Meeting with Fred Sievert

Since the beginning of my career, I have always had an interest in what skills and characteristics separate executives from workers who never reach that level of management. In my search for answers I have met with and interviewed a few executives in the life insurance and educational industries. Thursday I had the privilege of meeting with Fred Sievert, president of New York Life Insurance, at his office in New York City. Mr. Sievert and I have been communicating since the beginning of my career, but this was the first opportunity we had to meet in person. He has always been very open with his time and knowledge, which is contrary to many of the executives with the companies I have worked for in the past three years. In the life insurance industry, New York Life is one of the top sellers of life insurance on an annual basis dating back to the early nineteen hundreds. The most significant lesson I have learned from Fred is that no matter what your job title, respect for others' time and requests is essential to successful leadership.