Same, same but different
It’s been over six weeks since I started my new role, in a newly created position, in an industry new to me. As you might imagine, it’s been a whirlwind of learning – about the team, the organisation and the industry. Along the way, it’s been hard not to compare life here to my previous life in government. I’ve found more similarities than I thought I would, but as you would expect I’ve found a few key differences too.
Same, same
One of the first things that struck me walking through the Lloyd’s building was the deep sense of history and tradition in both worlds. From the Lutine bell to the reinstalled Adam room ceiling, I was reminded of the grandeur of Westminster Hall or the quiet authority of (some!) Whitehall meeting rooms. The sense of history is palpable and brings a deep sense of purpose which is a good thing, but just like in government, needs careful handling so it doesn’t weigh us down or hold us back. In my old world I loved working with mission driven, human focussed people. I was a little worried that I would lose this coming back to the private sector. I needn’t have been. From our genuine commitment to building strong partnerships with brokers, clients, or suppliers, to the investment in supporting and developing colleagues, I see a clarity of purpose and desire to do good while doing well which is very welcome. The challenges around digital transformation feel somewhat familiar too. Lloyd’s drive to standardise data and enable system wide collaboration reminds me of government efforts to share data more effectively. Blueprint II has more in common with digital government reforms than I expected.
But different
That said, some things are refreshingly different. I don’t have to deal with technical debt! No one in tech can really claim this, but the team here has done impressive work in simplifying and modernising the tech stack and ridding the organisation of the issues of deep legacy systems. I’m hugely grateful to be in a role where I can focus on transformation over untangling legacy knots. In government, we had built great digital capability – user centred, agile, and working quickly to get things done. Often the hardest part was bringing the wider organisation on the transformation journey. Here, I’ve found colleagues already embracing an agile, innovation-led mindset. The opportunity, and challenge, is a little different: it’s about building depth in digital disciplines like user research and experience and integrating those skills into an already forward-thinking organisation.
Final Thoughts
Six weeks in, I’m reminded that while the sectors may differ, the core of transformation work is universal: find the right problem to solve, agree clear outcomes, bring together the right capabilities and mindsets to get it done. Sounds simple, but I’m not sure I’d be in this game if it was! I’m excited about what lies ahead.
By Gina Gill, Chief Information Officer