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Adam W.

Product Manager

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Commercial and Marketing

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Top Insider Advice

It sounds obvious, but sometimes it can be easy to perform the actions required for your role in a way that doesn’t best amplify your strengths. Be acutely aware of your own strengths and play to them, putting together a development plan for areas of improvement. I’d recommend developing your strengths too. Just because you’re naturally good at something doesn’t mean you should rest on your laurels. Have a mindset of wanting to move from the top 10% to top 1%. Always welcome feedback too whether it’s positive or constructive. Don’t take constructive feedback negatively, to be imperfect is to be human. We all have areas we can improve on.

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Career path

Product Manager

First Central

Started 11/2022 to Present

Product Management

Aviva

From 01/2018 to 11/2022

Proposition Management

Aviva

From 06/2008 to 01/2018

Company

What do you like about your job and the company?

At previous financial organisations, I’ve experienced politics which have often resulted in departments having contrasting goals which were harmful for productivity. There’s no such conflict here. Everyone is engaged, there are no hidden agendas, we’re all signed up to the goals of the company and committed to achieving them. The culture is also fantastic here, whether it’s the approach to flexible working, focus on diversity or wellbeing. Again, there is a marked improvement working here compared to other organisations I’ve experienced. We are also well informed here. There’s a breadth of honesty and this is demonstrated from top to bottom. It surprised me at first how open the entire organisation is and how ‘human’ our senior leaders are.

Greatest achievements

I have put together a roadmap of activity and subsequently pitched numerous initiatives at relevant forums across the business and received approval. Unfortunately, the activities mentioned are all in various stages of development and therefore I can’t make specific reference to what they are. However, they vary in nature and all align with our goals as an organisation. I am someone who loves ownership and accountability, so being able to strategise a development, pitch for approval and then work with teams to implement the change really ticks the box for me. In a matter of weeks, some of these developments will be live. At the same time others will move to development and I’m also scoping a few more changes with a view to pitching them in due course.

Other insiders

Ali C

Top Insider Advice

Volunteering in Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and Climate / Social Rights Groups can be an excellent way to get exposure to ESG and set yourself up for future career opportunities. Not only does it give you a chance to learn more about the issues at hand and the various approaches being taken to tackle them, but it also allows you to develop key skills such as leadership, project management, and communication - all of which are highly valued in the ESG space. By getting involved in ERGs and social groups, you can gain a deeper understanding of the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and how it intersects with ESG. You can also learn about the various ways in which companies are approaching sustainability, social responsibility, and governance, and gain valuable insights into how these approaches impact business performance and reputation. But perhaps most importantly, volunteering in ERGs and social groups is a great way to build connections and expand your network in the ESG space. By working alongside like-minded individuals who are passionate about creating a better world, you can forge relationships that may lead to future career opportunities or collaborations.

Joe M

Leadership Development Business Partner

Top Insider Advice

My advice would be to grow and develop with the business and don’t box yourself in with one particular career route in mind as other career paths can open up.

James D

Fraud Team Leader

Top Insider Advice

The army taught me a lot about personal values and it’s something I always look back to. Apply them into everything you do and you’ll go far. Make it clear where you want to get to in the future and take opportunities to learn and grow to get there. Always reach out to people as you never know where this will take you. Most importantly, do things outside your comfort zone regularly and what was previously daunting or hard will become easy!

Discussions with Adam W
Do you have much opportunity to travel in your role?
in Career Tips·Tuesday, February 20, 2024
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2 responses
19 views
How do you work in a team in your job?
in Career Tips·Tuesday, October 24, 2023
1 response
6 views
What motivates you about your role?
in Career Tips·Tuesday, November 7, 2023
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2 responses
18 views
What do you like most about this company?
in Career Tips·Tuesday, November 7, 2023
Picture of Joe
2 responses
32 views
How do you ensure that junior employees contribute their ideas?
in Career Tips·Tuesday, January 30, 2024
1 response
9 views