New York Life’s Manager Pathway

By Margery Weinstein

New York Life Insurance Company (NYL) provides a path for its budding leaders—a “Management Pathway,” that is. This series of courses was designed specifically to help new managers and supervisors, as well as experienced managers, develop the skills needed as a manager and leader at NYL. These Pathway programs:

• Provide a clear and easy approach to development, enabling learners to determine an appropriate course of learning given their role and experience.
• Package professional development offerings into a more structured set of workshops that align with current NYL development priorities.
• Provide strong supporting alignment to the NYL Leadership Competency Model.

Two management pathway programs have been created—Management Fundamentals and Experienced Manager.

NYL Management Fundamentals Pathway:

• Includes new managers and supervisors with less than two years of managerial experience.
• Focuses on the leadership competencies required for success at this level with a balanced emphasis on personal feedback and skills for leading and managing.

NYL Experienced Manager Pathway:

• Includes directors, assistant vice presidents, and corporate vice presidents with five or more years of managerial/leadership experience.
• Helps managers further develop the capabilities within their own teams. There is a strong focus in this program on developing talent and teambuilding.

When looking at the employee development landscape of NYL, there is a host of professional development offerings available for early career employees and numerous tailored programs for key talent and executive officers. The creation of both Management Pathways enabled the company to target the mid-career, “people manager” population at NYL. Since enrollment into each pathway is open rather than nomination based, people managers who are motivated and committed to making a difference at NYL have the opportunity to enroll in the program that best suits their developmental needs.

There were approximately 182 people managers enrolled in the Management Fundamentals Program and 152 people managers enrolled in the Experienced Manager Program in 2011—this includes home office employees (including Westchester, Parsippany, Clinton), as well as the AARP Tampa location. Since the initial launch of this program in the New York home office in May 2011, Learning and Development constituents in the Tampa AARP operation have replicated the program for all people managers in that location.

In a survey conducted with all Home Office participants:

• Some 93 percent of respondents replied, “Yes,” to the statement: “The Management Fundamentals/Experienced Manager Pathway is helping me develop skills that will improve my effectiveness as a manager and leader at NYL.”
• All respondents indicated they would recommend this program to direct reports and/or colleagues.

Other key goals of the Management Pathways include: program managers engaging in a high level of communication, creating a more personalized experience, and building community among all pathway participants. Both formal and informal feedback has indicated that this is well received and appreciated.

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