The document discusses the history and development of The Hartford insurance company and its Claims Leadership Model (CLM). It describes how the CLM was implemented to shift from a transactional to transformational leadership approach. Frontline supervisors were trained to focus 50% of their time on employee-facing activities like daily huddles instead of only file reviews. This led to improved business metrics like file quality and customer satisfaction. While there was initial resistance, communication and emphasis on benefits helped with adoption of the new model.

1. The Hartford
(Landseer, 1851)
AND THE CLAIM LEADERSHIP MODEL
Heidi Lewin – EDUC 6105 Orgs,
Innovation & Change

2. Please turn on your Speakers

3. History of the Company-Early beginnings
May 10, 1810
(Firetruck, 1901) (Nathaniel
Terry,Portrait n.c.). (Great Fire
of 1835, n.d), (Landseer, 1851),
(Morse, n.d.)

4. History of the Company-Famous Insureds
(Abraham Lincoln House, n.d.), (Abraham
Lincoln, n.d.), (Babe Ruth, n.d.), (Lee House,
n.d.), (Buffalo Bill, n.d.), (Timmons, n.d.),

5. History of the Company-Major projects
(Golden Gate Construction, n.d.),
(Golden Gate,, n.d.), (Hover Dam
Construction, n.d.), (Hover Dam, n.d.)

6. History of the Company - Present Day
(The Hartford [HIG],
n.d.), (AARP Logo,
n.d.), (US
Paralympics and The
Hartford, n.d.), (Larry
The Stag, 2010)

7. CEO
Comm.
Markets
Talcott
Resolution
Mutual
Funds
HIMCO
Financial
Law
Consumer
Markets
Middle Market
GB Claims
Chief Claim Officer
Large Loss
Spec. Invest.
Field Claims
Work Comp
HHI
Auto
Practices
Gen. Liability
Group Benefits
Sales &
Distribution
Select Customer
Property & Marine
Property
Chief Underwriter
Claims Legal
Actuary Comm
Markets
Claim Services
Actuary Reserving
Field Ops
Finance
Human
Resources
Enterprise
Risk Mgmt

8. The Hartford Culture
Pre-Remote Worker Program
• Top-Down decision making process
• Reactionary Change
• Northeast culture and viewpoints
• Out of touch
Post-Remote Worker Program
• Collaborative decision making
process
• Proactive Change
• Viewpoints and cultures from country
wide
• Engaged Leadership team
(The Hartford, 2013)

9. The Claims Leadership Model-CLM
•
Why
•
•
•
•
•
Transactional vs. Transformational Leadership
Improvement in the 3 business metrics
•
File Quality
•
Customer Service
•
Work Environment
Daily activity breakdown for front line leaders
•
85% of their time performing process driven work
•
7-10% coaching
•
5-8% of their time doing team administrative work
Front line leaders were not empowered to lead their teams
Who?
•
•
Claim staff from all lines of business
•
•
Change Process
Post Implementation guidelines
How?
(D. Carrow, personal communication,
November 13, 2013)

10. The CLM Process - Assessment and
Planning
• Initial Survey with McKinsey & Company
• Process and Time studies using Six Sigma studies
• Project managers traveled to TD Ameritrade to observe the
Lean Management System
• Outcomes
(D. Carrow, personal communication, November
13, 2013)

11. The CLM - Change
• Front line supervisors focus shift
•
•
•
•
•
Employee facing activities vs. All Quality file reviews
Daily team huddles
Benchmark performance reviews on a team level
Weekly department huddles
New daily activity breakdown for front line leaders
• 50% Employee facing activities
• 30% File level activities
• 20% team oversight and professional development
(D. Carrow, personal
communication,
November 13, 2013)

12. The CLM - Resistance
Front Line Supervisors
•
•
•
•
Time management
Flavor of the month
Performance level decline
Pay for performance culture
Claim staff
• Waste of time-time management issues
• Intrusive
• Uncomfortable with a less structured performance assessment
(R. Garcia, personal
communication, November
15, 2013)

13. The CLM - Implementation
• Training for front line supervisors
• Need for the model
• Increased business metrics
• Proper way to conduct employee facing activities
• Use of daily huddles
• How to provide appropriate feedback
• Identify those employees with a high performance level
• Communication-key to implementation.
(E. Bounds, R. Guillermo, M. Drescher, & V.
Mayorga, personal communication, November
20, 2013)

14. The CLM - Post Implementation
• Huddle guidelines established
• Feedback forms to document employee facing activities
• Leadership blog
• Handout for claim staff outlining the new model
(D. Carrow, personal communication,
November 13, 2013)

15. The CLM – Success Story
All three core business metrics saw an increase
• Overall File Quality - 78% to 85% standard files
• Customer Loyalty – 82% to 87% satisfied
• Work environment – 91% of claim employees would rather
work for the Hartford than for anyone else.
(D. Carrow, personal
communication, November
13, 2013)

16. Reflections
What went well
• Planning
• Research
• Implementation
• Communication to front line supervisors
• Follow up
Area for improvement
• Claim representative communication and anticipation of
resistance.

17. Reflections
The change process incorporated many factors presented by
Dr. Bligh
• Created a sense of urgency
• Communicated the rational for the change
• Identified likely resistors
• Created small wins
• Identified Structural obstacles
Visionary vs. Reactionary
(Laureate Education, n.d.)

18. References
AARP Logo [Computer graphic]. (n.d.). Retrieved from bhpmss.org
Abe Lincoln Illinois Home [Photograph]. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://iconnect.thehartford.com/Pages/Archive1287781464486.aspx
Babe Ruth in Uniform [Photograph]. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://iconnect.thehartford.com/Pages/Archive1287783787962.aspx
Buffalo Bill [Lithograph on paper]. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/cody/
Fire truck [Photograph]. (1901). Retrieved from http://fire.hartford.gov/PictureGallery/old_fire_truck.jpg
Golden Gate Bridge Construction [Photograph]. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://iconnect.thehartford.com/Pages/Archive1287781376075.aspx
Hoover Dam Construction [Photograph]. (n.d.). Retrieved from www.library.unlv.edu
Hoover Dam [Photograph]. (n.d.). Retrieved from hoover-dam-directions.jpg.
Landseer, E. H. (1851). Monarch of the Glen [Painting]. Retrieved from http://www.1artclub.com/the-monarch-of-the-glen-by-sir-edwin-landseer/
Larry the Stag [Photograph]. (2010). Retrieved from http://benhauck.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/landscape-opening-bell-as-larry-the-stag.jpg
Laureate Education [Producer]. (n.d.). Sustaining change. Retrieved from Walden course EDUC 6105
Lee House at Arlington [Photograph]. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://washington.dukegill.com/images/Arlington_Cemetery_Arlington_House_001.jpg
Mid-America Games for the Disabled [Computer graphic]. (n.d.). Retrieved from www.midamericagames.com
Morse, S. F. (n.d.). Eliphalet Terry [Oil on canvas]. Retrieved from www.en.wahooart.com
Nathaniel Terry [Painting]. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://iconnect.thehartford.com/Pages/Archive1287781376075.aspx
The Great Fire 1835 [Painting]. (n.d). Retrieved from http://newyorklookingback.blogspot.com/2011/12/great-fire-1835.html
The Hartford. (2013). Map with Office Locations [Computer Graphic]. Retrieved from www.thehartford.com/sites/thehartford/files/facts-about-the-hartford.pdf
The Hartford. (n.d.). Hartford Home Office [Photograph]. Retrieved from http://www.thehartford.com/higfiles/flash/historical_timeline.html
Timmons, R. (n.d.). Robert E. Lee [Painting]. Retrieved from www.rebelyell1.com