Ok before you flame me with nasty notes regarding the above statement on Contact Center Leadership, please hear me out.
I understand the statement… “Does Contact Center Leadership Have a Clue?” assumes that ALL call center leadership hasn’t figured things out.
That’s not true.
Many are very strong and if you are one I applaud you, if you work for one be happy to know that you can learn a lot and improve your leadership attributes.
With that being said…
There are many call center leaders not doing what needs to be done, such as properly developing their employees. Instead they throw them into the fire and expect them to be able to put it out. What concerns me is that some of these leaders believe that people are expendable. And they only assume and treat their employees as though it is only a “Will” rather than a “skill” issue.
Apparently they don’t have a clue on properly using a performance management process
I actually witnessed a once top notch leader, that reports to one of these lazy leaders, start working and leading like their boss. It’s a shame and too bad because he doesn’t know it but his ability is being limited.
So what are the key call center management processes they are not utilizing?
Call Center Leadership Tactics That Work
This is where this article gets enjoyable and interesting. The things leaders need to do are so simple, however with that being said, if I miss an important one I expect you to hold me accountable and leave a comment with your thoughts – fair?
Leading By Example:
The number one way to garner respect from your employees is to lead by example. Let your teams know that you care what they do and support them by being actively involved in their success. After all isn’t their success yours as well?
If you expect others to conduct themselves a certain way then you need to conduct yourself that way as well. Let me give you a simple call center example…
If you don’t want members of your call center tram to eat lunch at their cubicle, then you shouldn’t eat in your office. It all starts with the simple things. Here’s another example: If you expect your call center team to respect the customers, prospects and each other, then you need to lead by example.
Having this value will be recognized by everybody in your organization and they will respect you for that. That respect is motivating and will spill over in the more important aspects of job performance.
Employee Engagement:
Having an environment where you solicit ideas and feedback from your employees is just strategic! 🙂 By doing this you’ll generate more buy-in from your employees. And the more buy-in you have the easier goal achievement will be. One of the secret resources I used was called PRIDE Teams. This simple system generated buy-in at all levels and really put your call center employee engagement on steroids.
Developing Your Leadership Team:
Employee development is one of the most important functions of call center leaders. Effective leaders understand this vital function and it sends a message to your employees that you have a vested interest in their career.
Having call center leadership training in place for your front-line leaders is an investment in them and the performance of your center. Does your center have what it needs to develop your teams?
Skills like:
- Coaching
- Setting Goals and Objectives
- Employee motivation
- Team building
- Effective Communication
The above list is just a sample of what you need. I solved my center’s problem by putting this call center training in place.
If you notice there is a common theme among the 3 critical functions of leaders. Basically the most important asset you have at your disposal is human capital. Make sure you involve them in the process by invoking their opinion and feedback, and more importantly providing call center training.
To your success,
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