A chance job to support my studies became a great career in insurance
I started out studying graphic design and worked part-time initially in retail as a front-line manager. I was able to gain valuable experience while working in retail, but I felt like I needed more of a challenge. I then decided to take my newly acquired skills and move into a role at a large insurer as a sales and service agent. This job created the foundation of my career. Taking me from working on the phones to gaining skills as a trainer, coach, and then a change and improvement specialist amongst other things. My experience across various areas of insurance has evolved into me now leading a fantastic team that supports colleagues to solve business problems, innovate and continuously improve. A job that initially started by chance is now something I am actively working hard to develop into a long-lasting and fulfilling career
I develop the First Central Way Continuous Improvement capabilities
Here at First Central we’ve developed our approach to Continuous Improvement and Lean Agile ways of working through ‘The First Central Way’. We provide data-led insights to tackle business problems and present opportunities that make the delivery of quality outcomes to both customers and colleagues possible. This approach supports the development and application of Continuous Improvement methodologies at all layers of the business, from claims Subject Matter Experts to Exec members. My team works closely with the business to provide training, coaching and support in the practical application of tools and techniques aligned with ‘The First Central Way’. This principles-based approach allows us to develop the businesses maturity of some of the critical capabilities required to deliver on our strategy. These include things such as Operational and Process improvement, Lean Agile skill development and Problem Solving to name a few. We also support in the reporting and measurement of the overall change delivery system. This provides the business with actionable data-led insights to effectively steer us in the right direction
Developing people and seeing their evolution into a Growth Mindset
A big part of my role involves developing the maturity of key business capabilities. I love collaborating with people from across the business and seeing the evolution of their skills and capabilities aligned with ‘The First Central Way’. Possessing these skills and capabilities is a fundamental lever that will help all our people play a significant role in delivering our strategy. Getting to be a part of someone’s development journey and watching them become a role model for a Continuous Improvement and Growth Mindset is a major source of joy for me. That is why supporting the business and its people to grow and evolve gives me a great feeling of accomplishment.
Push past your comfort zone to discover what you’re truly capable of
Often people have limitations set by others or sometimes even by themselves that stop them from progressing to that next level both in life and in their career. Self-belief is one of the key stepping stones to building confidence in yourself and your abilities. Imposter syndrome is something most people who enjoy varying levels of success have dealt with at some point or another in their careers. It is important to recognise that this can manifest in many forms, such as doubts about your skill level, not applying for that role even when you meet the requirements or generally not going for the things you want. Once you see that happening, you can start to take the necessary steps to overcome the negative self-talk. Start to engage with people who’ve achieved the type of career success you’re looking for. Surround yourself with positive people who encourage and believe in your success. Apply for that role! You never know what could happen
Helping people build the skills to thrive and progress in their career
Our approach to change and Continuous Improvement holds people and customers at the centre of everything we do. The success of Operational Excellence relies on communication and respect for people and, one of the best ways to demonstrate that respect, is to work directly with the people closest to the area of focus. Collaboration is key. This approach means that whenever we start an improvement initiative, we look to bring people on that change journey with us. Who better to show us how things really work and how processes could be improved than the people doing the work! This has allowed me to share OpEx skills and knowledge with individuals who have then taken that knowledge and applied it to progress into other roles across the business including roles within the Operational Excellence team. There is nothing better than seeing people who had little to no knowledge of Continuous Improvement and Lean Agile ways of working progressing into new roles and leading the charge in bringing others on that same improvement journey
