Hello. My 1st year in insurance. “You had me at “Hello.””

Boom?? a year goes by and what a year.?Supersonic doesn’t quite cover the time experience @ Direct Line Group [DLG]. There have been surprises, mistakes & re-learning. Overall though 'smashing it' is how I feel. Since joining the sector, I often get asked "what are your ‘top 10 things’ you are changing or have learnt?" The other one is "why Finance/Insurance?" That one is easy. Why not? I love to cross the streams (see later). Anyway, I couldn’t think of 10. So here are 5 in the style of some of my favourite films.

1.????“It’s not the plane, it’s the pilot..”

The technology is cool. People power is better. No new news! The positive stuff on LinkedIn comes through all the time. I must confess I also post and amplify these, especially when we do something I’m super proud about. However, when transforming there are also super difficult conversations. Doing that with authenticity and more importantly with transparency in how it links to your purpose and vision, is a constant re-learn. Sometimes you get it right, sometimes it’s tough and you screw it up. It doesn’t matter how many times you think you have done it! It’s the pilot(s) and in the film I'm in, "it's team at DLG". ????

2.????“Don’t cross the streams. Why? It would be bad.”

I’m the opposite to this. Customers don’t care what sector they happen to be experiencing. We (I’m a customer not just a CxO!) just want it to work as good as the last best thing we experienced. So, cross the streams! Think outside of your area and do look at ALL the competition, then do something magical with your ingredients. That is what we are doing at DLG. Total protonic reversal of how we meet our customers for the next few years.???

3.????“Yippee Ki-Yay mother f * ”

Killing things is hard of course, it should be. [Yes, that's my custom Xbox controller!]. I’m talking about legacy technology, mindset and processes. It can be super therapeutic to get people motivated around the future, by having ‘Switch off Thursdays’. We are accelerating our culture of future technology by making space. I recommend this to help with your communities and collaboration. Acceleration can only happen when you cut the brakes or release the anchors. Some of that is hardware (stuff). Some of that is software (mindset). Most is software. ???

4.????“I’m sorry, Dave. I’m afraid I can’t do that”

I’ve learnt you must hold the course. Saying "no", in this very collaborative lead world is tough. With positive intent, saying no is a must to deliver the ‘Yes!!’ we all want to hear. Doing that with humility but clearly is not always easy. Keep practicing in service of the right outcome. All of us will have this value plastered on walls and trendy water bottles/mouse mats. The human 'doing' of it is a little trickier. Practice. Practice. Practice.

5.????“…if you Book them, they will come.”

Setting dates for delivery is something we do all the time. Believing in the ‘concert’ is actually more important. I have posted a lot about belief. Set the date use 1, 4 and hold to 5. You will be amazed what your organisation can do! Taking risks is part of life and creating new business. If you can create your 'concert' and book everyone in. They (customers & collegues) will come. Nothing is ever perfect so fix forward...but you must move forward!

So if you stayed until the end of my first article. Thank you I'll leave you with Direct Line Group had me at hello. I continue to adapt, adopt and absorb the film I find myself in. To my amazing team. Karen White | Lee Ham | David Hughes | Simon Speck | Matt Poulter | Rhys Jones | Leah Everid and of course my peers at ExCo led by Penny James . Bring year 2 on! Further & Faster [not a Vin Diesel sequel]. As my boss says "we have got this!".

0. Jerry Maguire (1996) 1. Top Gun Maverick (2022) 2. Ghostbusters (1984) 3. Die Hard(s) 4.2001 Space Odyssey (1968) 5. Wayne’s World 2 (1993).