21 Jul Fleet Response 2022 LEaD Program
(Left to Right) Zakary Etela, Rachael Blakemore, Stephanie Kulesa, Grace Bradac, Wendy Zullo, Samantha Ryba, Stacy Evans, Joe Rogel
At Fleet Response, our mission is to provide innovative and effective service to our clients and maintain a high standard of professionalism and partnership in an environment that fosters opportunity, integrity and excellence. The Leadership Education and Development (LEaD) Program at Fleet Response was created in 2018 to develop leadership skills and support our mission of providing best in class services.
Participants are from several departments at Fleet Response. Stephanie Kulesa, Stacy Evans, Kimberly Colegrove, Joe Rogel, Grace Bradac, Rachel Blakemore, Samantha Ryba and Wendy Zullo will be the LEaD program’s 3rd graduation class.
The seven-month course covers a variety of modules and topics related to leadership and management. The 8 modules include: The Fleet Response Brand, Time Management & Delegation, Relationship Building, Coaching / Feedback, Professional Presence, Managing Results / Change Management, Presentation Skills, and Finance & Risk Management.
To be considered for the LEaD program, employees must have a minimum of 6 months tenure, and a recommendation from their current supervisor or manager, followed by a two-round interview process with the executive team.
Each month, two Fleet Response leaders present a module. Every module includes an assignment and a team building activity to reinforce the learning objectives. The executive team offers advice and shares their experiences relating to the module.
When asked what she is most looking forward to during the program, Call Center Supervisor, Kimberly Colegrove said, “Oddly enough, the homework. Knowing that I am taking away the message they delivered and trying to implement it into my current role is satisfying. I appreciate all the feedback I have been given so far as it has only helped me along in this process. I see differences in how I would handle certain situations.”
Each member will give a final presentation to the executive team outlining what they have learned from the program. Following the graduation presentations in October, LEaD participants are tasked with coordinating and executing all communication and activities for customer service week, a week-long event in which all employees can participate in games and activities, both in person and virtually.
“My experience in the LEaD program was extremely beneficial to both my personal and career growth,” said Irina Ruiz, Call Center Manager and 2018 LEaD graduate. “It provided me the tools I needed to better understand how a business can be successful. It also taught me what key leaderships skills are needed to be a successful Leader.”
2022 LEaD participant and Claims Supervisor, Samantha Ryba, said, “I look forward to having the opportunity to work with the executive team on a regular basis. When I was a claims representative, I had some exposure to them, but in the LEaD program, you speak with them directly and learn about their experiences firsthand.”
Rick Jacko, Adjuster Supervisor and 2020 LEaD graduate, said of his experience, “The discussions between the group presented alternative viewpoints to properly attack a problem and provide a complete solution. This forces you to look into every aspect of the issue at hand, identify the root cause, and properly resolve the issue so that it is not repeated.”
Rick went on to say, “This is an Excellent Program. There is not an aspect of this program that does not assist any individual in daily activities in the office or in life. In my opinion, the LEaD program should be mandatory for anyone considering a leadership position.”
The LEaD program continues to be received with incredibly positive attitudes. The program proves that Fleet Response does live by the mission to provide innovative and effective service. A proven way to accomplish that goal is to invest in your employees.