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 market
Standard
- Keeps up-to-date with developments in the market
- Develops and maintains specialist knowledge and expertise
- Understands the impact of own specialist area in the market
- Acts to improve both the depth and range of specialist knowledge
- Recognises the limits of own knowledge and expertise
- Studies and seeks to understand trends and developments in specialist area
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
- Has an intimate understanding of the main issues affecting the market in own specialist area
Very Strong
- Provides specialist / technical leadership to colleagues to support business initiatives or solve technical problems
- Uses a wide range and depth of technical / specialised knowledge
- Gives coaching, guidance and feedback to more junior staff to develop their abilities
- Recognised and respected for depth of technical knowledge and track record
- Actively shapes the development and understanding of own specialist area
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Strategic Thinking
Below Standard
- Preoccupied with current day-to-day operations to the exclusion of longer term issues
- Fails to see the impact of (not obviously relevant) external events on the organisation
Standard
- Systematically breaks down complex problems into component parts in order to reach a solution
- Establishes priorities on the basis of short and long-term considerations
- Finds ways to condense large amounts of information into a useful form
Strong
- Thinks into the future and links it to today
- Develops complex strategies to achieve broad organisational goals
- Identifies patterns or trends and combines elements to provide new and pragmatic solutions
Very Strong
- Anticipates long-term future opportunities and requirements and plans ahead to meet them
- Considers alternative courses of action, weighing the long-term and short-term consequences
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Independent Judgement
Below Standard
- Preoccupied with specific tasks to the exclusion of the "big picture"
- Avoids taking responsibility for own judgement
- Loses emotional control in personally stressful situations
Standard
- Logically identifies the implications of events or information
- Systematically considers the multiple components in situations, problems or issues
- Decisive: clearly and quickly assesses the relevant data and acts on it (decision may be to do nothing)
- Can assimilate and understand the implications in a large amount of information
- Maintains own position in the face of opposition or criticism from others (rather than contrary evidence)
Strong
- Able to see the "big picture" whilst simultaneously paying attention to relevant details
- Sees situations objectively
- Embraces the merits of differing positions or opposing viewpoints
- Modifies a strongly held opinion in response to contrary evidence
- Can make clear decisions based on incomplete or conflicting information
- Retains composure and objectivity when under pressure
Very Strong
- Thinks outside the normal parameters, takes unusual perspectives on situations, challenging traditional thinking
- Uses diverse approaches to make decisions in the absence of definitive frameworks or where few precedents exist
- Refrains from impulsive behaviour: bases decisions on considered judgement, not on emotional reaction
- Adopts a calm and "measured" approach in difficult situations
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Achievement & Drive
Below Standard
- Is unconcerned with inefficiency
- 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
- Continually seeks to improve efficiency and performance
- Sets priorities based on achieving maximum value
- Commits to action or holds-back on the basis of short-term and long-term considerations
- Ensures that processes and services are delivered smoothly and efficiently, without fuss
Very Strong
- Effectively balances short-term demands with long-term initiatives
- Focuses effort on activities that have the greatest impact
- Fosters a culture of continuous improvement - routinely questioning and challenging the status quo
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Initiative
Below Standard
- Is accepting of the status quo
- Dismissive of new ideas from inside or outside the company / industry - "not invented here" syndrome
- Gives up on projects or responsibilities
Standard
- Takes action before being forced to by events
- Does far more than minimally required by the job
- Digs beneath the obvious to get at facts
- Asks questions to clarify ambiguities or to get needed details
- Is open to new ideas and possibilities
Strong
- Acts decisively in dealing with opportunities or crises
- Searches widely for useful ideas and potential opportunities in the market
- Catches what's in the wind
- Personally investigates to really understand - questions those closest to the issues
Very Strong
- Acts to create opportunities or avoid problems in the future
- Encourages and sponsors innovation
- Systematically looks for gaps, weaknesses or long-range opportunities the market
- Develops truly original new ideas and approaches
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Service Orientation
Below Standard
- Concentrates on own abilities, rather than market needs
- Gives immediate "off the cuff" responses without probing for underlying needs or problems
Standard
- Seeks information about the real needs in the market, beyond the obvious
- Establishes clarity with interested parties regarding mutual expectations
- Understands and uses the formal and informal structures and decision-making processes within the market
Strong
- Works to add value
- Makes concrete attempts to create long-term benefits for the market
- Maintains clear lines of communications with all interested parties
- Is honest about mistakes and builds "togetherness" in solving them
- Keeps promises
- Does not over-promise to colleagues or clients
Very Strong
- Routinely monitors own / department's performance (customer satisfaction)
- Is recognised as a trusted advisor within the market
- Develops an independent opinion on needs, problems / opportunities, and possibilities for implementation
- Expresses positive expectations about the market and the main players
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Impact & Influence
Below Standard
- Unconcerned with the need for influencing
- Says or does things without considering their effect on others
- Makes political blunders
- Acts solely out of a need for the approval of others
Standard
- Adapts influencing style and approach as appropriate to the audience and situation
- Presents complex arguments in an effective way
- Modifies own behaviour / dress / language to make a particular impression on others, to help achieve a work-related objective
Strong
- Establishes personal credibility and reputation in own organisation and the market
- Seeks to negotiate "win/win" arrangements
- Offers flexible alternatives that address the other party's interests
- Approaches new challenges with a positive "can-do" attitude
Very Strong
- Uses an extensive network effectively to influence
- Builds behind the scene support for ideas
- Understands the political forces within the Corporation of Lloyd's and the market, and manages the ongoing alliances, rivalries and other power relationships
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Leadership
Below Standard
- Abdicates leadership responsibility
- Refuses or fails to lead even when staff request or obviously need direction
- Sees staff in terms of stereotypes
- Is primarily concerned with being liked
- Keeps poor performers who fail to improve
Standard
- Provides clarity of direction, expectations, targets and standards
- Ensures that every individual knows their part and why it is important
- Works to resolve conflicts or differences between people
- Ensures the completion of group tasks
Strong
- Develops an atmosphere of teamwork and co-operation
- Delivers a message of change: empowering others to change and ensuring the achievement of long-term goals
- Identifies talent and develops staff: providing long-term encouragement and coaching to improve capability and performance
- Positions self as group leader, through display of expertise and professionalism
Very Strong
- Reassures and encourages staff after setbacks - e.g. expresses positive expectations for future performance
- Removes poor performers after appropriate efforts to get them to improve have failed and procedures have been followed
- Communicates a compelling "vision" which generates enthusiasm and commitment
- Shares authority to create a sense of commitment and ownership
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Collaboration
Below Standard
- A loner: selfish or uncooperative
- Leaves colleagues to sort out difficult situations on their own
- Unsympathetic
- Offends others, makes them "close up"
- Habitually misreads others' behaviour or intentions
Standard
- Personable; able to develop rapport easily with others
- Listens "responsively" - is easy to talk to
- Keeps colleagues informed, clear and up-to-date
- Collaborates enthusiastically and effectively with colleagues
Strong
- Meets regularly with colleagues and clients in order to develop relationships
- Demonstrates understanding of the other person's point of view
- Commits to the managing agency's overall objectives rather than own departmental interests
Very Strong
- Develops and maintains an extensive range of mutually beneficial relationships both inside and outside the market
- Works cooperatively as a member of the senior management team - demonstrating respect for colleagues' contributions and a willingness to learn from them
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