last weekend – and the tragic violence that ensued. There are many emotions – anger, sadness, fear, futility and more.

I’ve felt those emotions. The American Family Insurance community has. I’m sure you have, too.

Though most of our employees and agents are hundreds of miles from Virginia, the pain of this event is felt around the country. As a company, we feel it, too.

Recent racially-charged events do not deter American Family Insurance’s goal to work together – and accelerate inclusion.

But we’re also talking about this issue as a company – today – and every day. And as American Family Insurance CEO, I want to reinforce that we are fully committed to a diverse and inclusive environment for our people. All people.

What does that mean? It’s how we live our values every day for our customers and ourselves.

We practice ethical behavior every day. We have zero tolerance for discrimination of any kind every single day. I find even more comfort and pride in the work of our LGBTA, multicultural, veterans’ and women’s business resource groups – and all our employees and agents – who help us build this inclusive culture at our company.

This week, our managers will be getting together for an annual leadership event. A major emphasis of our time together will be on culture and the benefits a diverse and inclusive environment have on our customers and on us.

While the events in Charlottesville are troubling, I’m convinced – together – we can make a positive difference – inside our company and in our communities.

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