Holiday Greetings to you all. Realizing many of you are likely on hiatus at some point in the next week or so, it is my hope you are able to take a moment to read the following item from Matt Clifford, a well-known strategy and change management consultant to mid-size life companies who is a featured presenter at the upcoming LIC Annual Conference in Tucson. Register HERE for the conference if you have not already!
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My daughter recently performed in a winter production of The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, and I had the honor of building the show's Stone Table. (See below for photos)
As I reread the story, I kept seeing symbols that felt surprisingly powerful for the complex moment the life insurance industry is navigating.
Read on for some practical suggestions on how to successfully navigate this point in time.
The Lion represents the principled, enduring truths of our industry-long-term stewardship, disciplined promises, and the ability to provide protection across generations.
The Witch symbolizes the forces that hold us back: legacy mindsets, cultural inertia, scarce resources, and ongoing shifts in technology, demographics, and regulation.
The Wardrobe is the gateway to transformation. Many carriers are stepping through it by modernizing technology, putting the consumer at the core, reshaping cost structures, and exploring AI, though the realities often lag the headlines.
And then there's the Stone Table, which carries the weight of ancient, unbreakable laws, while marking a turning point from static to transformative forces. This is our legacy of risk discipline and prudent capital management in light of our current moment, as modernization and new capabilities crack old constraints and redefine what's possible.
But that transition-from the old to the new-brings real challenges.
We face rapid technology change, including how to harness AI while managing cyber risks. Changes in capital and ownership models raise questions for regulators, consumers, and even industry insiders. And as consumer and advisor expectations change, many carriers struggle to support legacy institutions while building the experiences the market now demands.
So how do we use this moment to overcome the forces that hold us back, step confidently through the Wardrobe, and meet at our own Stone Table?
I'd offer three thoughts, all based on firsthand observations and client experience:
1. Listen carefully and completely
The best insights are almost always inside the organization (no $3M+ engagements required!), but leaders are often insulated from them. Structured, objective listening reveals friction, opportunity, and ideas that don't surface in typical meetings.
2. Build thoughtful scenarios
Capital markets, regulation, consumer expectations, and technology adoption never move in straight lines. Scenarios give leaders options-preparing organizations to pivot confidently even when the future doesn't unfold as expected.
3. Go slow to go fast - this is critical!
Most struggling transformations suffer from inadequate preparation: poorly defined vision, unclear requirements, insufficient analysis, weak alignment, and rushed decision-making. Investing in the right groundwork accelerates execution and prevents costly rework.
If your organization is staring nervously into an open wardrobe and feels caught between what it has always been and what it now needs to become, let's talk. I help carriers work through these challenges every day, blending strategy, culture, and execution alignment to move forward with confidence.
Wishing you and your families a joyful holiday season.
Matt Clifford
LIC 2026 Annual Conference Presenter
matt@mattbclifford.com
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Dean Lambert
Executive Director
LIC
dlambert@limra.com4753725298
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