Can You Have It All?

One question often asked of women but not of men in the business world is: Can you have it “all”?

Is it possible to have both a successful career as an independent agent and a family? That’s something men never get asked, according to a panel of women insurance industry executives who were also asked their views on what women and the insurance industry can do to improve gender diversity in the executive ranks.

Four successful insurance executives discussed the critical factors for success in a podcast jointly produced by the event’s sponsor, the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation (IICF), and Wells Media Group’s Insurance Journal.

During the hour-long podcast, IICF Women Executive Roundtable: Gender Diversity in the P/C Insurance Industry, IICF CEO Bill Ross interviewed Pina Albo, president of the reinsurance division at Munich Re-America; Trish Henry, executive vice president, government and industry affairs, ACE Group; Joan Woodward, executive vice president for public policy at Travelers and president of the Travelers Institute; and Seraina Maag, chief executive for XL Insurance North America Property & Casualty.

Whether women – or anyone – can have it all depends on a number of things, according to the panelists.

“[I]t depends on what your definition of ‘all’ is,” said Albo.

Henry has no doubt that women can have it all. “I think you certainly can have a good marriage and be a good parent and also have a significant career,” she said.

Having it all – or trying to – is a choice for some. The idea of someone choosing not to have it all is fine, too.

“[W]hether you are male or female… you should not get too consumed with the notion of getting ahead. You are more likely to be successful if you do something you enjoy and you are good at it rather than doing what you think you should do in order to get to that next level in your career,” Albo said.

But Woodward said she is concerned about the number of young women who leave their careers because they believe they can’t have it all.

“I think it’s the responsibility of senior women, even those without children, to absolutely tell young women they can have both, a family life and a career at the same time,” Woodward said.

What do you think? Can agency owners have it all, men and women alike?

To listen to the full IICF Women Executive Roundtable, visit: www.insurancejournal.tv.

Topics Market