Common business practice dictates that those that find themselves managing both people and processes have a certain level of respect for their subordinates.
Let’s admit, the management of people is an art. I would like to pose a question to a most disconcerting trend. Why is it that the manager who is described as the ‘oppressor’; ‘tyrant’; ‘authoritarian’; ‘dictator’ and ‘autocrat’, is the one that manages to maintain a sales force that is surprisingly both dedicated and phenomenal top achievers?
Is it me, or have I missed something along the way? When did outstanding sales professionals settle for allowing their exceptional talent to be criticised, downgraded, undervalued, and squelched by this uncanny resemblance to ‘Hitler’ supremacy?
The ‘dictator’ regime seems to drive our sales force more powerfully than any other. However, on my various coaching interventions, contact centre agents continuously insist that they can no longer perform under this type of leadership. So where does the problem lie? Is it with the agent, who bears it all and still performs out of ‘fear’? Or does the problem lie in the boardroom? With those that ‘turn a blind eye’ to the situation because at the end of it all, it’s the bottom line that counts the most. As is human nature, we would all love to play the blame game, because in truth, shifting blame allows us to remain in our comfort zone, where we hibernate in the idea that all is well with the world.
The bitter truth is that many call centres see their agents, not as business partners, but as workhorses, prone to endless ‘battery’. We have all heard the reasoning before, “agents are a dime a dozen”, but sadly, many fail to understand that it makes more business sense to maintain, empower and uplift your staff compliment, than to continuously replace and retrain them.
The management style of your leaders is of utmost importance. Those that hold the reins in the production of your business are crucial to your bottom line, because they are either, making you money by ensuring the best production or, costing you money by aiding in the high staff attrition you face.
The solution may seem simple, but as in any change environment, our biggest challenge is accepting that change needs to occur. It is fundamental for the success and growth of any business that a proactive approach be taken to empowering our employees, educating them to ensure they achieve the best. This needs to begin with your leaders, your managers, team leaders, coaches.
All too often, training forecasts are focused on the agent, clearly because we are busy preparing for high volumes of staff turnover. Look at spending some time empowering the leader; help them understand the various aspects of leadership.
Invest in a program that will empower your leaders, assisting them in various areas namely:
• Understanding what Leadership is
• Discussing the roles and qualities of leadership
• Understanding the distinction between management and leadership
• Discussing Leadership Theories and styles
• Understanding your staff: competence and motivation
• Dimensions of team effectiveness
• Leading change
• Unlocking Success principles of leadership
Now before you venture off into your call centre, ready to seek out the perpetrators, and bring an end to this trend that has possibly gone on undetected for a while, allow me to point out the strange thing about the ‘Hitler Supremacy’ is that is seldom spoken of openly. These discussions are reserved for those whom agents believe they are able to trust, with the power of such information.
It will also be wise to remember that as the overall leader in your business, you too need to steer clear of the ‘Dictator’ title. Your best course of action is to use this as an opportunity to improve the running of your profit centre. You need to build a team, who strive to achieve the best possible results not only for you, but for themselves. For this reason it would be in your best interest to challenge the norm, change the current temperament and create a strong contingent of internal Business Partners.
