TLR HR Manager Jennifer Ciglar was invited to do a Corporate Sponsor Spotlight for the University of Portland’s Pamplin School of Business Grad Gazette.
Seeking Mission
Some years ago, I was sitting with Terri Bartle (former President), and we were discussing one of our people that was going through a hard time and how we can help. She said she always believed TLR had a bigger mission – and that’s what we can do for our people. Years later, I couldn’t agree more.
As a family and veteran-owned and operated company, we do feel like a “work family” and we respect everyone’s individual lives by talking a lot about work/life balance and the importance of it. This also lends a hand to how we conduct our communication training and the materials we select. We focus on materials that can be used in all areas of one’s life, not only pertaining to what we do at TLR.
Since our Communication Trainings are all remote, we are constantly striving to bridge the gap between in-person and virtual. One of the ways we do this is using the big-small-big concept. We have our “big” meeting and then utilize breakout rooms for our “small” meetings. The “small” breakout sessions provide a safe space for people to speak up and not feel as intimidated as one might in the “big” meeting. Here is a recent quote from one of our people from an AAR (After Action Review) that shows the effectiveness of using the big-small-big concept;
“I like the interactive nature of the meetings with the breakout rooms. I think they are more effective than just a straight lecture as it gives you the opportunity to work through the information in order to speak to other colleagues about situations that have come up in the past utilizing the principles presented.”
Putting Action to the Test
One of our current Supervisors is my favorite example of how effective the materials can be when put into practice.
As soon as we started to roll out the materials to “All” instead of just “Leadership,” she was slightly resistant at first. There were some communication issues between her team and another, so that was our springboard to discuss what tools we could utilize to change that relationship for the better.
Cut to a few years later and she was considering a supervisor position but didn’t feel she was truly ready. We had some coaching sessions and agreed to continue our coaching sessions after she took the position. A huge part of her success was her ability to acknowledge what her strengths were so we could hone her strengths and identify her stretches so we could work on those as she grew in her role. Our coaching sessions focused on prep work and then present-moment feedback that was situation based.
She has demonstrated so much growth since that first day and her team treats her with a great amount of respect. The fact that they consistently exceed budget goals is a major bonus for the team and the company!
People Are the Company
If companies can learn to recognize that their people ARE the company and not just cogs in a machine, then magic happens. It’s not all rainbows and butterflies, as humans, we are all fallible.
We will have bad days; we will have bad months and even bad years. It’s how we choose to show up during those times, it’s making the choice to raise your hand for help and to be able to recognize when it’s simply time for a change. We have experienced all these things at all levels of our organization. At the end, we maintain respect and compassion for that person regardless of the outcome, because, at TLR, we DO the right thing.
About TLR
TLR’s mission as a solution-focused service provider is to develop our services around the specific needs of our customers, thereby creating opportunities in the international marketplace that otherwise might not be possible.
We are experts in trade compliance, customs clearance, and freight forwarding, and we work with clients in a wide range of industries including agriculture, alcohol, defense, and commercial ITAR.
Whether you need help with supply chain management and logistics for a niche market or are looking for logistics consulting services, TLR is here to provide top-tier solutions tailored to your needs.
