Claim the Lead: Transformational Leadership for Insurance Adjusting Managers By Award-Winning Author Dr. Karissa Thomas Leadership in claims is unlike leadership anywhere else. A hurricane hits. File volume spikes overnight. An audit lands on your desk while you’re still managing a surge event. A veteran adjuster quits mid-deployment. A tense call with a carrier leaves your team rattled. These aren’t hypotheticals—they’re your Tuesday. Claim the Lead places you inside those moments—where leadership in insurance adjusting is tested in real time, under real pressure. Developed by award-winning author and licensed adjuster Dr. Karissa Thomas, this book delivers the real-world leadership strategies claims managers need to build strong teams, communicate with confidence, and lead through stress without burning out. In This Book, You’ll Learn How to: Transition from high-performing adjuster to confident leader. - Build high-performing, accountable teams across surge and steady periods. - De-escalate tension with staff, carriers, vendors, and contractors. - Communicate clearly under pressure—even remotely or virtually. - Lead independent adjusters while balancing respect, retention, and production. - Prevent burnout and career fatigue with grounded leadership habits. - Develop the next generation of leaders in your organization. Inside the Paperback Edition You’ll meet adjusting managers, surge team leads, and firm owners navigating real-world challenges—turning chaotic deployments into cohesive operations, transforming burnt-out teams into resilient units, and coaching independent adjusters to rise to their potential without sacrificing empathy. Each chapter blends practical tools with emotional intelligence practices tailored to the claims industry: reflection prompts, leadership resets, and field-tested moves you can apply immediately—whether you’re on deployment, in a boardroom, or leading remotely across time zones. Why This Book Is Different Claim the Lead isn’t about generic leadership theory. It’s about the granular, high-pressure, human-centered leadership that keeps claims organizations alive during their toughest days. Who This Book Is For Perfect for: Adjusting managers and team leads. - IA firm owners and field supervisors. - Carrier leaders and claims directors. - Leadership development programs and CE training. Your Next Step The claims industry needs stronger leaders. This book shows you how to become one—anchored, confident, and able to lead in motion when everything around you is changing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Empowering, Practical, and Honest—Exactly What I Needed! Reading Claim the Lead felt like having a conversation with someone who gets the real challenges of being in the field, especially when the pressure's on and emotions run high. Dr. Thomas doesn't sugarcoat leadership—she dives into the messy stuff like burnout, boundaries, and confidence with relatable stories and hands-on advice. I especially appreciated the part about protecting your energy while still showing up for your team; it was validating and gave me real steps to try. This book made me feel more capable and seen, and I've already started applying what I learned in my daily work. Abigail L, Librarian ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ An Essential Manual for Modern Leaders in High-Stakes Roles Claim the Lead is the kind of leadership book I wish I'd had earlier in my career. Dr. Karissa Thomas delivers a powerful framework that combines emotional intelligence with operational clarity—something sorely needed in fields like insurance, crisis response, and service-based leadership. The book is structured in a way that respects the reader's time, offering actionable insights, real-world examples, and practical scripts you can implement immediately. As someone who manages teams under intense deadlines, I found her advice on communicating under pressure and reclaiming personal authority particularly valuable. It's more than a leadership book—it's a confidence booster and a strategic toolkit rolled into one. Sue E, Reviewer ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Claim the Lead is like a leadership mic drop for anyone tired of shrinking in high-stress roles—it's fierce, practical, and exactly what you need to stop second-guessing and own the room. Paige T, Reviewer When I sat down to write Claim the Lead , I wasn't trying to impress the industry—I was trying to tell the truth. The truth about what it's like to lead when no one's watching. The truth about holding teams together while quietly falling apart. The truth about being called a "leader" without being given real power. The truth about learning how to lead yourself first—because no one else can do that for you. This book was born from the trenches: from late-night policy changes, burnout-inducing expectations, and the whispered confessions of good people trying to survive in a professional world that often demands more than it gives. It reflects everything I've learned as an educator, a corporate leader, a crisis r