Grace Burnett's proudest achievements

Grace Burnett big on making her staff happy

Monday, January 02, 2012

GROWING up in Clarendon, dancing, reading, and farming held the interest of a young, impressionable Grace Burnett.

As a child, tending to her garden of scotch bonnet and sweet peppers was a particularly special hobby, which continues to serve as a relaxing and enjoyable pastime for her today.

As managing director of Allied Insurance Brokers, she fully appreciates the importance of those quiet, getaway moments, which help to keep her level-headed for her demanding, hectic yet immensely rewarding job.

"I never imagined myself in this position growing up, since I was hoping to become a teacher, interior decorator or hairdresser," said Burnett. "My interest later drifted to law because my dad was a policeman and always seemed to hold them in such high esteem."

So the groundwork was laid for her to enter the legal field. After completing her studies at Clarendon College, she enrolled in the law programme at the University of the West Indies, Mona, which she completed in Barbados. With degree in hand, she returned to Jamaica to kick-start her budding career as an attorney.

Just a few months after securing a job as a legal officer at an insurance company, Burnett developed a curiosity about the inner workings of the business, which she found to be quite fascinating. She soon found herself signing up for an insurance course and pursuing a new degree.

In 2007, Grace was hired for her current role. She quickly realised that her success or failure was completely dependent on the people that surrounded her at work. Since then, she has and continues to primarily focus her attention on ensuring that her team is happy at the office, which she believes has a meaningful impact on other areas of their lives.

Despite abandoning her original career plan, Burnett's law training and education are still being put to good use.

"Insurance operates within the legal framework as our entire relationship with our clients and the suppliers of insurance is based on contracts, and is guided by several regulations and other pieces of legislation," she explained.

"My proudest achievement is undoubtedly securing the highest staff satisfaction rate for the financial division and the second highest in the GraceKennedy Group in the last survey conducted," she beamed.

Looking ahead, Burnett has ambitions for Allied beyond Jamaican shores, and is investigating ways to penetrate the regional market through the English-speaking Caribbean.

Although her days growing up in the Crofts Hill and Summerfield communities are behind her, she still cherishes her leisure time. She makes it clear that, on her list of priorities, her family always comes first. Married to "a wonderful and supportive husband", the couple has two teenage girls.

"I hardly ever work on weekends because that's family time,' she said. "I take my vacations usually when the kids are not in school and absolutely treasure them," she shared.

In addition to maintaining work-life balance, Burnett encourages young professionals not to sweat the small stuff and to lose the arrogance.

"Even though you may have all the degrees in the world, when you enter the world of work, you realise how little you actually know," she explained.

She also has some useful advice for female careerists as she recognises the difficulties faced when rising through the corporate ranks in a primarily male-dominated arena.

"Be yourself. As women, we come with special qualities that you should be proud of. Ensure that you have a good support structure and find great mentors," she recommended.

As for her two young daughters, it appears they have already become teenage rebels, vowing to study law, the very profession their mom left behind so many years ago.

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Grace Burnett's proudest achievements