Do you know what it takes to get ahead in your company?
Women of SIFM is a special interest group within the 60 year old Society of Insurance Financial Management. It provides female insurance executives a supportive environment in which to learn, share and deepen their understanding of the skills necessary to succeed in today’s competitive, constantly evolving, global environment.
The Women of SIFM provides opportunities to build one’s network and foster meaningful relationships, to encourage an open dialogue among members including providing advice on leadership behaviors, alternative issue resolution and support in advancing and enriching each other’s career.
The Women of SIFM Steering Committee is comprised of SIFM members.
Upcoming Events
Influencing & Negotiating in the Post-Pandemic Era
Have you considered the significant shifts in negotiation and influence dynamics since the onset of the pandemic? From our work routines to the processes we employ, much has evolved over the past four years, altering power dynamics along the way. Gain insight into these changes and learn how to leverage them by attending the Women of SIFM meeting on May 14, 2024.
This is an opportunity to understand how to influence virtually and to address the issues that arise in a hybrid workplace. You will learn:
- How to effectively exert influence and negotiate in a hybrid workplace
- The psychology of virtual influencing
- The effective use of different mediums of virtual communication
- Handling issues that arise when part of your team is remote
- Disadvantages of remote workers in terms of impact and advancement
Speaker: Lee Miller
Mr. Miller has developed proven strategies, tactics, and techniques for influencing and negotiating. Lee is a professional speaker, executive coach and corporate trainer in the field of leadership, influencing, corporate culture, sales, negotiating and innovation.
He is an adjunct professor at Columbia University, USC and at Seton Hall University’s Stillman School of Business, where he teaches graduate level courses in both the MBA and Human Capital Management programs. He serves as a Fellow on the Conference Board.
Among the books he has authored are UP: Influence Power and The U Perspective – The Art of Getting What You Want, and, with his daughter Jessica Miller, A Woman’s Guide To Successful Negotiating. He is also the co-author of “Getting People to Believe in Something They Can’t Yet Imagine” published in the Harvard Business Review Online.
Contact: https://negotiationplus.com
The program will be preceded by a High Tea with a variety of special teas and delicious bites to celebrate Spring in the City.
This program is generously sponsored by Mazars USA
Lee Miller
Date: Tuesday, May 14, 2024
Venue: Mazars USA
135 W 50th Street
New York, NY 10020
Time: 4:00 – 6:30 pm.
High Tea, Networking and Program
Price: $25 for members and non-members
Who are the Women of SIFM? Women of SIFM offer an invigorating environment where women can learn, share, and deepen their understanding of the vital skills required to flourish in today’s fast-paced, continuously evolving, global environment. This group not only connects you with an expansive network of insurance professionals, but also fosters meaningful relationships that could profoundly impact your professional journey.
Past Events
The Women of SIFM Committee is delighted to invite you to join us at our Wear to Work Wardrobing Event, where J.Crew will showcase women’s fashion in the workplace.
Discover the newest fashion trends for all business occasions from business-casual to business-formal as well as company holiday parties. Jade Nelson of J Crew will present the latest fashion trends as well as explain how to adapt your look for last-minute client meetings or unexpected business dinners. We will include the Women of SIFM models to highlight the trends and feature a range of styles that will appeal to everyone.
How to Coach and be Coached
Have you ever wondered about the difference between coaching and mentoring? Join the Women of SIFM on September 27, 2023, to hear Julie Jansen demystify coaching, mentoring, and counseling.
You will learn the secret communication skills of all great coaches, such as asking great questions and listening for underlying issues, so you can apply these skills to your coaching and mentoring.
Register now for these Key Takeaways:
- The differences between coaching, mentoring, and counseling
- Coaching for performance vs. coaching for development
- Communication skills
- How, when, and why does coaching work?
- Next steps: are you ready?
Julie Jansen helps individuals identify a different career, find a new job, and succeed at work. Her services include career and executive coaching, speaking to groups in-person or virtually, and resume and LinkedIn profile writing. Julie also conducts employability and wage-earning evaluations as a vocational expert. She is the author of the best-selling career classic, I Don’t Know What I Want, But I Know It’s Not This: A Step-by-Step Guide to Finding Gratifying Work.
This program is generously sponsored by Mazars USA
Date: Wednesday, September 27
Venue: Mazars USA
135 W 50th Street
New York, NY 10020
Time: 4:00 – 6:00 pm Networking, Program, Cocktails
Price: Welcome Back Bonus – No Charge
On the Menu: Share a little blarney and Irish whiskey on March 11
Date: Thursday, March 11, 2023
Time: 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Cost: Free to SIFM members and Non-members, so bring a friend
Speakers: Andrea Bonfiglio, Chief Marketing Officer, Triple T Hospitality Group
The Women of SIFM are hosting a St. Patrick’s Day Mixology evening. Learn to make 2 new drinks while meeting new and old colleagues in a casual setting. And, of course, bring your favorite story since we are all Irish on St. Patrick’s Day!
Our mixologist is Andrea Bonfiglio of Tommy’s Tap and Tavern. She will be making two special drinks directly from Tommy’s in Sea Bright NJ. Make sure you have the ingredients to make the drinks along with Andrea. We will all be making Shamrocked and Irish Eyes cocktails.
Irish Eyes Ingredients:
Irish Whiskey, Green Crème de Menthe, Irish Crème and a Maraschino cherry for garnish
Shamrocked Ingredients:
Midori Liqueur, Irish Whiskey, Irish Crème, Mint Leaves for garnish
On the Menu: The Path to CEO – A Guide for Women
Date: Thursday, October 22nd
Time: 1 pm – 2 pm
CPE: 1 CPE in Specialized Knowledge
Cost: Free to SIFM members; Non-members: $10
Speakers: The Deloitte panelists are Sam Friedman, Insurance Research Leader; Alison Rogish, Managing Director, Client Relationship, and Stacy Sandler, National Practice Leader for Deloitte’s Retirement & Wealth Consulting practice.
Research by the Deloitte Center for Financial Services found, that as of 2019, only six of the 107 largest public, financial institutions in the United States had female chief executive officers. The key questions are: how can insurance companies and other financial services organizations facilitate greater gender diversity and equity among executive leadership, and what are the benefits of doing so — especially in these challenging business environments?
The panel will discuss Deloitte’s latest research and analysis into how women have fared in financial services leadership roles since 1998. They also examine the path to CEO for those in financial services among the companies studied including which roles CEOs tended to hold prior to rising to the top spot, and where women tend to stand on that journey.
Stacy and Alison are two of the three women who lead Deloitte’s Women in FSI project from our practice, including research, podcasts, and live events.Want to learn more before the webcast? Explore Deloitte’s Within Reach: Women in Financial Services series.
On the Menu: Silver Linings
Date: Wednesday, May 20th
Time: Noon – 12:30pm
Speakers: Session will be led by The Women of SIFM’s Steering Committee
It seems that in this time of uncertainty, everyone is feeling pressure to perform, to work harder, to be the best teacher for small children, be the best entertainer and to accomplish your business objectives. No wonder we are tired!
But there are always Silver Linings. Things you discover about your spouse, your kids, your roommate, and colleagues. With the budding of Spring upon us, the Women of SIFM would like to take a few minutes to honor these positive things in your life.
Spring is a time of optimism, of being hopeful, of cherishing every day. It is a time to reassure yourself that we can keep some of the positive things we have discovered about ourselves.
Come the Women’ of SIFM’s meeting to share and learn what your colleagues are hopeful for.
Women of SIFM’s first virtual ‘On the Menu’, where we’re cooking-up an engaging experience to learn, share and grow together. Lauren Baptiste, Executive Wellness Coach, will be directing the conversation to support you through these unprecedented times of uncertainty. Whether it’s managing anxiety, supporting our families or showing up for our clients, there’s something here for you.
By participating in this virtual event, attendees will walk away with empowered next steps, and the support of a strong community, to help one-another through the stressors of this unique time.
Date: Thursday, April 23rd
Time: Noon – 12:30pm
About Our Meeting
Lauren Baptiste is a former financial services consultant turned Executive Wellness Coach. After working 10+ years in the corporate world and experiencing the effects of burnout first-hand, Lauren was inspired to build Acheloa Wellness to support women, individuals and organizations.
Lauren helps women reconnect with their natural rhythm to achieve personal and professional balance, harmony and overall vitality. Lauren studied Ayurveda, yoga, reiki, hormonal health and other healing arts to find balanced health and happiness.
On the Menu: Mid-Day Meditation
Date: Wednesday, June 17th
Time: Noon – 12:30pm
Speakers: Jessica Marvin, Founder, The Human Office
As a result of COVID-19, workplace structures have become unstable and fragmented as employees struggle to embrace working from home. Transitions can be scary for many people, and this session’s objective is to help each of us to negotiate the new working landscape as well as a more solitary way-of-life. Learning how to quiet the mind is crucial at this time.
Join Women of SIFM for our first meditation session, and if successful, we will schedule additional sessions. The session will be led by Jessica Marvin, Founder of The Human Office, a corporate wellness company that focuses on mental health and all the different modalities that can be implemented to support employee wellbeing. The Human Office was launched in 2019 and works with corporations to help awaken employee spirit and shift mindsets to bring equanimity and opportunities for long term happiness in the workplace.
Jessica believes that “by honoring our humanness and need for connection, we create more empathetic leaders who are able to thrive, manage themselves and others and succeed in life.”
Prior to starting The Human Office, Jess worked as an architect for 8 years in the commercial and private sector. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Tufts University, a Master of Architecture from The University of Pennsylvania.
Merging her love for design and mindfulness The Human Office explores what it means to design for wellbeing and green environments through a much more flexible, cost effective and lightweight package, ourselves. Now more than ever to make a difference in the world, the most important change that needs to happen is the change within us. Aside from reducing stress and creating internal peace of mind, having a deeper awareness of our minds helps us become more aware of our thoughts and surroundings. It reminds us that we are all connected on this planet.
Meditation Topic:
Let whatever happens happen: Sitting with what is