Manulife and IMMAP bring renowned psychologist, professor, and best-selling author Adam Grant to DigiCon POP 2021

The Philippine arm of global life insurer Manulife Philippines recently partnered with the Internet & Mobile Marketing Association of the Philippines (IMMAP) to feature renowned organizational psychologist, best-selling author and one of Wharton’s top-rated professors Adam Grant on Day 1 of IMMAP DigiCon POP 2021.

Grant, who recently authored a new book, “Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know,” is known for his pioneering research on motivation, generosity, and creativity. He has been recognized as one of the world’s 10 most influential management thinkers, Fortune’s 40 under 40, and Oprah’s Super Soul 100. At the DigiCon POP, Grant shared the importance of rethinking so we can “bounce forward” from the challenges brought by the pandemic, which suggests not only overcoming adversity to go back to the way things were, but also fixing the problem at the source so we can create better possibilities. It indicates learning to question, evaluate or let go of old assumptions; and capitalize on mental flexibility, humility, and curiosity to create meaningful innovation.

“The pandemic has forced us to rethink, so we can make sense of things and adapt as the world evolves around us. Rethinking entails acknowledging ‘post-traumatic growth,’ which means learning and growing from difficult experiences; finding personal strength; forming deeper relationships, and realizing a deeper sense of gratitude, and new possibilities and purpose,” Grant shared during his keynote at the IMMAP DigiCon POP 2021.

“Rethinking also helps build a foundation of psychological safety in our learning cultures, so we can encourage people to take risks, raise problems and explore innovative solutions, and evaluate the best ways to move forward together. It’s about modelling openness and inclusiveness, making it unsafe to be silent and safe to speak up. We all need to make time for rethinking and unlearning, including reevaluating old practices that don’t match current challenges anymore,” he added.

On the same day, Manulife’s Chief Marketing Officer Melissa Henson also talked about how the pandemic had challenged many companies to pivot their strategies to thrive and stay relevant during the most uncertain and volatile of times. She highlighted how proactively seeking out customer insights to reinform and realign business strategies helped Manulife Philippines adapt to the evolving landscape and understand customers’ most pressing needs and challenges.

“COVID-19 is the biggest disruptor we have ever seen in our lives. We had to shift our perspectives and reform how business is done,” Henson said. “During the pandemic, we learned how to overcome disruptions by putting customer insights into meaningful action, transforming them into tangible innovations that can make a difference to our customers, and in the way we do our business. In these situations, even small changes matter.”

Henson added: “If the pandemic taught us anything, it’s that doing more of the same is never the best way forward. It’s important to have the courage to seize opportunities to do things differently, and create something bigger, faster or bolder so we can find new ways to make every day better.”

Prior to the pandemic, Manulife had initiated a digital transformation that enabled the company to future-proof its processes and services, and build resilience in the face of uncertainty. As a result, the leading life insurer was among the first in the industry to conduct virtual financial consultations and insurance sales when heavy restrictions on mobility and in-person meetings were put in place. Manulife has also continuously enhanced the service features of its mobile-optimized customer website Manulife Online, so customers can manage their policies digitally, safely, and conveniently — anytime, anywhere.

This year’s DigiCon POP 2021 runs from October 11 to 15. Throughout the five-day event, Manulife Philippines also hosts DigiCon’s Community Chat Rooms featuring Dr. RJ Naguit, mental health advocate; Alec Cuenca, podcaster, and digital content creator; and some of Manulife’s top insurance advisors and wealth specialists, who will answer questions from attendees about mental wellness, goal setting, and financial planning