Sharpen Your Skills. Broaden Your Perspective.
Resources
Resources
Sharpen Your Skills.
Broaden Your Perspective.
Looking to sharpen your skills, broaden your perspective, or explore what’s next? The NAWA Resources page is your curated hub for growth - featuring recommended books, relevant actuarial research, professional development courses, and organizations making a difference in our field. Wherever you are in your actuarial journey, you’ll find something here to inform, inspire, and empower.
Leadership
Leadership is the ability to guide and inspire others to achieve common goals. In business, leadership isn't just about directing others but also about being approachable, listening to feedback, and facilitating growth within the team. Effective leaders motivate their teams, make strategic decisions, and create an environment where people feel valued and empowered.
Books
Change the Culture, Change the Game by Roger Connors and Tom Smith
The Situational Leader, by Dr. Paul Hersey
The One-Minute Manager Builds High-Performing Teams, by Blanchard, Carew, & Carew
The Leadership Pipeline, by Charan, Drotter, and Noel
101 Tough Conversations to Have with Employees, by Paul Falcone
Videos
Podcast / Audio
Leadership is Female podcast, hosted by Emily Jaenson
Communication
Clear, concise, and effective communication is critical in any business setting. This involves not only conveying ideas but also actively listening to others and ensuring that messages are understood. Strong communicators can adapt their style to different audiences, whether they’re explaining complex actuarial models to clients or working with colleagues on technical projects.
Technical Actuarial Skills
The ability to apply technical knowledge to real-world situations, interpret data, and provide actionable insights is at the heart of an actuary’s role.
Books
Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado Perez
Podcast / Audio
Work-life Balance
Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is vital for long-term productivity and well-being. Professionals who manage their time effectively and set boundaries between their work and personal life are better able to avoid burnout, be more satisfied in their careers, leading to greater job retention, better mental health, and higher overall performance.
Books
How Remarkable Women Lead - The Breakthrough Model for Work and Life, by Barsh & Cranston
Lean In by Sheryl Sandburg
Option B - Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy, by Sheryl Sandburg & Adam Grant
Networking
Networking is the process of building and maintaining professional relationships that can support and advance your career. For actuaries, networking is vital for gaining insights from peers, discovering new career opportunities, and sharing knowledge. Effective networkers know how to create connections that are mutually beneficial and foster a sense of trust and collaboration.
Career Advancement
Career advancement involves continually developing your skills, taking on new challenges, and seeking out opportunities for growth. Those who are intentional about their professional growth position themselves for higher responsibilities, increased visibility, and better opportunities for advancement.
Books
The First 90 Days, by Michael Watkins
Don’t Be Afraid to Do What You Really Want to Do – Reach All Your Life Dreams, by Linley Baker, FSA, MAAA, FLMI
The Sustainable Brain, by Aree Bly
Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson, MD
Getting (More of) What You Want, by Margaret Ann Neale
Overcoming Imposter Syndrome in HBR I Can’t Accept Not Trying - Michael Jordan on the Pursuit of Excellence
13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do, by Amy Morin
Discipline is Destiny, by Ryan Holiday
How Will You Measure Your Life? by Clayton M. Christiansen (Harvard Business School)
The Art of Possibility, by Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander
The Choice–Embrace the Possible, a Memoir, by Dr. Edith Eva Eger
Never Panic Early, An Apollo 13 Astronaut’s Journey, by Fred Haise with Bill Moore
Predictably Irrational, by Dan Ariely
Questions are the Answer, by Hal Gregerson (MIT)
Pathological Positivity, the Proven Positivity Formula for Personal Development, Parenting, and Relationships, by Dr. Paul H. Jenkins
Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In, by Fisher, Ury, and Patton
Deming’s Road to Continual Improvement, by William W. Scherenbach
Master of Change, by Brad Stulberg
Videos
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NAWA isn’t just a network - it’s a community.
NAWA isn’t just a network,
it’s a community.