Class Underwriter Competencies

Specialist Expertise

Below Standard

• Appears to be unaware of personal strengths and weaknesses
• Unconcerned with adding to existing knowledge
• Pretends to have expertise when they do not
• Unaware of the key business issues or personalities in the underwriting sector

Standard

• Keeps up-to-date on technical aspects of the job primarily through on-the-job experience and training
• Understands the commercial underpinnings of underwriting
• Recognises the limits of own knowledge and expertise

Strong

• Demonstrates broad general knowledge beyond own area or the insurance industry
• Seeks out appropriate specialist advice when necessary
• Reflects on successes and failures
• Learns from experiences and mistakes

Very Strong

• Provides specialist/technical leadership to colleagues to support business initiatives or solve technical problems
• Gives coaching, guidance and feedback to more junior underwriters to develop their abilities
• Is recognised to be one of the key players in the Lloyd's Market
  

Focus

Below Standard

• Frequently fails to meet deadlines
• Does only what is required
• Shows no concern with measuring personal performance
• Takes on too much

Standard

• Manages personal time and deals effectively with conflicting demands and priorities
• Focuses own efforts and energy on achieving identified priorities and goals
• Adapts approach in response to a changing situation or to overcome obstacles
  

Strong

• Demonstrates a clear sense of purpose in their work
• Continually seeks to improve results - never satisfied with performance
• Sets priorities for self and business based on achieving maximum value
  

Very Strong

• Effectively balances short-term demands with long-term initiatives
• Focuses effort on activities that have the greatest bottom-line impact
• Sets priorities for self and the business based on achieving maximum value
  

Initiative

Strategic Thinking Ability: Thinking into the future and planning to meet needs.

Below Standard

• Becomes preoccupied with current day-to-day operations to the exclusion of the "big picture" or longer term issues
• Fails to see the impact of (not obviously relevant) external events on the organisation

Standard

• Sets priorities with an appropriate sense of what is most important
• Establishes priorities on the basis of short and long-term considerations, committing to action or to holding-back as appropriate
• Finds ways to condense large amounts of information into a useful form

Strong

• Systematically considers potential profit, ROI or added value, in evaluating plans
• Thinks far into the future and links it to today
• Develops complex strategies to achieve organisational goals
• Identifies patterns or trends and finds new and pragmatic solutions

Very Strong

• Anticipates long-term future opportunities and requirements and plans ahead to meet them
• Integrates many ideas and observations about complex issues into clear concepts that create useful insights for the business - ''finds new paths"
  

Complex Judgement: Expert judgement based on deep knowledge and profound understanding of the subject area and its context.

Below Standard

• Fails to spot the connections in information
• Preoccupied with specific tasks to the exclusion of the "big picture"

Standard

• Sees situations objectively - e.g. recognises the merits of opposing viewpoints
• Makes the complex simple
• Decisive: clearly and quickly assesses the relevant data and acts on it (decision may be to do nothing)
• Quickly assimilates and sees the implications in a large amount of information

Strong

• Rapidly identifies key issues in a complex situation
• Able to see the "big picture" whilst simultaneously paying attention to relevant details
• Can accurately remember specific information - e.g. names, dates, numbers
• Sees patterns or connections in seemingly unconnected facts or events

Very Strong

• Creates concepts, theories or models to explain a complex situation or problem and reconcile discrepant data
• Thinks outside the normal parameters, challenging traditional thinking
• Can make clear decisions based on incomplete or conflicting information

Client Orientation: Fully understanding client needs and working to address them effectively

Below Standard

• Blames clients for problems or failures
• Concentrates on own or company's abilities rather than client needs
• Gives immediate "off the cuff" response to clients questions without probing for underlying needs or problems

Standard

• Seeks information about the real needs of the clients, beyond those expressed initially
• Establishes clarity with clients regarding mutual expectations
• Sees client relationship building as key to future work

Strong

• Works to meet client needs beyond own specialist area - e.g. introduces colleagues who can help
• Makes concrete attempts to create long-term benefits for the client
• Is honest about mistakes and builds "togetherness" in solving them
• Organises involvement of key players

Very Strong

• Demonstrates a desire to offer a better service than anyone else - pays attention to the courtesies and important details
• Appreciates clients
• Wants each client to feel special
• Builds an independent understanding of client needs and possibilities for meeting them
  

Collaboration & Influence: Being influential and maintaining effective relationships with colleagues

Below Standard

• Unsympathetic
• Offends others, makes them "close up"
• Habitually misreads others behaviour or intentions
• A loner: selfish or unco-operative
• Says or does things without considering their effect on others

Standard

• Personable: able to develop rapport easily with others
• Adapts influencing style to appeal to the interests of other people
• Develops a network of relationships with people who are or may be useful in achieving goals
• Demonstrates understanding of the other person's point of view

Strong

• Demonstrates sensitivity to cultural differences
• Establishes personal credibility and reputation in the company and the market
• Seeks to negotiate "win/win" deals
• Offers flexible alternatives that address the other party's interests
• Recognises and takes account of other people's strengths and weaknesses

Very Strong

• Builds robust, long-term relationships with colleagues and clients that endure through difficult times
• Understands individual's personal motivations - "what makes them tick"
• Modifies own behaviour or language to make an appropriate impression or meet others' expectations
• Builds behind the scene support for ideas
  

Independence: Developing and independent position and sticking to one's principles in all situations

Below Standard

• Avoids taking responsibility for own judgement
• Loses control in personally stressful situations
• Acts solely out of a need for the approval of others
• Does not learn from mistakes
• Repeatedly makes similar mistakes

Standard

• Approaches new challenges with a positive "can-do" attitude
• Expresses confidence about own interpretation or viewpoint
• Maintains own position in the face of opposition
• Admits own mistakes and takes action to correct them

Strong

• Keeps promises
• Does not over-promise to colleagues or clients
• Learns from own or team's mistakes and experiences
• Retains composure and objectivity when under pressure
• Modifies a strongly held opinion in response to contrary evidence

Very Strong

• Takes "risky" positions - e.g. challenges or questions the actions of superiors or clients
• Refrains from impulsive behaviour: bases decisions on considered judgement, not on emotional reaction
• Adopts a calm and "measured" approach in difficult situations