Kathleen Ellis believes that leadership is more than just a business buzzword.
“We are all leaders of our lives,” she said. “My leadership approach is to live in a vigilant way, making mindful decisions and recognizing that what you do in every aspect of your life has an impact on your organization.”
Ellis is senior vice president of international solutions at CNA, where she has worked for more than five years. Previously, Ellis worked for Chubb for 36 years. She’s worked over 20 jobs between two employers, but she says that is why her perspective stays fresh.
“I always felt like I was expanding and growing in my career,” she said, adding that she believes in ‘eating my own cooking,’ meaning that the decisions she makes matter and that she is willing to stick with them, hold herself accountable and to be committed to promises made.
“I like to live with the decisions I make. While you can choose to change companies and jobs, for me, I wanted to create consistency and a reputation of standing by those decisions,” she explains. “I am proud of that philosophy for myself.”
When she started at CNA, Ellis and her team spearheaded the creation of an end-to-end global system called CNA ComPass. The platform has streamlined program implementation and dependability in deliverables.
“I’ve been thrilled to do this work,” Ellis said. “The relationships I have been able to build across my career have made all the difference, it’s a privilege to do this work on a global level. ”
One of the highlights of her job is traveling. Ellis hasn’t been able to do that much recently because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but she’s excited to get back on the road and interact with people face-to-face.
“For me, the experience of taking a global assignment was life-changing,” Ellis said. “It was a change agent in my career. Global travel and face-to-face interactions have been some of the highlights of my working life. I’d recommend that if you can take advantage of working overseas or on global products, it will be a meaningful pursuit. I’ve been to over 50 countries and I’m still counting. If in your work, you can take advantage of meeting and working people in other countries, it is an amazing opportunity.”
During her career, Ellis has managed and mentored many people. She has gained a lot from the experience.
“It is great to be mentored or to mentor a person outside of your work environment. It is so important to be able to get honest feedback and insights,” she said. “I get so much benefit from those people I mentor, formally or informally.”
Others also see the benefit that she’s added to the industry.
Jacob Sloan, global industry manager, insurance at Appian Corporation and the person who nominated Ellis for the WIL award said: "Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to collaborate with Kathleen on a number of key projects, including CNA ComPass, and her dedication to innovation and willingness to think outside the box and challenge the status quo inspires everyone around her. She’s a strong believer in people-led technology and constantly motivates those around her to create better solutions, processes and workflows that not only benefit the business but the agents, brokers and customers they serve."
Ellis sees this current moment and the future as an exciting time for the industry. She said it’s necessary to create a pipeline of talent and bring in people.
“Today there is a war on talent. Most firms are actively seeking excellent people. We all have to be active ambassadors for the insurance industry and recognize there are so many roles and opportunities to take advantage of.”
