Many refer to Bruce Springsteen as "The Boss." Working in claims, you may have different—less endearing—terms for your boss, though. Supervisors may not push the envelope of musical creativity a la Bruce, but occasionally they may push the envelope of sanity.
Adjusters don't write songs about crazy bosses, but they may expound on a "Boss from Hell," who invades dreams. In fact, perhaps nothing gets adjusters and claim professionals going like a discussion of the best and worst bosses they have had . . . or somehow endured.
What exactly makes a good or bad claims supervisor? If you will forgive me for using an antiquated and politically correct term, then I use "boss" in a generic sense. The term refers to the person to whom you report. This could be a team unit leader, a claim supervisor, a claims manager, or a vice president of claims.
Hey, someday you could be a boss, or maybe you already are one. In which case, what can you do to "elevate your game" and become the kind of boss for which adjusters and others want to work? How do you inspire run-through-the-wall loyalty and that whatever-it-takes-to-accomplish-the-mission mentality?
A reinsurance claim executive recently told me, "My first boss was an ex-teacher. He was adept at recognizing skill sets and was quick to help adjusters develop additional skills." He also said, "The worst boss I ever had possessed no communication skills. The entire team hated to come to work. He was stunned when his wife divorced him."
We may all agree that it is tough working for difficult bosses. That observation is easy. The tougher take-away flows from the question, once you work for a "Boss from Hell," what do you do about it?
Preemptive Strategies
Here are some suggestions and strategies, many of which are adopted from the book, Working with You is Killing Me: Freeing Yourself from Emotional Traps at Work by Katherine Crowley and Kathi Elster:
1. Meet regularly. Even if he or she does not request it, take the initiative to seek and schedule periodic sit-downs with the boss. Use this time to review current projects, priorities, and solicit feedback. Again – even if the boss does not request a meeting, take the initiative to do so.
2. Err on the side of over-communicating. Keep your boss informed about what you are working on. Use not only sit-down meetings, but also e-mails and brief memos, but never surprise them (especially if there is bad news to deliver, a commodity often in abundant supply in claim departments).
3. Be prepared. Come to each one-on-one meeting with the boss armed with a detailed, specific agenda. Approach each one of these sessions as you would a final exam. Always be prepared to give a status report on your projects at any given time. Don't be caught off guard. Even if not asked to do so, consider giving your boss a weekly short bullet-point list of the major projects you are working on. Ask the boss to let you know if she has any questions, comments, or concerns. Again, be proactive. You cannot assume that "no news is good news" when it comes to communication from a higher-up. Unless the boss flatly tells you to discontinue the process, provide this brief (one paragraph or page) update.
4. Tune your antennae. Keep your finger on the pulse of the boss' mood and shifting work priorities. Yesterday's priorities may not be today's area of focus. Today's "most important things" to your boss may change tomorrow. Like you, the boss is subject to the vagaries of shifting corporate whims, directions, business trends, mergers and acquisitions, and the fact that your boss has . . . a boss. Do not be hasty in branding your boss as a chameleon or for inconstancy because his or her priorities change. That is business; that is life. You may not know the full story. Part of your emotional intelligence is to "read" your boss and adapt to shifting moods and priorities.
5. Leave. Life is too short to stay miserable. If you cannot adapt and the "Boss from Hell" shows no likelihood of changing, then you need to bring about a change. Polish and update your resume. Network like crazy. Keep a lookout for job openings. Start saving money so you have a financial cushion if it takes you a long time to find another position.
Going Over the Boss' Head or Losing Your Own?
You may wonder if you should go over the boss' head to your boss' boss when you have a tough situation. This is the "nuclear option." The answer may be "yes," only if it is a profound problem, perhaps an ethical or law violation, or if you are prepared to leave your job quickly. This is a high-stakes gamble, and it often fails.
A close friend once had a boss tell her to delay paying an insured's claim because the reinsurer with whom he had placed business had been a notoriously slow-payer. The insured agitated for payment, but the boss was telling my friend to stonewall the insured and hold off. She told her boss that she could not in good faith delay an owed obligation to a policyholder just because the boss anticipated reinsurance collectability issues. She threatened to "go public" with his order, which she saw as acting in bad faith and being ethically shaky. The boss relented in approving the payment, but threatened my friend's job, invited her to look for employment elsewhere and set about to get rid of her. She later left and has a better job now.
There are "Bosses from Hell" just as there are problematic employees (and clients). No one group sings with the angels or has a monopoly on boorishness. Study your boss and learn from his or her mistakes. Keep those lessons in mind for when the day comes that you become a … boss.
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