CELEBRATING THE SUCCESS OF THE 2023 NIBA MENTORING PROGRAM

2023 marked the 15th edition of the NIBA Mentoring Program, and it featured an exciting development –for the first time, the program was conducted simultaneously in five different states with a record number of participants. Hear from three mentees about their experience of participating in the program this year.

How did you first hear about the NIBA Mentoring Program?

The Mentoring Program came highly recommended by my senior managers at the time of this year’s performance appraisal. The key offerings from the program encouraged me to join, as that could help me in achieving my 12-month professional development goal at my current workplace BAC Insurance Brokers.

What did you want to achieve through the program?

I came into the program looking to learn new skills in handling complex claims including dispute resolution, along with learning communication/leadership skills, understanding different personalities and to adjust accordingly. Also, I wanted to learn techniques in ‘managing up’ to assist our executive management appropriately and efficiently.

How was your experience of being a mentee in this year’s program?

Every single week, I learned new things that helped build my confidence and knowledge to help me perform to my best ability in my role at BAC. During the course of the program, my mentor helped me realise that I was working towards my goals already and my professional knowledge was actually quite advanced, but it was my own confidence and self-doubt which was holding me back from excelling in my field.

What has the NIBA Mentoring Program given you?

Someone who has been in your shoes before will be able to help you in identifying your goals, provide you with guidance and materials on how to handle a complex situation, help to make you realise the things you are doing correctly or areas where you need improvement, provide constructive criticism, and also encourage you to take a step ahead to achieve success. The NIBA Mentoring Program gave my self-confidence a massive boost. The webinars and workshops we attended helped put a lot of things in perspective for me which brought a positive change in my attitude, works ethic and performance at work. My mentor Gemma, who was my biggest supporter, is now a lifelong friend that I will always be grateful for. I also made new contacts from the program which will help me in future as well.

Mentee

Shruti Shah Senior Claims Consultant, Claims and Advisory BAC Insurance Brokers

Brittany May Account Executive

How did you first hear about the NIBA Mentoring Program?

I first heard about the NIBA Mentoring Program through my office, as one of my directors has been a mentor himself for the last couple of decades. I participated in this program as I am passionate about bettering myself in all aspects of life personally and professionally. So naturally, this included growing as a broker.

How was your experience of being a mentee in this year’s program?

My experience as a mentee, from my one-on-one meetings with my mentor to our group meetings and webinars, have all played a part in my significant growth over the last three months. The ‘Taking Charge of Your Emotions’ webinar was absolutely outstanding, and I have re-watched this webinar already since. There are core experiences from this program that I will take on with me forever. Overall, it’s been a rewarding experience that has helped me grow personally and professionally. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for me as a broker.

Tell us a bit about your relationship with your mentor

The relationship with my mentor, Asimina, has exceeded everything I went in this Program for. Asimina reminded me of how important it is to raise your standards in all aspects of life. We spoke a lot about our personal and work life and light bulbs went off in my head and where I could apply these insights to raise my standards. Asimina opened my eyes to the fact that if I put myself on a higher standard, everything else will come naturally.

Some areas the program focused on were the importance of goal setting, effective presentation skills and building relationships. How can these skills help a professional?

As brokers, effective presentation skills and building relationships form the core of our business. Effective presentation skills enable professionals to articulate ideas clearly and enhances our credibility and helps in earning trust of clients or stakeholders. The knowledge and skills that I have learnt during the program will help me exceed now and in the future. I spoke about raising my standards and how important this is. I plan to continue to expand my knowledge from those around me, internally and externally. By raising my standards, it has subconsciously encouraged me to push myself a little more in my everyday work life.

What has the NIBA Mentoring Program given you?

The NIBA Mentoring Program offers guidance and support from experienced individuals. As a mentee, this gives you the opportunity to learn from someone who has already navigated similar paths and can provide insights to help you overcome challenges. As I have mentioned above, the program contributes massively to your personal and professional development. Having a mentor to guide and support you can boost your self-confidence, and they can provide fresh perspectives and alternative viewpoints. Mentoring relationships often evolve into long-term connections. I know myself and my mentor see this connection as a long term one. The continuing support and advice don’t have to end just because the program has. Overall, being a mentee can be an invaluable experience that supports your growth, learning, and success in various aspects of your life and career.

Are you keen on joining the 2024 NIBA Mentoring Program? Please send your expression of interest to mentoring@niba.com.au, specifying whether you’d like to participate as a Mentor or Mentee.

Mentee

Sanjay Adhar Senior Account

Allianz Australia Insurance Ltd

How did you first hear about the NIBA Mentoring Program?

The first I heard about this program was at a NIBA Convention a few years back. I recall NIBA highlighting how rewarding this program can be, the professional career benefits associated with it, and noting the previous participants that are now leaders in our industry.

Knowing that this program pairs you with experienced insurance professionals outside of your workplace and seeing our industry constantly evolve, I felt this would be a great opportunity to share my career goals, see if they were still relevant and to seek perspective and guidance on how best to reach them.

What did you want to achieve through the program?

I had a good idea of what my short, medium, and long-term goals were. I wanted to use this program to expand my skill set, improve my confidence, gain industry awareness, ensure my goals are relevant, and to strive to be the best professional version of myself.

Working in Distribution at Allianz for the last four years, I’ve always had a goal in mind, which is to be one of the best Broker Relationship Managers in market. Knowing NIBA would pair me with an experienced insurance broker, who would have experienced multiple Relationship Managers in the past, I knew this would be a great opportunity to rate myself honestly, identify areas of improvement, share ideas, and work on an achievable plan to bridge the gap between where I am and where I wanted to be.

How was your experience of being a mentee in this year’s program?

As a mentee, I have nothing but great things to say about my experience throughout this program. If anything, I wish I had participated earlier on in my insurance career. Throughout the 12week program, my mentor and I had weekly catch ups where we would review my progress, share experiences, discuss any current obstacles and determine if any of my original goals required amendments. I was fortunate to be paired with Anthony Scott, who brought a world of knowledge, experience and energy to each session and ensured I stayed on track throughout the 12-week program.

What has the NIBA Mentoring Program given you?

Having the opportunity to connect with an experienced professional and gain perspective, insights and advice into your own career is an opportunity which seems far too valuable to pass on.

In today’s day and age, we can easily say we are time poor and lose sight of our career goals, and forego the necessary time and effort required to purse these goals. This program in some ways, forces you to make time and effort to understand your present situation, ensure your goals are achievable and determine whether you have the right framework in place to successfully pursue these goals. This program has allowed me to identity my strengths and weaknesses and how to become a professional within our industry. The best thing about this is, despite the program concluding, I know I have built a solid trusting relationship with my mentor and can always lean on him to bounce ideas and situations in the future.

Are you keen on joining the 2024 NIBA Mentoring Program? Please send your expression of interest to mentoring@niba.com.au, specifying whether you’d like to participate as a Mentor or Mentee.