Leadership is Taking Initiative: Megan Bell on Owning Your Strengths

The Leadership Project by DBH Consulting was developed to share stories of emerging and established insurance leaders thriving in the industry today. Hear from some of the most innovative and passionate executives transforming the insurance field.

DBH Consulting asked Megan Bell , Senior Vice President of Marketing at Falvey Insurance Group , to share her leadership journey and experiences in the insurance arena. For Megan, leadership is about authenticity—staying true to yourself and being willing to put yourself out there. For women in particular, she says, strategic networking is key. So is taking initiative on behalf of your future.?

Were you always drawn to leadership, or did that interest evolve over time?

Leadership always appealed to me. But it took the pandemic to really push me to become the type of leader I wanted to be. Leadership was always a hope, but it’s only been in the last few years that things have come into sharper focus for me.??

Falvey has a professional development plan for employees, and I found those resources helpful. In my first year, I shadowed sales trips to learn and observe in real time. Those trips helped me get up to speed on the industry, which was completely new to me back then. That understanding has proved invaluable—I can’t communicate our company’s vision if I don’t understand the insurance business from the inside out.??

What’s a key value that helped shape your career??

Authenticity is a big one for me. It took me a long time to feel confident in who I am and what my strengths are. It’s important to be yourself and encourage others to do the same. Being yourself can remove unnecessary anxiety and allow you to focus on your work, instead of worrying about what others might be thinking of you.?

Standing up for what you believe in—ensuring that your decisions align with your values—is also crucial.

How do you develop influence as a leader??

To me, building influence means putting yourself out there and making yourself available. Share your experiences—that encourages others to do the same.?

I’ve learned from other female leaders to remember and really think about the people I’m engaging with. If I meet someone new, I like to help that person make connections and build their network. It’s easy to do, yet it can have a lasting impact. I’m passionate about strengthening the network of women we have in the industry.?

I also think there’s great responsibility that accompanies leadership. Women often feel threatened by other women—like they have to protect any success they’ve achieved by putting other women down. Developing influence as a female leader is all about helping other women shine. When we do that, we can influence the future leaders of our entire industry.?

You started a speaker series, Women at the Helm, and a podcast called InsHER. Why these programs??

The Women at the Helm series focused broadly on women in business. My podcast is specifically about women in insurance. There’s a lack of equity in insurance leadership today, and the podcast tries to address that. Statistics show that the higher the leadership position, the fewer women there are who hold it. Across our industry, DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) efforts seem to be fizzling a bit post-Covid, becoming less of a strategic focus.

Family and caretaking are also concerns that the podcast explores. Women in this business worry about fairness and career growth, especially after having children. How do we make this more doable??

My husband and I have three kids, and our youngest was six months old when the Covid lockdown started. Being with her full-time was a gift, but balancing work and family is always challenging. We need to support women in their decisions, whether they choose to return to work or stay home. There’s no right or wrong decision, and we shouldn’t all go around guilt-ridden.?

What can CEOs in the industry do to help more qualified women and underrepresented people move into C-suite positions?

Succession planning is crucial. When someone’s ready to retire, keep an open mind about who could be eligible to take that position. Don’t base hiring decisions on personal relationships. Implement a more objective and structured interview process.

Diversity in decision-making is essential to succeeding in business. Without it, certain viewpoints might never be considered. That’s not really a fault of the C-suite; it’s just reality. If you’re all coming from the same background, you won’t see other perspectives, and that’s unhealthy for the organization. Diversity should be seen as a value, not a threat.

What advice would you give to help someone just starting out in this industry?

One, don’t wait for someone to call on you. If you’re passionate about something, express your interest. Acquiring confidence isn’t easy, but it’s worth it. The worst that can happen is someone says no, but more often, you’ll get a yes.

Two, think less about what could go wrong and more about what could go right. Stay humble and focus on the good wherever you can. Most people in this business want to help each other without expecting anything in return. I wish more young women knew that. I wish they knew it’s not that scary to reach out to other women and make connections. Send someone a LinkedIn message or an email and introduce yourself. Say, “I admire what you’re doing; I’d love to meet you.” I guarantee it gets easier the more you do it.?

I’ve benefited from these networks. I’m part of ISC Group (Insurance Supper Club), an international women’s association. Through their mentorship program, I was matched with an amazing mentor who’s always looking to help me and to make connections. We’ve built a strong relationship.

Can you share a workplace challenge that fueled subsequent growth for you?

During the return to work after the Covid lockdown, I experienced a fair amount of anxiety. I’ve always dealt with my share of it throughout my life, but these were very challenging days. I think of it now as a learning experience. I had to learn to better care for my own mental health and wellness. Especially in the post-Covid era, anxiety is a reality for many of us. Today, I’ve learned to care for myself in ways that help me be as strong as I can be as a leader and team member.?

What are you most proud of as a leader?

I’m proud of my team. They do beautiful work, and we’re all on the same page about the choices we would make for our brand. I trust them wholeheartedly to make the right decisions. That’s a great place to be in a career—it means I don’t have to hold onto anything too tightly.

I’m also proud of my podcast, which is my personal project outside of my nine-to-five job. It was a big step to put myself out there, but it’s been incredibly rewarding.?

What is a significant challenge facing the insurance industry today?

Everyone's talking about the retirements that are coming. There’s going to be a huge wave of people leaving, which presents us with a wonderful chance to fill leadership roles with more diverse candidates. But first we need to improve our ability to market the industry to young people. We need to do a better job of showcasing opportunities in insurance beyond just underwriting or claims. Jobs like my own, for example.?

Anything else you’d like to share about your leadership journey?

To other women in the industry, I would say that it’s possible both to be in leadership and to be a mother. You are still a good mom if you work! And if that work gives you meaning and purpose and you love it, all the better. Like I said earlier, there's a lot of guilt associated with wanting to have a career and wanting to have children too. We need to free ourselves from that.?

I would also say we need to support women in their decisions, whatever they might be. No one's life looks the same. There's no right or wrong here. We should celebrate whenever someone makes a choice to create the best possible life for themselves. That’s the real victory.

Note: This interview has been condensed and edited.?

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DBH Consulting guides emerging leaders aiming for the role of the CEO, with a deep commitment to relationship building and to racial and gender equity. DBH envisions a future where diversity and inclusion flourish in C-suites across the industry.

If you're inspired to take the next step in your leadership journey, get in touch with Demmie Hicks , leadership consultant and master coach at DBH Consulting.

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Interviews by Vanessa Lowry ?

Written by Stacia Pelletier

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