Will Roberts

Allouez CSR Will Roberts knows that growth comes from stepping out of your comfort zone, but recognizing that doesn’t necessarily make it any easier. “I like a routine,” he says, “and it was a challenge for me to think about getting out of my own bubble — for me to develop the confidence to help a new employee and be in their constant presence.”

Will started breaking out of that mode when he gained insights and experience about making referrals. “That was one of the hardest things for me,” he says. He had cash handling experience from restaurant jobs, but getting to know customers on a higher level and suggesting additional bank products or services was a step far beyond that.

Now he finds it exciting — and rewarding — “to see your trainee use what you taught them to do their daily tasks and to see their excitement when they get their very first referral.”

A North Shore Bank employee since October 2011, Will completed the sponsor program in October 2012. He sponsored his first trainee, part-time Allouez CSR Rachel Everard, in November.

Will is grateful that Allouez Branch Manager Mickey Adams encouraged him to become a sponsor. “When she asked me to consider it, I told her I wanted a day to think about it. She convinced me to make a commitment right then. I thought about my sponsor, Laurie Kocken, who is so dedicated to helping others, and I said yes.”

“Will has the ability to make the new employee feel very welcome, which keeps the communication going,” Mickey says. “It helps the trainee to stay on track and learn quickly. They feel they can ask him any question and get an answer they can understand. He is also able to handle the tougher areas of training with a high level of maturity.”

“Will has become a very important member of our team,” Mickey adds. “I am able to be away from the branch and know that things are being handled in the manner I would expect.”