Strong leadership is a cornerstone of the armed forces, soperhaps it should come as no surprise that ex-military officerstend to do well in the business world.

A comprehensive study of 500 CEOs cited by Business Insider a few years back found that 8%of the top execs were ex-military officers, yet only 3% of U.S. menserve as officers.

The fact that military experience translates well to businessleadership was exemplified by Navy SEAL Commander, turnedbest-selling author, RorkeT. Denver when he spoke at the recent PropertyInnovation Summit.

Many leaders fail to understand that the behavior they projectto those under their command or leadership permeates the entireorganization. They also determine what is or isn't acceptable andset the tone for their direct reports. (See Number 6.)

We've picked out six inspiring quotes from that presentation tohighlight how they apply to the insurance industry, and the widerbusiness world.

Related: Claims magazine recognizes insuranceindustry leaders for innovation

There is always room for improvement and don't be afraid toset high expectations for your team. (Photo: Shutterstock)

1. “You can always find room foran extra inch.”

There's always room for improvement, so don't be afraid to askyour team for more. You can't find limits without pushing. Today'sclaims adjusters need a variety of soft skillsand they should work on improving their emotional intelligence,self-control, and listening skills to better serve your customersand the company. Giving adjusters some flexibility and making them responsible fortheir own workloads can also lead to process innovation.

Challenge your teams on multiple levels to gaugetheir dependability and expertise. (Photo: iStock)

2. “Get your rookies in thegunfight early as possible; throw them into thefire.”

Whether it's new hires fresh out of college, experienced pros,or short-term help, the sooner you find out if they can do the job,and learn whether you can rely on them, the better. Challengingcaseloads and high expectations mean that not everyone is cut outto be an adjuster. The only way to find out for sure is to see howthey perform on the job. The insurance industry has one of theworst employee retention rates, according to TINYPulse research, with one insurance CEOadmitting that only 11 out of 100 employees last longer than 36months.

Related: Talent search: Recruiting innovative insuranceprofessionals

Leadersshow their teams how to handle tough tasks and inspire them to testtheir limits. (Photo: Bigstock)

3. “Be a Spartan King – Be theone to pick up burdens first and lay them downlast.”

Lead by example. If you expect others to take on difficulttasks, you must take on burdens yourself. When leaders show thatthey have what it takes to do the job and aren't afraid to gettheir hands dirty, it serves as inspiration for their employees.It's also important to avoid pushing undesirable tasks down to therest of the organization, because it can lead to resentment.

It's a small world,and relationships matter, especially in the insurance industry.Create a positive environment for your direct reports. (Photo:Shutterstock)

4. “Don't seek revenge; aspire tohigher principles.”

Never burn bridges or relationships, because you never know whatwill happen in the future. Be fair and create a culture that'spositive. Every person you meet is on their own journey and yousimply don't know where they might end up. People prefer to dobusiness with people they know, so every relationship you fostercould lead to a business opportunity down the line. It's also goodto remember that others don't need to fail for you to succeed.

Related: How to empower others to reach greater levels ofinsurance agency success

Mentoring is a great way to learn from colleagues, and thosewho mentor learn as much as those who are mentored. (Photo:Shutterstock)

5. “Be a mentor to young people.”

Encourage young people and accept that they'll get things wrongsometimes. Oscar Wilde put it best when he said, “Experience issimply the name we give our mistakes.” Foster the strengths ofnewcomers, help them to develop awareness of their weaknesses andsuggest constructive steps to address them. As a leader, a crucialpart of your job is to inspire and teach the next generation.

Related: 7 traits of true insurance leaders

The attitude you project during a crisis or heateddiscussion will be observed by those around you. Be the calm in thecrisis. (Photo: Bigstock)

6. “Calm iscontagious.”

If you're nervous, angry or fearful, it will impact yourperformance and permeate the room. Even if you don't feel calm,projecting calm is a necessary part of being a manager. This isespecially true in a crisis. When you lose your temper, you losethe argument.

As a leader, you need to be aware that everyone is watching youand many people will take their cue from how you behave. If youshout and rant, then that will be interpreted as an acceptable wayto act. Project the calm you want to see and ensure a healthyworking environment for everyone.

With so many positive principles being taught in the military,it's no wonder that many P&C insurers provide job opportunities forveterans and their spouses. This advice applies to anyonecurrently in a leadership role, or hoping to be in one in thefuture, and they'll serve you very well in your insurancecareer.

Joel Makhluf is a vice president at Enservio and thedirector of the Property Innovation Summit. Enservio is aprovider of contents claim management software, inventory andvaluation services and payments solutions for property insurers.Contact Joel at [email protected].