With the end of April upon us, it can mean only one thing: theNFL draft. Each year, team owners huddle with their leadership atRadio City Music Hall in hopes of building the foundation forlong-term success.

According to ESPN Analyst and former pro football generalmanager Bill Polian, in today's NFL, success is built through thedraft. Given the parameters of today's game, if you don'tdraft well, then you will lack the foundation necessary to be aperennial playoff team. Free agency can help, but the value of atalented prospect obtained through the draft is far greater for anorganization.

Of course Polian knows a thing or two about building winningteams. As General Manager of the Buffalo Bills, he led them tofour straight super bowl games. He then took the expansionCarolina Panthers to the NFC championship game in just their secondyear in existence. Arguably, his greatest legacy will be theIndianapolis Colts dynasty that he built almost exclusively throughthe draft.

While there may be no Super Bowl for claims organizations, thereis the consistent need to properly execute basic blocking andtackling maneuvers. Having the right people in place makesthat business proposition infinity easier to achieve.

In the days up to the draft, teams will reflect on their glaringweaknesses from the prior season. They will scout potentialtalent at the combine, and look to shore up their foundation forboth immediate and long-term success.

This very same concept can be used in your claims organization,and any organization for that matter. Interviews serve ascombines, where talented individuals can show their stuff. Managersact as coaches and scouts, keeping a keen eye on talent. In manyinstances, those with little prior experience become rookies whowork to learn the system in a never-ending quest to take theirorganizations to the next level.

Wild Cards

Like the draft, there are also busts. Having hired hundreds ofpeople during my leadership tenure, I can attest firsthand to myshare of Ryan Leaf's—prospects with immense talent who never pannedout. Fortunately, I have a greater share of PeytonManning's—players who excelled beyond expectations.

So just how does one go about finding the talent necessary totake an organization to the next level? Often it comes fromthe least-expected places. As I consult organizations looking forlong term success, I often draw from past experience. Duringmy tenure of running claims organizations and quality assuranceprocesses, some of the best results came from those outside theinsurance industry who possessed the skills to execute on basicblocking and tackling.

Whether it is campus recruiting or hiring those with experiencein fast-paced, goal-oriented organizations both within and outsidethe insurance industry, there is no shortage of talent. But likethe draft, not all players are created equally.

Rather, it takes a combination of intuition, research,evaluation, and a little bit of luck to land the top players oftomorrow. Far too often a disproportionate amount of emphasis isplaced simply on background. It's the mindset of “Hey, he was agreat college quarterback so he'll flourish in the NFL.” Don't forget that he played his college ball in a spread offense,which may actually become a liability at a higher level. Rather,focus on what the person brings to the table.

The same holds true in claims. Just because one has therequisite experience, does not make them an immediateasset. Can it happen? Certainly. However, there also canbe bad habits, poor morale, or other factors that could underminethe technical abilities.

A more effective solution may be to look for the the attitude,the drive and the ambition rather than just technicalproficiency. Keep in mind that some of the most successfuladjusters, managers, and executives in the insurance industry beganelsewhere.

As I discuss in Re-Adjusted, a myopicview of claims can be very limiting to organizations trying tobetter themselves. Whether it is people, processes, ortechnology, learn from the best in breed, irrespective ofindustry. Look at what innovative leaders are doing across thebusiness landscape, and then look to those people who aretransforming the world around them.

Technical skills can be taught, whereas attitude, drive andambition cannot. As John Wooden once said, “I'd ratherhave a lot of talent and a little experience than a lot ofexperience and a little talent.” By leveraging these conceptsin your very own draft, it becomes possible to build theinstitutional culture, strength and knowledge to truly becomeextraordinary.