If you were to ask the chief executive officer of QBE North America what success looks like, he might pull out some text messages with images of employees celebrating a recent change at the company. Executive SummaryPutting the customer first isn’t necessarily the best way for an insurer to win business, according to QBE NA CEO Russell Johnston. Here, he explains his employee-first style of leadership and the direct impact engaged employees have on delivering for customers, producing a trickle-down effect on financial results for shareholders.
The electronic high-fives for Russell Johnston came when he delivered on a promise to look into the possibility of eliminating an annoying and time-consuming task that one employee suggested might be unnecessary: filling out expense reports.
After the employee told Johnston that his prior company had a better way of tracking expenses, the leader connected with his legal team to investigate the possibility, Johnston told Carrier Management, providing an example of something he had learned during a recent employee meeting. “After a little bit of pushing and prodding and people opening their minds a little bit, we were able to change the whole process.”