HUB International

Christine Kates

Christine Kates, D.O., is the Director of Clinical Consulting for global insurance brokerage Hub International, operating at the intersection of clinical judgement, financial strategy and health plan performance. She specializes in translating healthcare complexity into strategic business intelligence. She helps mid-market and large enterprise employers understand what is driving costs, identifying emerging risks and making informed decisions about benefit plan management.

Thomas Hodges is the director of financial consulting for HUB. He has experience in complex financial projects for both self-funded and fully insured clients, with a focus on large employers’ health plans. He oversees claims reporting, renewal projections, utilization reporting, benchmarking, and IBNR analysis. Thomas holds certifications from the National Association of Health Underwriters as well as state health and life Insurance licenses in multiple states. Additionally, Thomas holds two Bachelor’s of Science degrees in finance and risk management and insurance.

For me, servant leadership isn’t a concept reserved for leadership books or workshops. It’s how I lead my team. It’s the lens through which we operate, make decisions and shape the experiences of candidates and hiring managers alike. Recruiting is a function built entirely on trust, timing and human connection. In that environment, authority alone carries little weight. Service, however, changes everything. At its core, our philosophy is simple: our role is to remove friction so others can succeed.

How Servant Leadership Shapes the Way We Work

Leading a recruiting team means constantly balancing competing pressures, urgency versus quality, speed versus alignment, metrics versus humanity. Rather than pushing activity for activity’s sake, I challenge my team to focus on meaningful progress. We ask better questions. We seek clarity early. We slow down when alignment matters more than speed, and we accelerate when momentum is needed. Servant leadership, in our environment, is about responsibility over control. It means being present when searches feel stalled, helping navigate challenges and creating space for recruiters to do their best work. Leadership isn’t about directing every move, it’s about supporting performance, judgment and confidence.

The Candidate Experience We Intentionally Create

One principle I reinforce consistently with my team is this: Candidates are not transactions. They are people making significant life decisions. A strong candidate experience doesn’t require elaborate processes or polished scripts. It requires care, responsiveness and respect. We prioritize clear communication, realistic expectations, timely follow-up and transparency at every stage. When candidates feel informed and valued, engagement changes. Conversations become more authentic. Decisions become easier. Outcomes improve. Even when the answer is no, the experience still matters. How candidates are treated shapes not only their perception, but the organization’s reputation. Candidates may forget timelines. They rarely forget how they were made to feel.

How We Partner with Hiring Managers

Effective recruiting partnerships begin long before resumes enter the conversation.

Servant leadership with hiring managers starts with listening, moving beyond job descriptions to understand what success truly looks like. What problems is this role meant to solve? Where is flexibility possible? What skills are essential versus preferred?

“A best-practices framework should span medical necessity criteria for coverage.”

My team is encouraged to ask thoughtful questions, provide honest market feedback and challenge assumptions when necessary. Alignment is not a formality; it is the foundation for efficiency. There’s a common misconception that deeper support slows hiring. In practice, clarity accelerates everything. When hiring managers feel informed and supported, decisions happen faster, conversations become more productive and confidence replaces hesitation.

Why Small Moments Matter Most

In recruiting, the smallest gestures often carry the greatest impact. A check-in before an interview. Remembering a personal detail. Closing the loop, every time. These are not procedural steps; they are cultural standards. They humanize the process and reinforce respect for the individual on the other side of the conversation. Servant leadership often lives in these moments, not in grand strategies, but in consistent, intentional behaviors.

The Organizational Impact of Leading by Service

What I’ve observed repeatedly is this: When recruiting operates from a place of service, trust grows organically. Hiring managers begin to view recruiting as a strategic partner rather than an operational function. Candidates experience consistency and care. Recruiting teams feel supported rather than pressured. Trust is built when intent and action consistently align. Over time, that trust elevates the role of talent acquisition itself, shifting it from transactional execution to strategic influence. Recruiting becomes not simply about filling roles, but about strengthening organizational performance, collaboration and retention.

Servant Leadership in a High-Velocity Environment

Servant leadership isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing what matters most. For me, leading by service means creating an environment where my team can succeed, where candidates feel respected and where hiring managers feel genuinely supported. It is a leadership approach grounded not in authority, but in responsibility. And in talent acquisition, that distinction makes all the difference.