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

According to ESPN Analyst and former pro football general manager Bill Polian, in today's NFL, success is built through the draft. Given the parameters of today's game, if you don't draft well, then you will lack the foundation necessary to be a perennial playoff team. Free agency can help, but the value of a talented prospect obtained through the draft is far greater for an organization.

Of course Polian knows a thing or two about building winning teams. As General Manager of the Buffalo Bills, he led them to four straight super bowl games. He then took the expansion Carolina Panthers to the NFC championship game in just their second year in existence. Arguably, his greatest legacy will be the Indianapolis Colts dynasty that he built almost exclusively through the draft.

While there may be no Super Bowl for claims organizations, there is the consistent need to properly execute basic blocking and tackling maneuvers. Having the right people in place makes that business proposition infinity easier to achieve.

In the days up to the draft, teams will reflect on their glaring weaknesses from the prior season. They will scout potential talent at the combine, and look to shore up their foundation for both immediate and long-term success.

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

Wild Cards

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

So just how does one go about finding the talent necessary to take an organization to the next level? Often it comes from the least-expected places. As I consult organizations looking for long term success, I often draw from past experience. During my tenure of running claims organizations and quality assurance processes, some of the best results came from those outside the insurance industry who possessed the skills to execute on basic blocking and tackling.

Whether it is campus recruiting or hiring those with experience in fast-paced, goal-oriented organizations both within and outside the insurance industry, there is no shortage of talent. But like the 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 of tomorrow. Far too often a disproportionate amount of emphasis is placed simply on background. It's the mindset of “Hey, he was a great 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 the requisite experience, does not make them an immediate asset. Can it happen? Certainly. However, there also can be bad habits, poor morale, or other factors that could undermine the technical abilities.

A more effective solution may be to look for the the attitude, the drive and the ambition rather than just technical proficiency. Keep in mind that some of the most successful adjusters, managers, and executives in the insurance industry began elsewhere.

As I discuss in Re-Adjusted, a myopic view of claims can be very limiting to organizations trying to better themselves. Whether it is people, processes, or technology, learn from the best in breed, irrespective of industry. Look at what innovative leaders are doing across the business landscape, and then look to those people who are transforming the world around them.

Technical skills can be taught, whereas attitude, drive and ambition cannot. As John Wooden once said, “I'd rather have a lot of talent and a little experience than a lot of experience and a little talent.” By leveraging these concepts in your very own draft, it becomes possible to build the institutional culture, strength and knowledge to truly become extraordinary.

Special Reports /

The NFL Draft and Your Organization

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