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Many companies have CEOs who arrive, stay five to twelve years, and then move on to the next CEO role. Aflac CEO Dan Amos arrived and stayed.
Aflac’s net income with Dan Amos as CEO is over $68 billion. Click the link below to read about his day as CEO at Aflac.
https://www.businessinsider.com/fortune-500-ceo-dan-amos-aflac-day-in-the-life-2025-2
In today’s fast-paced, hyper-connected world, emotional intelligence (EQ) has emerged as a critical skill for personal and professional success.
At its core lie two foundational pillars: self-awareness and self-management. These intertwined competencies empower individuals to navigate challenges, build meaningful relationships, and achieve their goals with clarity and resilience. This article explores their definitions, interconnected roles, practical benefits, and development strategies.
Understanding Self-Awareness: The Mirror of the Mind
Self-awareness is the ability to objectively recognize and understand one’s emotions, strengths, weaknesses, values, and motivations. It’s the conscious knowledge of how one’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors impact oneself and others. Psychologist Daniel Goleman, a pioneer in EQ research, describes it as the “keystone” of emotional intelligence.
Key Components of Self-Awareness
1. Emotional Awareness: Identifying your emotions in real-time (e.g., “I’m feeling anxious about this presentation”).
2. Self-Assessment: Objectively evaluating your strengths (e.g., creativity) and growth areas (e.g., impatience).
3. Values Alignment: Understanding your core principles and whether your actions reflect them.
4. Social Awareness: Recognizing how others perceive you through feedback and observation.
Why It Matters: Self-aware individuals make intentional decisions, avoid reactive behaviors, and align their lives with their purpose. For example, leaders who acknowledge their tendency to micromanage can consciously delegate tasks to empower their team.
Self-Management: Steering the Ship
Self-management is the ability to regulate emotions, thoughts, and behaviors constructively, even in stressful situations. It builds self-awareness by translating insight into action.
Core Aspects of Self-Management
1. Emotional Regulation: Managing impulses (e.g., pausing before reacting angrily to criticism).
2. Adaptability: Staying flexible in the face of change or setbacks.
3. Goal-Oriented Discipline: Prioritizing long-term objectives over short-term gratification.
4. Optimism and Resilience: Reframing challenges as opportunities for growth.
Why It Matters: A project manager who stays calm under pressure, reassesses timelines, and motivates their team exemplifies strong self-management. This skill fosters trust, productivity, and mental well-being.
The Symbiosis Between Self-Awareness and Self-Management
Self-awareness provides the diagnosis; self-management is the treatment. For instance:
– Recognizing you’re prone to stress (self-awareness) allows you to implement coping strategies like meditation (self-management).
– Understanding your procrastination triggers (e.g., perfectionism) enables you to break tasks into manageable steps.
Without self-awareness, self-management risks becoming rigid or inauthentic. Without self-management, self-awareness remains an untapped insight.
Benefits in Personal and Professional Life
1. Enhanced Decision-Making: Self-aware people avoid biases (e.g., overconfidence), while self-management ensures follow-through.
2. Stronger Relationships: Managing reactions (e.g., active listening) builds empathy and trust.
3. Leadership Effectiveness: EQ-driven leaders inspire teams, resolve conflicts, and foster innovation.
4. Mental Health: Reducing emotional volatility lowers anxiety and improves life satisfaction.
Strategies to Build Self-Awareness and Self-Management
1. Practice Mindfulness: Daily reflection (journaling, meditation) helps identify emotional patterns.
2. Seek Feedback: Ask trusted peers or mentors for honest input on blind spots.
3. Pause Before Reacting: Use techniques like the “6-second rule” to breathe before responding. 4. Set SMART Goals: Specific, measurable objectives create accountability.
5. Leverage Cognitive Restructuring: Challenge negative thoughts (e.g., “I failed” → “I learned”).
Conclusion: A Lifelong Journey
Self-awareness and self-management are not innate traits but skills honed through practice. By embracing curiosity and compassion toward oneself, individuals unlock the power to lead authentically, adapt proactively, and thrive in an ever-changing world. As Aristotle wisely said, Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.
Final Thought: Start small. Dedicate 5 minutes daily to self-reflection and gradually integrate these strategies into your routine. Over time, the compound effect of heightened EQ will transform both your inner world and outer achievements.
This structured yet approachable guide balances theory with actionable steps, making it valuable for professionals, students, or anyone seeking personal growth. Let me know if you’d like to expand on specific sections!
Wishing you a Happy New Year filled with innovation, management insights, and digital marketing strategies! May this year bring opportunities for creativity, growth, and personal development. Here’s to a future fueled by technology, motivation, and the spirit of entrepreneurship.
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Sharing gratitude is easy. In fact, it takes little effort, but it may change the day of the person you show appreciation to and inspire them to share the same with others.
In 2024, coverage for obesity drugs increased to 44% among employers with 500 or more workers, compared to 41% last year, the survey found.
“Employers doubled down on strategies to manage cost growth while finding ways to improve key benefits to support employees and their families in 2024, including expanded coverage for GLP-1 medications and fertility treatments,” Ed Lehman, Mercer’s U.S. health leader, said in a statement.
Tracy Watts, Mercer’s national leader for U.S. health policy, said GLP-1s could “turn the tide on the obesity epidemic and positively impact downstream medical costs.”
“Cost is clearly a concern, and employers are adding authorization requirements to ensure the medications are used by members who will benefit the most,” Watts said.
Drug prices are among the biggest threats to healthcare affordability, according to 99% of the nearly 190 employers surveyed recently by the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions.
In the NAHPC survey, about 46% of employers said they cover GLP-1s for obesity, and another 21% said they are debating doing so in the next three years. Of those companies either offering or considering GLP-1 coverage for obesity treatment, many said they might take steps to manage costs, such as limiting access to those with chronic conditions or a certain body mass index.
Open enrollment is coming to an end soon. With that in mind, employees with an accident, critical illness, or hospital indemnity plan must ensure they file any wellness benefits they may have qualified for. Wellness benefits are often not filed, although the employee most likely had a qualifying event in that calendar year.
I recently completed a survey of wellness claims filed in 2024 for over 1,175,326 employees. Each participating employer requested their wellness claims data from their supplemental carrier for my review. You may click on the Wellness Benefits Stats Link to see my findings.
There are several reasons why an employee might not file for their wellness claim benefit, even if it’s available through their accident, critical illness, or hospital indemnity policy:
By American Heart Association
May 1, 2024
Are you bringing home more from your job than just a paycheck? A 2023 study from the American Heart Association reported that burnout — chronic, unmanaged workplace stress — is on the rise, with 4 in 5 employees (82%) at least sometimes feeling burned out in their role.
Burnout can lead to exhaustion, disengagement, negativity and reduced performance, with a study from Gallup estimating employee disengagement costs U.S. companies approximately $1.9 trillion in lost productivity.
“For 100 years, the American Heart Association has been a relentless force for longer, healthier lives, where people live, work and play. In a 2021 scientific statement, the Association noted that mental health plays an important role in overall health and well-being and that positive mental health can decrease risks for cardiovascular disease,” said Eduardo Sanchez, M.D., M.P.H., FAAFP, the Association’s chief medical officer for prevention. “Mental Health Month in May is an opportunity to shine a light on the role work plays in the nation’s mental well-being and how business leaders can make intentional, science-based changes to keep their workforce healthy and their businesses thriving.”
The impact of burnout
Stress is normal, and in some cases can even play a positive role by increasing motivation and spurring productivity. But, when stress becomes chronic, it can have negative consequences for both employees and companies.
Negative workplace experiences can lead to an increased risk for conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke, with the combined effect of workplace stressors on the body being akin to the dangers of secondhand smoke. And no one is immune — even CEOs experience the consequences of stress and burnout.
Traditional employer approaches to burnout prevention have emphasized the role of individual self-care through the introduction of programs like mindfulness coaching, meditation apps, and time management training. While necessary, these efforts alone are not enough to move the needle. Making the workplace a vehicle for positive mental well-being requires a comprehensive approach, including implementing workplace policies and building a safe, supportive organizational culture.
“By making intentional changes rooted in science and centered on the employee and their experiences, organizations can make a real and lasting impact on the well-being of their workforce,” said Sanchez.
Getting to the root of burnout
The American Heart Association surveyed over 5,000 employees in the U.S. to examine what experiences are most associated with burnout and how some of these factors can be mitigated through workplace policy and culture.
The theme? People are feeling disconnected.
From a lack of recognition to limited autonomy and misalignment of values, employees are struggling to find fulfillment in their work, which, according to a Gallup report, can lead to low productivity, high turnover, and greater absenteeism.
Preventing burnout starts with connection
The Association’s survey results illuminated nine emerging practices across three domains that can help reduce burnout and increase workplace well-being by as much as 40%.
1. Connection to the organization: Ensure employees feel confident in their role and understand how their contributions support the organization’s overall success. Approaches to consider:
2. Connection to their role: Tailoring roles to each employee’s unique skillset and allowing room for growth helps employees feel trusted and supported. Approaches to consider:
3. Connection to their well-being: A healthy workforce is an effective workforce. Prioritizing employee well-being as a strategic business imperative ensures that everyone is supported to reach their full health potential. Approaches to consider:
Met Life Q1 24 Earnings
GROUP BENEFITS Segment
Adjusted earnings $284 down (7)%
Adjusted premiums, fees, and other revenues $6,330
Sales were up 25 percent, driven by strong growth across both core and voluntary products.
Click to access MET_1Q24_Earnings_Release-FINAL.pdf
#leadershipmatters #management #ceo #cfo #business #hr #humanresources #managementconsulting #strategy #strategytoexecution #shrm #benefitspro #leadership
Prudential Financial, Inc. Announces First Quarter 2024 Results
Net income attributable to Prudential Financial, Inc. of $1.138 billion versus net income of $1.462 billion for the year-ago quarter.
Group Insurance:
• Reported adjusted operating income of $45 million in the current quarter, compared to $25 million in the year-ago quarter.
This increase primarily reflects more favorable underwriting results in group life and higher net investment spread results, partially offset by higher
expenses.
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Humana warns of tough times ahead for Medicare Advantage
https://lnkd.in/e-PuXSCb
Humana Reports First Quarter 2024 Financial Results; $741 million in net income on $29,611 billion in revenues.
HUM stock closes at $320.54, down from $470.10 on 1/2/24 and a 52-week high of $541.21.
Humana’s market cap has fallen from $57.874 b on 1/2/24 to $38.625 b today
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https://lnkd.in/eMuv6Cdu