Investing in Leaders: Kara Roehr
Seventy percent of companies that view learning and development as "critical to success" are better positioned than their competitors (Forbes).
At Clickstop, we prioritize the growth of our people as absolutely essential to our success, so we actively and intentionally invest in them.
Investing in leaders is critical to our company’s growth. Whether they’ve been with us for 10+ years or are new to managing others, their growth has a ripple effect on others.
Investing in our leaders
In 2022, Clickstop’s CEO, Cari McCoy, nominated Kara Roehr for the CBJ Leadership Academy. She’d been the Vice President of Technology for a short time when she heard of her selection.
“Everyone in my session came from different levels of experience,” said Kara. “I was one of the newer leaders having been a leader for four months, but there were others who have been leaders for 30 years.”
The CBJ Leadership Academy seeks to provide promising employees with the skills and introspection to help them grow and lead. Kara learned practical leadership, coaching, and management skills including:
- Core Values Assessment
- Emotional Intelligence
- Diversity & Inclusion
- Feedback & Coaching
- Managing Conflict
Kara’s takeaways
When she reflects on what she learned from the experience, Kara had takeaways from each skill the academy covered. She didn’t skip a beat in finding ways to integrate it into her work.
“Our last session was on coaching and tough conversations,” said Kara. “At Clickstop, we were doing impact conversations (annual reviews) that same week and it was my first time doing them as a leader. Hearing how other companies handle their annual evaluations validated our approach for me. We put a lot more emphasis on having a true conversation about the impact of each team member and aren’t just checking a box.”
She also took what she learned about recognizing her and her teammates’ tendencies and strengths into those impact conversations. “My experience helped me recognize how my core values show up in how I lead and how those I lead are different than me,” said Kara.
Through the experience, Kara has improved her leadership by becoming more aware of her tendencies and strengths and learning how to understand and leverage the strengths of others. She has become a more effective communicator and overall leader while joining a network of leaders in the area who will be a part of her ongoing journey.
“Old me would have wanted another Clickstop team member to be there with me because I tend to be an introvert in a group setting,” explained Kara. “This experience allowed me to get outside my comfort zone, make connections, and learn from other leaders. While Clickstop does a lot of great things, we can always be improving and learning from great leaders around the Corridor.”
Kara sees this experience as a great opportunity for any leader looking for a way to expand their development, whether they’re new leaders, seasoned leaders who feel in a rut, or looking for new connections who have similar roles.
We’re excited to see how Kara’s experience through the CBJ Leadership Academy accelerates her growth, her team’s growth, and the growth of Clickstop!