Spreetail Life

Professional Development and Coaching at Spreetail

August 25, 2022

Spreetail has robust Professional Development opportunities and heavily invests in each Spreetailer’s growth and development. Our Talent Development team provides a wide variety of learning opportunities to employees, so they have a chance to challenge and stretch their capabilities. Professional development may not be unique to some organizations, but one offering that makes Spreetail stand out is our Internal Coaching Program. At Spreetail, 1:1 coaching is available to EVERY employee. Over the last year, 321 Spreetailers have taken advantage of coaching, with 464 hours of 1:1 coaching logged so far in 2022.  

Spreetail Coaches are highly trained and certified coaching professionals. They are dedicated to every employee’s growth, success, and care deeply about their teammates. It is an invaluable thought partnership, rooted in trust, vulnerability, and enthusiasm. With coaching a person does not have to navigate challenges or their next career move on their own. Their coach is in their corner to help and cheer them on.

Meet your Spreetail coaches:

Marti Carrington, Director Talent Development
Jen Shannon, PCC Sr. Talent Development Partner
Carrie Jensen, Sr. Talent Development Partner

Coaching is a key strategy for building a pipeline of change-ready leaders. What exactly is coaching? Coaching is an individually tailored practice that involves a close and confidential relationship between the coach and the person being coached. The coach provides a safe, structured, and trustworthy environment to offer support for the individual. The coach can help the person understand their current capabilities, see how they are perceived by others, and focus on identifying and clarifying current goals as we develop the action steps to reach those goals.  

What does internal coaching look like at Spreetail?

All Spreetailers have access to coaching. The Coaching Landscape includes career development for employees interested in making an internal move, earning a promotion, or are curious about how to master their current role. Coaches will map out, refine, and explore their ideal career trajectory. To do this the coach and coachee will craft an Individual Development Plan (IDP) that both challenges and inspires the employee. The employee will use this IDP to create traction on current goals, identify stretch opportunities, and communicate effectively with their managers about their career goals.  

“I found this program to be one of the most beneficial "trainings" that Spreetail offers. The one-on-one coaching was helpful in that the time could be focused on areas specific to the challenges I was facing.” - Julann Pelan, Payroll Manager

Ignite is a coaching program we offer specifically for managers. The purpose of Ignite is to prepare Spreetail’s people-leaders for rapid organizational growth and the cultural shifts that are necessary for the future of Spreetail. Throughout this coaching engagement leaders troubleshoot roadblocks, unlock potential, and identify ways to move themselves and their team forward. Each participant is sent a survey to rate if the program provided information/tools relevant to their work or life (4.73/5.0), how likely they are to apply learnings from this program in the next 90 days (4.73/5.0), and how likely are they to recommend this program to a colleague (9.58/10).

"I feel my sessions have "ignited" my growth! The ability to get tools tailored to my goals and development needs has been phenomenal. I feel humbled that Spreetail is dedicating such a valuable resource to our team. I have truly appreciated being able to talk through personal goals and situations and walking away with trainings/resources to use in the moment." - Renee Pond, Supply Planning Manager

Spreetail also offers cohort, or team, coaching. This approach facilitates group goal achievement, whether within a workgroup, or a cross-functional team. The coach and the group will define objectives, desired outcomes, and an approach forward.  

Finally, Spreetail offers coaching to new and aspiring leaders within our Leadership Programs – Inspiring Leaders and Executive Vision. This coaching is in support of the topics addressed within the programs, such as team leadership, business acumen, and leadership presence and sustainability.  

"Talking with my coach helped me to identify triggers or even answers that I already had to my questions and just didn't realize. Learning how to identify it, helped me to take actions in a better way, and work towards improving myself." - Tiago Iglezia, Process Improvement Manager

As you can see, the coaching culture runs throughout the entire organization. The Executive team also engages in coaching and invests their time and energy in their own development. They lead by example and constantly explore ways to maximize their potential.

How do you know if you are ready for coaching? If you find the following to be true about yourself, you are ready for coaching.  

  • I want to work on something. If you can recognize there are areas where you would like to improve or grow, you are already on your way. While it is not necessary to enter coaching knowing what you would like to work on, it will benefit you to communicate your ideas to your coach.  
  • I am curious and have a learner’s mindset. It is helpful to being open to new ways of thinking. When you collaborate with a coach, they will help you envision a different outcome and help you unlock your potential. Be curious about the possibilities that are ahead of you and be eager to gain the skills necessary to reach your goals.  
  • I have set aside time and energy. As challenging as it may feel to carve out time for your own development, it is necessary in order to grow. You owe it to yourself to maximize the development opportunities available to you. Step one is making time for it and step two is committing to the process. You will never regret investing in yourself, but you will regret leaving potential on the table.  
  • I am willing to be open and share. The role of the coach is like a personal trainer. They will work with you and guide you to improve, but the results will be based on your actions.  

Coaching is a powerful experience. It reflects Spreetail’s commitment to our team’s growth and development. By having a team of coaches and dedicated professionals, Spreetail is making an impact on our team members’ lives now and long into the future. Learn more about how our Talent Development team fuels team members’ career growth: https://www.wearespreetail.com/blog/career-development.  

Jen Shannon

Sr. Talent Development Partner

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