Align your career with your values and you’ll never be disappointed

Recently, one of our college interns asked me for the career advice that I would give to a new grad. The conversation got me thinking about my own experience, how I got started in the financial services industry – and why I’ve stayed at Northwestern Mutual for the last 30 years. The truth is, if I had listened to others, I would have taken a different path. But in choosing a path that spoke to me, I found a calling that is just as relevant to me today as it was then. ?

Early in my career, I worked as a certified public accountant (CPA), which exposed me to different companies and industries, before going back to school to get a law degree. While in law school, I had several jobs - with a large law firm, a corporate legal department, and the US Attorney’s office. Each opportunity offered very different work experiences and culture.

After graduating I took a two-year clerkship working for a federal judge in Kansas City, Missouri. I loved the work and developed a close relationship with the judge, whom I'd grown to admire. When the clerkship was ending, the judge asked me about my future plans. I told him that I had decided to join the corporate law department at Northwestern Mutual, where I'd worked one of my summers during law school. His reaction caught me by surprise. He thought it was a mistake and tried several times to talk me out of it! Instead, he thought I'd see more interesting work (and get paid better) working at a “big-city” law firm. I vividly remember his comment -- "Why start your legal career working for a life insurance company?"?

The judge knew a lot about the law, but he understandably knew nothing about the culture of Northwestern Mutual. And it was the culture, the values, the ethos of the organization that drew me here. It’s what I saw that summer as an intern, that made me want to join full-time.?

I love the essence of our work – providing financial security and peace of mind to individuals and families; protecting them when life's worst moments occur. The noble purpose of our industry and this work is profoundly important. The people we serve and the outsized impact we have on so many is deeply personal. It’s what drew me here above all else. The value of humility in service of others. It’s how I was raised by my parents, and a value that remains important to me to this day. And as an aside, I dare say it's a quality that is also too often lacking in many institutions of leadership today.?

I love that we operate as a mutual company; that we are owned by our policyowners; that we exist solely to serve their best interests; and that our loyalty and allegiance to them has no conflicting duty to shareholders. This legal structure allows us to consistently operate with a long-term focus on what’s in our policyowners' best interests. And that in turn has driven consistently industry-leading value to our policyowners, as represented by the $6.5 billion dividend we will pay to policyowners in 2022.?

I love being part of a company that encourages, expects and rewards personal growth and development. I've had to remind my children, who are now starting out in careers of their own, that while I've worked at the same company for 30 years, I've had five or six materially different roles – from legal counsel, to claims, distribution, investments, operations and insurance. And many of them entailed starting over, learning new facets of the business, and operating outside your comfort zone. But by investing in your skills, broadening your knowledge, taking on new challenges and delivering results, you continue growing and ultimately expand your value.

Finally, as a young lawyer just starting out, I was highly drawn to the leadership profile of the individuals I had observed at the company. My parents had instilled in me the importance of being mindful of the company you keep. At Northwestern Mutual I consistently met men and women who led with character, integrity, and intellect. These were leaders I wanted to one day emulate. And in turn, I've tried over my career to be mindful of the impact we have on others through the example we set as leaders.?

Too often I hear young adults speak of career “paths” that are implicitly pre-determined – doing A, to do B, to do C. And the reason the path is that prescribed is because many others have followed it. But instead of following the herd, my challenge to those contemplating your professional calling is to follow your own, inner voice; pay attention to what’s important to you, rather than to those around you. I was lucky; I understand that. I found work that I love, at a company that is special, that supported my growth and development, surrounded by individuals whom I admire and respect. But I found it, in part, because I paid attention to and followed my values.

Which brings me back to my reply to the individual who asked for my advice: regardless of the age and stage you’re at in your own career, align your career decisions with your values, and you’ll never be disappointed with the results.