No Indulging

I recently asked several CLM Fellows what books they would recommended to their peers. One book appeared on several lists: “Steve Jobs” by Walter Isaacson.

I finally heeded the advice—downloaded somewhat ironically on my Android’s Kindle app—and found this quote from Jobs stuck with me: “It’s too easy, as a team grows, to put up with a few B players; they then attract a few more B players, and soon you will even have some C players. The Macintosh experience taught me that A players like to work only with other A players, which means you can’t indulge B players.”

By now, you may have heard the news about CLM’s Claims College, which launches in 2013. Its game-changing structure can (and should) be examined at clm.org. But for now, take a look at the four “chancellors” we recruited to establish the overall strategic direction:

• Jane Tutoki, Head of Global Claims Operations, AIG
• Douglas Holbrook, Chief Claim Officer, Selective Insurance
• Paul Tuhy, EVP-Global Head of Claims, XL Specialty
• Dave North, CEO, Sedgwick CMS

Yes, Claims College is going to be a place for A players to thrive and collaborate. Its faculty consists of senior-level leaders from both insurance companies and major corporations. It’s going to address our industry’s top problems head-on, and it’s got the right leadership team to succeed.

Sorry B players, you’re not invited.