By Katherine Jones, Communications Manager
It was my third week on the job. And my VP wanted to discuss my professional development. That’s weird, I thought to myself.
As I was still trying to grasp the variety of tasks and the fast-pace of working for a start-up, I was amazed (and somewhat taken aback) that I was being asked to now focus on what I wanted next in my career.
“I love seeing people come alive in their careers,” said Tim Metzner, Co-founder and Chief Growth & Strategy Officer at Coterie Insurance. “Core Coaching is our way to hear from team members on a regular basis about their goals and aspirations and even warning signs of something not working out.”
Core Coaching is Coterie’s focus on developing each and every team member to help them realize their career goals and aspirations. If this means leaving Coterie to pursue other interests, so be it. Coterie will develop you to get you a role with another organization.
Core Coaching sessions are designed for the report to share feedback on the company, direction, and their teammates. This is a powerful way to hear early warning signs about opportunities for improvement while empowering team members to share their thoughts.
The idea for Core Coaching comes from “The Alliance” by Reid Hoffman. It’s about acknowledging that today people change jobs much more frequently than in the past. Instead of pretending an employee will never leave, Coterie focuses on how to help you achieve your professional goals – both inside and outside the organization.
Sounds reasonable, right? The idea also sounds radical to those of us who have never encountered this before.
Coterie Insurance invests in this process because we believe this approach will enable people to grow at higher rates and do their best work. And, investing in people and relationships is the right thing to do.
So this is what Coterie stands for – is it actually what happens? Unequivocally, yes. In fact, Coterie retains an alumni network of team members who have left to pursue other ventures. An alumnus can tap the network for support in their professional careers.
Many companies proclaim to value the professional development of their employees. Yet very few actually walk the walk. Coterie happens to be one of the companies that 100% follows up on this promise.
Will I stay at Coterie forever? Who knows. But I do know that when I’m ready for a change, I’ll have the ability to discuss my thoughts openly with my leadership. And no matter where I go, I’ll always have the support of my fellow Coterians.
