Briefing: Mind the toes on which you tread as trust is the real currency of UKGI

There were two things I distinctly remember from my first day working in insurance.

The first was a five button charcoal grey Burton suit, paired with a shiny grey shirt and tie, which – in my mind – screamed ‘city slicker’. In reality, more unmentionable words now come to mind when considering this ensemble.

But the second and far more important memory from that day was the advice my father gave me before I began my erstwhile role as a filing clerk. He said: “Be very careful, for the toes you tread on today will inevitably be connected to the ass you have to kiss tomorrow.”

For once, I listened. I am very glad I did because that single piece of advice has helped me in ways I cannot even begin to measure. The longer I have been in this industry, the more I realised that my father’s maxim was not simply a warning, but an acute summary of how insurance works.

Insurance is built on promises and, therefore, trust remains its real currency. And trust – for most of us – still travels through human beings, connections and the names saved in your phone.

Our careers are not singular and individualistic. They are a culmination of many interactions, such as meetings, calls, industry events, introductions we did not earn but were gifted and moments when someone senior could have ignored us, but didn’t.

So, how we conduct ourselves and how we treat others is of paramount importance.

And this is not purely altruistic – it is also an essential component of getting ahead professionally. People want to help those they like, those they feel they can build an affinity with and, essentially, have a laugh with.

Networking styles: UK versus US

I have always been lucky in that I have been interested in people. This has paid dividends.

Far from being boring to listen to someone’s life story, it is usually fascinating because each of us has made our own distinct way to reach the professional point we are currently at.

Many of us still have career focused hopes and aspirations too, so we would do well to remember that others will be instrumental in helping us to achieve future milestones.

This is where I will go a step further than what my father recommended.

In my view, you should not just avoid treading on others’ toes. Arguably, you should be more deliberate. And maybe even more American in style about the way you use networking to assist others and make connections.

To some, this will sound like a truism – the sort of thing you do every day anyway, without thinking. But as an industry, I cannot help but feel that we are a bit too British and reticent about sharing connections that might be useful to others.

We seem to guard our network as if introductions are a finite commodity – like there are only a dozen decent people in the market and, if I introduce you to one, I’ll have to make do with the leftovers. This is nonsense, of course. The industry is more than big enough to accommodate the success of others, as well as supporting your own.

I have always marvelled at how my American friends are extremely quick to loop you in with people who might be useful to your ambitions and how they have a relentless capacity for networking that we Brits have traditionally shied away from.

Partly this attitude is related to self-interest, where US contacts equally expect the same accommodation and introductions which some Brits have been hesitant to reciprocate.

It is also cultural because often, Brits do not want to seem pushy. However, if we embraced a more expansive and shamelessly American mindset in terms of networking, it would serve us well – both individually and collectively as an industry.

Because here is the truth – people love those who connect others. It is a form of charisma that draws people in.

These connectors form an informal infrastructure and, when connectors thrive, the industry benefits. Talent moves to where it can do its best work, ideas cross-pollinate and businesses can bridge that gap between ‘what we could do’ and ‘what we actually do’.

This lesson becomes even more important when considering the interconnectedness of UK general insurance. I have seen someone ousted from a business one day, then emerging as a lynchpin elsewhere soon thereafter.

There really is a limited pool of talent in our market at the moment and a cliff edge in terms of talent retiring, so you are bound to rub shoulders time and again with the same players. You cannot afford to tread on those toes. Not if you want longevity or allies.

Build status by sharing status

This brings me to a parable I was told at Dartmouth during my Navy officer training.

Two top cadets in Holland were both vying for the top slot in the Dutch Navy. Rather than go against each other and compete in a small fleet where they were bound to command the same ships and run into the same people, they worked together from the outset.

They were relentless about bigging the other up at every opportunity. They vouched for each other, rose together and, when one became head of the Dutch navy, he appointed the other as his successor. They both got to the same destination – does it really matter in what order?

I have no idea if this was a real-life example or a salty fairy tale from our instructor. But I have always loved the sentiment. Prosper by helping others prosper. Build status by sharing status. Be competitive about excellence and being a great connector.

So, the sentiment behind my father’s advice still rings true all these years later.

Protect your reputation like it is capital – because it is – and treat people well when you do not need them because you inevitably will want their support at some point. Furthermore, do not just avoid burning bridges, but try building them instead.

And yes, still kiss arse whenever necessary, for it will be necessary. One day, the shoe might even be on the other foot and you could be on the receiving end of such behaviour – a happy prospect professionally.

I will let you know if I ever get there.