Most likely, every claims person has one – or is supposed to have one. At the start of each year – or right after your latest/most recent appraisal, create a folder – both hard copy and electronic. Here, gather and save all documentation and backup for the job you are doing in the claims department.
DON’T wait until your review time or just before your review time to do this! The best time to collect your thoughts on specific ways you have helped the company is NOW – or when they occur – not when you are wracking your brain trying to remember. Capture them while they are fresh in your mind. When you are under pressure – “Performance evaluation meeting on Thursday!” – you are most likely to have a brain freeze and memory lapse.
Keep regular track and document your accomplishments. Make it a regular/recurring “Task” to review and capture what you have done over the past few days, weeks or – at most – the past month to help your unit, save money, improve claim quality, boost customer service or expand your skill sets.
In your email system and in a hard-copy file, create a file labeled something like “2010 Accomplishments” or “2010 Kudos.” Put in as a recurring TASK in Outlook or whatever reminder/tickler system you have the task of “Record/review recent accomplishments.” This way, you have built into your schedule time to reflect on what you have done before your memory grows dim. Pick whatever time interval works for you. I have a recurring monthly reminder in Microsoft Outlook that reminds me on the 15th of each month, “Update Annual Kudos.”
Now you are ready. Examples of how you can use this system:
- Every time you participate in a significant claim project, note that as a bullet point in your record. Include your role on the project, your accomplishment and your unique contribution
- Whenever you get a letter, fax or email complimenting, supporting or recognizing your work on a claim or a project, tuck that away in your KUDOS file or folder. If someone relates the sentiment over the phone, “Don’t hesitate to ask, “Would you consider putting that in a letter or email to me?” Testimonials can become tangible and credible evidence of support for the claims work that you do.
- Take out a blank sheet of paper and label it, “TEAMWORK.” Each month, note who you have been collaborating with and how it has been working. Every claims unit wants to have team players even if they are also successful individual contributors. This can help your boss understand how your efforts blend with those of others to fuel the overall success of the company and its claims mission. Teamwork is very “big” in corporate America nowadays, so it helps to show that you are not a lone cowboy (or cow girl.) Put this on a monthly “diary” just as you might put a claim file on “tickler” or schedule for an every-30-day review. Make it a recurring task in your Outlook or whatever calendar management system you use.
- Add to the folder brochures on any and all educational events, seminars, courses, workshops, webinars, etc. that you have attended or spent time in throughout the year. Again, this helps “build a record” and accumulates documentation that you are striving to hone your skills and take them to the next level. Examples could be AIC courses, CPCU classes, Claim Association meetings, educational seminars put on by local defense law firms, etc.
Now you are ready for your annual performance review. Good luck!!
