Thriving As A Woman In a Male-Dominated Industry: Jennifer Newsom Of Chubb On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as a Woman In a Male-Dominated Industry

In the United States in 2022, fields such as Aircraft piloting, Agriculture, Architecture, Construction, Finance, and Information technology, are still male-dominated industries. For a woman who is working in a male-dominated environment, what exactly does it take to thrive and succeed? In this interview series, we are talking to successful women who work in a Male-Dominated Industry who can share their stories and experiences about navigating work and life as strong women in a male-dominated industry. As a part of this series, we had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Jennifer Newsom.

Jennifer Newsom is a Global Client Executive and Senior Vice President with Chubb in San Francisco, where she is responsible for leading the relationship with Chubb’s largest and most complex clients. Jennifer has been with Chubb for 30 years, in a variety of leadership roles in New York, Boston and San Francisco. She has a Bachelor of Arts from Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH and is a candidate for a Master of Arts in International Policy and Development at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterey, CA.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your childhood “backstory”?

I grew up in a New Jersey suburb of NYC, where my father worked as an insurance broker. He specialized in international insurance for large multinational companies and traveled extensively to multiple international places, including Nigeria, Iran, Philippines, Peru, Chile and Argentina. Growing up, it was common to invite clients to join us for dinner, so I met lots of interesting people he worked with on his travels. It seemed glamorous and exciting.

Can you tell us the story about what led you to this particular career path?

I became familiar with Chubb from an early age, due to my dad’s career. Insurance became something of a family affair, as my sister and I both joined the insurance industry, while my brother took an alternate career path. When I graduated from Dartmouth College with a double major in Government and Art History, I interviewed with Chubb, and was sold on the people and the opportunity. While I haven’t had the opportunity to travel for work internationally, I’ve worked in Chubb offices in New Haven, New York City, Boston and now San Francisco. I wanted a career where curiosity was respected and rewarded, and my current clients span varied industries including defense contractors, autonomous vehicle manufacturers, renewable fuel manufacturers, entertainment companies and others, so I get to learn every day.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

I had the opportunity to tour a deep, underground nickel mine in Canada. We participated in their insurance program, and we needed to evaluate their safety practices. I wore a Tyvek suit, boots, a safety helmet and glasses, while descending over two kilometers into the mine- in a tiny elevator- surrounded by dripping rock. While this was the most dramatic client meeting, we have the opportunity regularly to meet customers doing interesting things.

You are a successful business leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?

Starting with curiosity, and the ability to draw it out from others. And with curiosity comes questions, and our clients love talking about what they do, and the relationships build on that. I also think having curiosity about what’s driving a decision or position helps find solutions, and I like to encourage others to develop that skill, as well.

Another one is the ability to read your audience and adapt your approach. Early in my career, I needed to break through to a team at a broker in NY. I was a new, unproven (to them) team leader with only five years of experience. I kept quoting deals, but they went elsewhere since the broker team had other, pre-existing relationships and a level of trust in those relationships. I was new to the team, and to earn their trust, I needed to show that I could deliver and follow through with commitments. It was not a matter of price or terms, it was about track record and trust. It was at that point I felt like I needed something dramatic to get their attention and to show that I was serious about winning the deal and becoming a trusted “go-to” resource for the broker and clients. So, with the big renewal date of January 1st looming, I came up with a creative idea that changed everything. I told the leader of the team that as soon as I was successful in winning a new client, I would go for a spin around the Rockefeller Center skating rink. Well, this challenge resonated with this team, and I got my binder and I went for a skate (I think I still have a picture of my stunt). For me it was much more than a skate — it changed the course of my career and started my journey of building relationships and credibility, which I look back on with fondness and gratitude 30 years later.

Optimism might seem like an odd trait for an insurance underwriter, whose job it is to imagine the worst-case scenario, but I think it’s critically important in countless situations. I know our clients value seeing optimism and creativity from Chubb, which I’m sure helps set us apart.

Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. Can you help articulate a few of the biggest obstacles or challenges you’ve had to overcome while working in a male-dominated industry?

It was more of a challenge earlier in my career, but there were many meetings — internally and externally — where I was the only woman at the table. My choice was to ignore that fact, and show up as me and not be intimidated, since there was no reason to be. The others around the table didn’t have all the answers, and neither did I. I believe strongly in showing up prepared, asking questions, offering solutions, and being yourself. Respect comes when you demonstrate that you are listening, asking questions, and providing solutions. Externally, it helps to have the Chubb name backing you. The playing field has changed since I started my career and I’m hopeful that women entering the industry today will continue to join in greater numbers and that they will feel comfortable expressing their opinions.

Can you share a few of the things you have done to gain acceptance among your male peers and the general work community? What did your female co-workers do? Can you share some stories or examples?

I remember a time when I was urged to play in a golf tournament with a broker. I’m pretty athletic, but golf isn’t my strong suit and I felt compelled to go because golf is a big sport in the insurance industry. However, as I participated in the tournament I relaxed, enjoyed the experience and built camaraderie with the broker. From that day, we had a great relationship going forward. This taught me that knowing and adapting to your audience, while still being yourself, can really help in connecting with someone on a personal and professional level.

What do you think male-oriented organizations can do to enhance their recruiting efforts to attract more women?

During my tenure at Chubb, I have observed firsthand what a great job the company does in attracting and retaining diverse talent. Recruiting diverse new entrants, as well as experienced hires is important. I believe making sure that everyone feels they have an opportunity to work hard and be good team players is even more critical. This often happens through active mentoring and helping people identify and amplify their superpower. As an example, Chubb has invested in programs, such as our IMPACT business roundtable, that empower women to drive our business, network and build stronger relationships and achieve career growth.

Based on your opinion and experience, what are the “Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as a Woman In a Male-Dominated Industry?”

Know your superpower (and make sure others know it); This takes time but reflect upon what you are really good at and why. In my case, I manage the overall Chubb global relationship. In this role, I develop creative solutions for our largest, most complex clients, and persuade others through optimism and cultivating credible relationships with brokers and clients. Meeting frequently with clients and their brokers allows me to enhance the Chubb relationship and discover how we can support their business, and resolve any service issues. This has led to the successful completion of many deals for Chubb teams. Leadership recognized how my relationship building was increasing revenue and client satisfaction, and created a brand new role of Global Account Executive that leveraged my strengths and filled a real need within my division.

Read your audience and adapt your approach; The dynamics around a table can really affect the outcome of a meeting. Take a minute to observe the interactions and be ready to take control. I’d recently taken on a new role and had my first meeting with a broker and client. We walked in, expecting the broker to facilitate introductions and guide the meeting. Instead, the meeting took an unexpected turn as the broker did not make introductions or direct the meeting. From that experience, I learned to always be prepared with my own agenda, a Chubb presentation, and a clear understanding of the goal of the meeting and potential pitfalls.

Follow through; Whether it’s taking a spin around the Rockefeller Center skating rink or following up with an answer to a question after a meeting, do what you say you will. So many people don’t, so you will differentiate yourself.

Don’t be self-deprecating; Never denigrate yourself, even if you think you are being funny. In my first 360-degree feedback, about eight years into my career, my manager’s manager commented that my “self-deprecating humor” was undermining my credibility. I valued this feedback tremendously since I wasn’t aware how casually joking about my relatively limited experience affected my credibility both internally and externally. I’ve lived by that honest feedback ever since.

Go to the office; while this is last, it’s not least. So much good comes from unscripted interactions and observations. You see interactions in person that you do not appreciate over Webex, Teams or phone. You can see if someone needs a hand, you can ask or answer questions in real time, and it’s just more fun than sitting in your home office by yourself.

If you had a close woman friend who came to you with a choice of entering a field that is male-dominated or female-dominated, what would you advise her? Would you advise a woman friend to start a career in a field or industry that’s traditionally been mostly men? Can you explain what you mean?

When I speak with women about career opportunities, I encourage them to focus on what interests them the most, allows them to grow and develop skills or tap into their strengths, which is how I have navigated my career, regardless of whether I was in a male- or female-dominated industry. It’s important to remember that women can be influential in any industry that is relationship-focused, if they stay curious about the business and the people with which they do business.

Have you seen things change for women working in male-dominated industries, over the past ten years? How do you anticipate that it might improve in the future? Can you please explain what you mean?

I’ve seen a sea change in my 30 years at Chubb, both at Chubb as well as at our brokers and clients. There’s usually a real mix of perspectives around the table, whether gender, or ethnicity, age, etc. I think there’s been a big shift over time and it’s more generational than anything. Thirty years ago, there was real skepticism among some that women could be as effective as men. Now, even in male-dominated industries like technology or gaming, there’s isn’t any overt or covert belief that a woman isn’t as influential or effective as a male.

We are very blessed that some very prominent names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them.

The first person that comes to mind is fictional. Birgitte Nyborg is a character in a Danish TV show, Borgen. She unexpectedly becomes Prime Minister of Denmark and despite her lack of government experience, she outwardly exudes confidence and optimism as she successfully confronts complex global issues. She is also an astute observer of others, can identify very subtle challenges to her power and neutralize them.

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.

About The Interviewer: Kelly Reeves is a published writer, copy editor, speaker, and certified entrepreneurship and personal growth coach. She is passionate about working with entrepreneurs and executives over 50 to help them discover their life’s purpose, unlock their full potential, and thrive in the second half of life. As an award-winning public relations professional with multi-industry knowledge Kelly worked with global brands, startups and media personalities including the Tony Hawk Foundation, Barrett-Jackson, Targus, Kingston, WD, and Howard Stern. Kelly successfully launched a variety of consumer electronics and B2B brands and executed highly successful PR and social media campaigns. With an average track record of generating more than 50 million media impressions on a monthly basis, she placed clients in leading media outlets such as InStyle, the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, CNet, TechCrunch, AllThingsD and Mashable; and landed spots on high profile programs such as Extra, the Today Show, ABC News, CNN and Good Morning America. She also played an integral role in helping clients increase sales revenue by over 350%. Her community service includes mentoring students in the Masters of Entrepreneurship Program at the Paul Merage School of Business at the University of California, Irvine. She also mentors students in the College of Communications at California State University, Fullerton. Kelly serves as the Co-Founder and President of Paw Prints in the Sand Animal Rescue, a 501c3 animal welfare organization where she oversees the operations, donor relations, and marketing and PR strategy.