For over 15 years, Core Impact Coaching has worked with organizations to provide executive business and professional development coaching to help reach their vision of success. We’re incredibly passionate about our work as coaches because we get the opportunity to help leaders and business owners identify the best strategies to achieve their goals. We also get to see the results of the transformation over time, which is our favorite part.
In honor of Core Impact Coaching’s 15-year anniversary, we are excited to announce the development of the Vanguard Award, an award meant to recognize an outstanding company who has fully embraced coaching and professional development within their organization. While we have worked with many organizations to accelerate their success, there is one that has a long-standing history of dedication to their employees’ growth and development. This year, we’d like to dedicate the first inaugural Vanguard Award to our long-time client, netlogx.
Over 10 years ago, netlogx partnered with Core Impact Coaching because they identified an opportunity to invest in their leadership and team development in order to accelerate their long term business success. Over the years, we’ve worked together to find the best strategies, most of which were developed and fostered internally, to enhance their communication, coaching, and team building. As a result, they’ve flourished and have been named a Best Places to Work in Indiana seven times.
Here are just a few examples of how netlogx led with a Vanguard state of mind over the past 10 years and why they are so deserving of this award.
Communication
When we first started working together, one of the biggest concerns at netlogx was effective communication. Managing Partners Audrey and Nick Taylor found that there wasn’t a lot of transparency and, ultimately, many team members didn’t know what was going on in the organization. They took a step back to see how they could distribute information effectively and efficiently, while also making their team members feel included and “in the know”.
Over time, netlogx developed a variety of methods to improve their internal communication:
- Friday Feedback: A short newsletter delivered on Fridays that includes a weekly dose of fun, company news, and information.
- Internal Newsletter: Once a month, the HR team sends an internal newsletter to every team member with a message from the leaders of the organization, as well as important news and project and wellness updates.
- Team Building Meetings: Each month, the entire netlogx team meets to partake in professional development and collaboration.
Even though the team is completely remote, these initiatives help bond them and update them on what’s happening in the organization. The team feels more connected and involved than ever.
Coaching & Professional Development
Audrey and Nick also wanted to find ways to continually develop their team members. Not only have they fostered a coaching culture, but they have built coaching and professional development into their operations infrastructure. Coaching is now a part of the company’s DNA.
Each organization is different, as is each leader. Together, we created different coaching and professional development curriculums to meet the needs of team members and the organization:
Leadership Coaching
A few years ago, Audrey and Nick were priming Stephanie and Vicki for C-suite positions to help manage the organization and take the heavy load off the Managing Partners. Together, we developed a leadership coaching program to get Stephanie and Vicki prepared for the challenges they would face as Chief Operations Officer and Chief Human Resources Officer. Audrey and Nick had full visibility into the curriculum, and Stephanie and Vicki had the opportunity and time to prepare for the responsibility being given to them. Today, both are thriving in their roles and are successfully managing the organization, taking a lot of the load off Audrey and Nick as owners.
Annual Training Program
At the end of each year, Human Resources partners with Core Impact Coaching to develop the upcoming year’s training and development plan for all team members who want to participate. The plans include things like book studies, Coaching Circles, and formal training on topics such as Six Sigma, Accountability, Setting Expectations, and Managing Conflict.
Fast Track Development Program
A training program developed for new hires or entry-level consultants, the Fast Track Development Program is a brilliant way for netlogx to invest in their new hires and accelerate their professional development. Associates of the program rotate through different projects and roles over the course of 18 months to three years, allowing them to gain experience in different areas of the company. As part of the program, Core Impact Coaching offers leadership training and develops a curriculum that will help advance the Fast Track associates to the next level.
Many graduates of this program have gone on to become senior consultants or lead projects. The program is appealing for new hires and shows netlogx’ care for investing in their people early and throughout their tenure at the company.
Open-Door Coaching Policy
One of the best things netlogx has done is instill a mindset of self-improvement and self-awareness, while also reinforcing that training can help better yourself and others. Audrey and Nick also knew that, without the right resources, team members might not know how to approach their development. That’s why they have offered everyone in the company, new hires and long-time employees alike, a coaching session at any time. Whether it’s conflict resolution, communication skills development, or trying to find a new way to solve a challenge, any team member can call and request a session.
Audrey and Nick also practice what they preach. They seek out coaching from numerous resources to help them develop as leaders and business owners.
Team Building
Culture has always been incredibly important to Audrey and Nick. As an important piece of nurturing company culture, team building has been a pillar for netlogx for many years.
Working hand in hand with HR, we’ve spearheaded a variety of initiatives that have supported team building:
Core Values Index™
It takes time to get to know your team members. However, with tools like the Core Values Index™, we can learn more about team members and how to best work with them.
The Core Values Index™ (CVI™) is “the simplest, most accurate tool to improve self-awareness and align job tasks with innate nature.” We’ve leveraged this assessment in netlogx with working teams, during the hiring process, and with client teams to better understand each individual. By knowing someone’s innate nature, we can have a better understanding of how to approach them, what tasks they will naturally be a good fit for, and how to work effectively together to reach common goals.
Getting the Right People in the Right Roles
In the past, netlogx had some challenges with team members who weren’t in the right roles or weren’t the right fit. Together, we spent a lot of time working with team members and leveraging the CVI™ to determine the proper fit or offer the option to self-select what would be best for them. Even if team members opted to leave, Audrey and Nick never wanted to burn the bridge, commonly saying, “Once you’re part of netlogx, you always are. We won’t forget about you when you’re gone. Stay in touch.” Several have even returned to netlogx after experiencing different environments because of netlogx’ culture.
After navigating some role changes in the organization, netlogx has experienced very low turnover over the past several years. Many team members have celebrated five- and 10-year anniversaries with the company with no plans to leave. They have also been honored with the Best Places to Work in Indiana designation seven times.
Team Building Activities & Initiatives
One of the things we love most about netlogx is their creative approach to team building; they have so many fun and creative ideas! Some include:
- Appreciation activities like lunches or breakfasts, recognizing team members via SPOT awards, and sharing client feedback company-wide
- Internal book clubs
- Mentorship program
- Award-winning intern development program
- Fun awards like the Hobnob Award, Flashlight Award, or Anniversary Award
- Wellness initiatives like water drinking contests and team step challenges
- Yearly company-wide focuses like this year’s positivity initiative
- And much more!
Time after time, netlogx has shown (and proved) their dedication to their team members’ success. It’s been a pleasure working with them for over ten years. It’s an honor to give them this well-deserved award, and we know they will only continue to thrive.
