Michelle Nightingale’s career has not followed a traditional pathway. “You could say I have done things out of order,” she explains. While many follow the path of high school, university, then career, Nightingale is proof that there is no single road to success.
“When I was at school, I really wanted to be a vet,” she explains. However study was not an option for her after school so she dived straight into the workforce. She has worked as a consultant, a team leader, an advisor and as acting Executive Manager for Suncorp’s QLD CTP Portfolio, which she describes as the most challenging role of her career.
“To be given that opportunity, and to be very successful in that role, is something I am very proud of,” she says. Although she concedes it was stressful, given the significant accountability it entailed, Nightingale thrived on the challenges and professional growth it afforded her. “There was a lot of change through the 18 months that I was in that role. We were doing things that hadn’t been seen or done before.”
But there were earlier challenges too. Juggling a young family while starting her career journey was tough. “To raise and educate kids, and balance my professional and personal life, were challenging years.”
“Challenging, evolving, fascinating and ripe with opportunities would be the best way to describe my time in insurance,” says Nightingale.
Flexibility, support and professional development opportunities are what Nightingale values most at Suncorp. Over ten years she has had the opportunity to complete multiple internal courses, operate in senior roles and received the financial and emotional support to gain a degree qualification.
Once her two children started secondary school, Nightingale commenced her Bachelor of Business degree (Major in Marketing & Business Regulation). Studying later in life has had many benefits. “Having the maturity when you approach study makes you do it for the right reasons,” she explains. It has also enabled her to enjoy it alongside her children. “By studying together it became an interesting thing to do as opposed to a chore.”
She is five years into her degree and is taking her time. “I am not in any hurry. I have to find the right balance between work, study and my personal life,” she explains. “The important thing is not to just tick a box. It’s about getting value out of what I am doing, and that means focussing my attention the right way and get the results I am after.”
Goal-focussed and forward thinking, she would like to see more women believe in their abilities. “Women can be hesitant to put themselves forward for a role because they’re too busy focusing on the things they don’t think they can achieve. Men are more focussed on their strengths.” Her advice to female readers is simple: “Be prepared to have a go at anything. Don’t look at what you can’t do, look at what you can do and focus on that. And never sell yourself short.”
One of her greatest strengths is problem solving, and turning a solution around quickly. “When it comes to dealing with a complex situation, you have to look at it from many different angles,” she explains. “I operate by bringing other experts to the table so we work through a problem in a strategic way.” “Sometimes you don’t have the luxury of time and you have to turn around a problem quickly but I think you get the best results when you’re able to attack a situation in a collaborative way,” she adds.
The insurance industry is dynamic and constantly changing. One aspect of her role that she values highly is working with Suncorp’s community partners to give back. “Providing sponsorship to organisations that are working so hard in the community to really make a difference is incredibly rewarding.
Nightingale draws inspiration from a number of sources and says she works in an environment that cultivates ambition and achievement. “It’s a great feeling to work within a team of professional, passionate and goal-focussed people.”
The insurance industry may be a world away from Nightingale’s childhood dream of becoming a vet, but a weekly date with horses provides her with a much-needed escape from her hectic schedule.
“Every weekend I hit the trails for a couple of hours,” she says. Being out in the middle of the bush stills her mind. “Riding a horse can be very unpredictable, anything can happen so you need to have your wits about you,” she explains. “It forces you to focus on one thing rather than on many things at once.”