Cheada Lao’s Leadership Style Redefines Visionary

Cheada’s leadership style was shaped by her experiences in both large and small organizations, providing her with a unique perspective on fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement. She believes in leading by example and creating an environment where every team member feels valued, motivated, and supported in their professional growth.

To encourage and inspire her team, she promotes a culture that values creativity, calculated risk-taking, and the sharing of ideas across all levels of the organization. Cheada empowers her teams to take ownership of their projects and decision-making, so they feel invested in the organization’s success. She also strongly believes in transparent communication and feedback, which leads to a more motivated, productive, and innovative team.

Resilience in the Face of Adversity

Three weeks prior to the COVID-19 lockdown, Cheada was appointed President and CEO of Allied Administrators. During this unprecedented time, she had to make quick and decisive decisions to prepare her organization to adapt to a work-from-home model in a highly regulated industry that historically operated with onsite, office-based work. Taking action to quickly spin up and deploy the necessary technology infrastructure, combined with developing new processes and procedures to monitor, measure, and support a now-remote workforce, was crucial to ensure business continuity and maintain their commitment to clients. Having a strong vision, combined with a roadmap, for her organization allowed Cheada to proactively address challenges to the business while continuing to drive forward.

One of her most significant achievements to date has been successfully transforming Allied Administrators into a leading player in the insurance administrative services industry through digital transformation and innovation. For example, she spearheaded the implementation of advanced data analytics tools and automated workflows, which reduced manual processing time by 30% and improved customer satisfaction scores. Recognizing the need to adapt to changing market dynamics and evolving customer expectations, Cheada’s team faced many uphill battles, including internal resistance, the need for significant investments in technology and talent, and intense competition.

By promoting open communication, engaging stakeholders, and developing a robust strategic plan, her team overcame these obstacles and implemented a comprehensive digital transformation strategy, bringing operational efficiency, an elevated customer experience, and new growth opportunities. Allied Administrators has emerged as an industry leader and is now poised to capitalize on future trends and challenges, thanks to their commitment to embracing change and fostering a forward-thinking mindset.

A Career Forged in Purpose and Passion

To start her career, Cheada decided to become a doctor because she had a strong desire to help people. However, a chance encounter with an individual who became a mentor inspired her to think big, and she made the bold decision to change her path and not attend medical school. Soon after graduating, she began her career as a software product manager in the life sciences space and met incredible individuals who guided her through the ins and outs of IT infrastructure and software development, where she was responsible for driving numerous product releases in a short period. Not one to sit still, Cheada’s career steadily moved her toward management, and she chose to pursue her MBA to hone her skills in strategy, finance, and leadership, which gave her the opportunity to take on various management roles, devising strategies, leading teams, and driving organizational change.

Her unique blend of hands-on technical knowledge and strategic leadership experience caught the attention of Allied Administrators, where she initially came aboard as the Vice President of Infrastructure and was responsible for guiding the organization through a comprehensive digital transformation, which included modernizing legacy systems, implementing scalable IT solutions, and reducing operational risks in a highly regulated industry. Her efforts also ensured the organization achieved SOC2 Type II compliance, a critical milestone for maintaining trust and security in the insurance sector. After three years, she quickly assumed the position of President & CEO, taking on the larger responsibility of overseeing Allied Administrators’ mission to deliver innovative, customer-centric administrative solutions in the insurance industry while continuing to leverage her passion for technology and business strategy to drive growth.

The Making of a Leader: Shaped by Experience

Early in her career, Cheada had the opportunity to lead teams across the globe in different time zones and cultures. This experience taught her the importance of having effective communication skills and empathy when managing a workforce with diverse perspectives and styles. Working in enterprise organizations also gave her keen insight into understanding how to maintain forward momentum, whether on an individual project or driving an overall strategy and plan, against the inertia that companies are often saddled with.

Constant change, including department reorganizations and the management carousel, exposed Cheada to a variety of leadership styles and practices, which she was able to quickly learn from to develop her own personal leadership style. These experiences helped form Cheada into a more dynamic leader, capable of navigating the challenges that come with managing teams through periods of change. It has been a valuable learning experience and has made her a stronger and smarter leader as a result.

Empowering Women Leaders for a Brighter Future

Aspiring female leaders should not be scared to step outside of their comfort zones, but should remain loyal to themselves and their principles, according to Cheada. The willingness to embrace tough times as opportunities for growth is essential, and she believes that these are the exact times when leaders need to speak up and assert themselves without apology. The essential quality necessary for a successful leader is having a growth mindset, which includes a focus on humility and the willingness to learn from others and seek out mentors and sponsors who can guide them along the way.

Leaders should seek mentors from a broad cross-section of people from various disciplines, experiences, and points of view. Leaders should take all these precious experiences that are shared to form their own personal and unique style that will make them stand out as a leader. The biggest lesson that Cheada has taken to heart in her career is acknowledging that leaders are not infallible.

Although there is enormous pressure and responsibility in the role, Cheada believes that a true leader accepts and acknowledges their weaknesses and will proactively take steps to work on them.

Facing a new challenge, with the entire team looking towards them for reassurance and guidance, can be scary, but a true leader possesses the ability to assess and strategize in a calm and collaborative environment to find a way forward.

The Delicate Dance of Work-Life Balance

Cheada acknowledges that balancing her professional and personal life is an ongoing challenge. To maintain harmony between the two, she prioritizes exercise and spending time with family and friends to keep her grounded. She is also not afraid to set boundaries for herself and will disconnect from work-related communications after hours.

When the inevitable request lands in her inbox, she is comfortable telling the requester “no” at that moment in time, while acknowledging that the request will be prioritized and addressed in an appropriate time and manner. Setting boundaries is the best way Cheada has found to manage both her time and personal energy while never losing sight of her responsibility as a leader.

Measuring Success with Precision and Purpose

According to Cheada, success is determined by three main elements. First, success means consistently delivering exceptional results for clients and stakeholders. She believes that understanding clients’ needs and providing effective and innovative solutions to help make their lives easier is crucial.

Second, success involves fostering the growth and development of her team. Cheada insists on a work environment where team members, at any stage in their career, can learn, grow, and reach their professional goals with help and support from one another.

Lastly, success in her role means being a leader in the industry, driving positive change, and contributing to the greater good. This includes advocating for sustainable business practices, such as reducing the company’s carbon footprint by transitioning to paperless operations. Cheada stays current with industry trends, fosters a culture of innovation by encouraging teams to experiment with emerging technologies like AI and machine learning, and attends insurtech conferences.

A Legacy of Leadership that Transcends Time

Although it is still too soon to leave a legacy, Cheada wants to be remembered as someone who was unafraid to take on the harder challenges facing companies in the insurance industry, such as navigating complex regulatory environments, driving digital transformation to modernize outdated systems, and strengthening data security and privacy measures to protect sensitive client information in an increasingly digital world.

She aims to be known as a leader who was committed to lifelong learning, built strong relationships, and prioritized the needs of clients and employees above all else. In terms of her legacy at Allied Administrators, she continues to work on building a successful and thriving organization that contributes positively to the communities they serve by making employee benefits more accessible, efficient, and valuable for the individuals and organizations that depend on them.

Innovation’s Cutting Edge: Staying Ahead of the Curve

Cheada keeps a pulse on the industry by actively participating in and speaking at industry conferences, workshops, and professional association events. These platforms offer invaluable opportunities to engage with experts, share knowledge with peers, and explore emerging best practices. She is also a big consumer of relevant information and content online, including newsletters, blogs, podcasts, and educational courses, as these can be early indicators of future trends and patterns.

Cheada continues to seek out mentors and advisors as a key component of her professional growth. Engaging with experienced professionals and cultivating meaningful connections within the industry allow her to gain new perspectives, learn from the experiences of others, and broaden her understanding of the market.

Unlocking Tomorrow’s Possibilities Today

Cheada is always eager to take on new challenges and explore emerging opportunities. One area that particularly excites her is the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning. She believes these technologies have the power to transform the insurance industry and drive innovation by automating repetitive tasks, enhancing data-driven decision-making, and personalizing customer experiences.

AI, for instance, can improve underwriting procedures by more precisely assessing risk factors, and machine learning can forecast client requirements and suggest customized benefit packages, guaranteeing that workers have the most useful and pertinent coverage. Cheada’s passion for innovation and growth drives her to continually explore new technologies and strategies that can benefit Allied Administrators and the insurance industry as a whole.

Company Name: Allied Administrators
President & CEO: Cheada Lao
Website: www.alliedadministrators.com