SUCCESSFUL TEAM LEADERS

Industry Content Supporter:
Marc Carriere
Managing Director
https://www.linkedin.com/in/marccarriere/

We are all human and make mistakes, and there are some mistakes newly promoted Team Leaders make in particular.  Yes, making a mistake can be a learning experience.  However, by avoiding these eight common mistakes, new Team Leaders can become more productive, successful, and highly respected by their team more quickly.

Misunderstanding Their Role

Once you become a team leader, your responsibilities differ from when you were only accountable for your performance.  Now, you're responsible for the performance of your team and all its members.  It can be a little scary at first.  Many people find themselves outside their comfort zone and soon realize they must use different skills to be effective leaders and managers.

If they don't acquire these new skills, they won't be able to lead and manage their team, which is what they were hired to do!

Not 'Walking the Walk' 

Team Leaders need to be role models for their team.  Your team is watching you constantly, and they will pattern much of their behavior based on how they see you behave.  If you're negative sometimes, you can't expect them not to be harmful, either.  If you want to shape their behavior, start with your own, and they will follow suit.

Not Providing Timely, Constructive Feedback When you don't provide timely and constructive feedback to your team members, you're depriving them of the opportunity to improve their performance.

Not Making Time For Your Team

Once you're in a Team Leadership role, your team should always come first—that is the heart of good leadership.  So, you have to make the time to coach your team members to help them improve their skills, whether they need help handling their calls, product knowledge, or administrative tasks.

Being Too Hands-On

New team leaders usually want to avoid micromanaging their team because many were likely their colleagues not long ago, and they don't want them to feel like they're being lorded over.

But going in the opposite direction with a 'hands-off' management style isn't a good idea either – you need to find the right balance. Don't hide behind your desk!

Being Too Friendly

This is a common mistake to avoid because team members will be tempted to take advantage of your relationship if you're too friendly.  This doesn't mean you can't socialize with your team—far from it—you need to strike the right balance by setting healthy boundaries between being a friend and now being the Team Leader.

Failing to Define Goals

When team members don't have clear goals, they muddle through their days and waste time.  They must strive for clearly defined and achievable daily and weekly goals and understand they will be held accountable for achieving them.

When setting goals, remember to make them fair and reasonable based on their skill level.  Also, be sure to get their Buy-in that the goal is fair and they can achieve it.

Misunderstanding Motivation

Many Team Leaders assume their team only works for monetary reward, especially if paid an hourly rate plus commission.  However, this will unlikely be the only thing that motivates them.  Plenty of research shows money is not the most important thing for most team members.  Usually, it's far down the list.  Aside from money, people often look for a more outstanding work/life balance and might be motivated by flexible working hours where they can leave early if they hit their daily goal.  Many people will be motivated by achievements, extra responsibility, praise, or even a sense of satisfaction by achieving team goals with their teammates.

Of course, people wouldn't work without getting paid, but what matters to them is what they want to do with the money they make.  So, find out what matters to them and how they want to use the money, and then help them understand how to earn the money they need to achieve their goals by being more productive.

Industry Content Supporter: 

Marc Carriere

Managing Director

https://www.linkedin.com/in/marccarriere/   

Most team leaders understand they must regularly coach their teams to consistently achieve team goals and KPIs. However, the challenge for many, especially new Team Leaders, is that they’ve had limited coaching experience and little to no training. They certainly want to coach their teams, but as they consider getting started, many quietly ask themselves: What exactly is coaching, and how do I do it? Here are four key fundamentals of coaching that Team Leaders need to understand and implement to become effective coaches and exceptional leaders: 

1. Building Strong Relationships  

Indeed, the first fundamental of effective coaching is developing our people. We certainly have to be good at that, and we do this by sharing our skills and expertise.  However, aside from having good technique and experience, you must be good at building relationships with your team members to be a fantastic coach. You need them to be comfortable coming to you.  Over 75% of the time, the person you’re coaching already knows (or thinks they know) where they need help. So, if you can build relationships where team members have no fear about raising their hand to say:  I need help with my closing skills. I’m having a real problem handling objections. I need to learn product knowledge a little bit better. I need to understand what’s expected of me.  That would be the ideal situation rather than constantly seeking them out, wouldn’t it?  Because when they come to you, you know they are committed, ready to listen, and open to trying something new.  

• Constantly adjust your style to each person’s needs to build good relationships. What works for one team member may be the wrong approach for another.

2. Providing Clear Direction 

The fundamentals of effective coaching are providing clear direction. Team Leaders must let their team members know exactly what’s expected of them, where the team is headed, and what will happen so they can contribute. This means that team leaders must be prepared and straightforward with everyone on their team about the results they expect from them and when they expect them to deliver them. 

• Most team members are genuinely interested in these things—they matter to them and are critical to expectations and directions.

3. Providing Corrective and Nurturing Feedback

Team Leaders are responsible for regularly giving their team members constructive, honest, and helpful feedback. Team members must know how they are doing, where they are going, and if they contribute to the overall team goal.  A big part of this is choosing to provide encouraging feedback over criticism. 

• When you must criticize, give feedback as soon after the event as possible. Be honest but compassionate, and then move on.

4. Expecting Results

Whether in business or sports… all coaches want results.  They want to win, and they want those they coach to win and the team to win, too.  So, have high expectations and believe in your team. Don’t ignore or sideline underperformers. Your team is only as good as your weakest team member. Instead, help them improve by making progress tangible, setting clear goals and milestones, and celebrating achievements when goals and KPIs are reached.

• Setting expectations, watching for missteps, providing guidance for correction, and acknowledging a job well done are all part of being an effective coach and excellent team leader.

Industry Content Supporter:
Marc Carriere
Managing Director
https://www.linkedin.com/in/marccarriere/

Holding team members accountable for their targets and KPIs helps maintain performance levels up to standard to ensure quality customer service or sales. Suppose team members aren’t regularly held responsible for their targets and KPIs. In that case, you are not only sending a sign of weakness in your leadership, but it will also be more challenging to provide recognition or coaching. Holding your team members accountable for achieving their targets and KPIs is linked to higher performance, increased commitment to the team, and higher morale.  And what happens when there’s no accountability? Easy answer - it damages the team! 

Tolerating missed targets or KPIs, lack of punctuality, or unfinished work without addressing these behaviors creates the impression that they are no big deal. People learn that missing their targets or KPIs or consistently being 10 minutes late for their shift is okay. Your team suffers when a member fails to meet their commitments and is not held accountable, leading to frustration and disengagement among the team members. Two of the biggest reasons team leaders resist holding team members accountable are that they are not comfortable doing it or that they don’t have a clear process for doing it. To make sure you are consistently holding your team members accountable for their performance, religiously follow these simple practices:

• Set Clear Expectations: Quite often, you aren’t getting the best performance from your team because you’re not crystal clear about what you want them to do. This is the core of holding your team accountable. Setting clear, measurable goals makes it unambiguous about what is expected from a team member. If you agree on their goals and KPIs, it’s much harder for them to argue about them later when they fall short, and it ensures they understand their accountability from the beginning.

• Follow-Up Regularly: As apparent as it seems, it’s incredible how often following up with team members gets overlooked, whether because of all the fires that must be put out every day or it’s uncomfortable discussing poor performance. One habit you need to develop is regularly meeting with each of your team members at least once every two weeks for 10 to 15 minutes to discuss their performance against their targets and KPIs. Yes, that might mean spending a few hours in these meetings to cover your whole team! But the payoff is that you create alignment and can get them back on track, moving in the right direction with more coaching or patting them on the back for doing well. If you meet with them regularly, they’ll come to the meeting prepared to discuss their progress rather than come up with excuses.

• Be Honest and Share the Brutal Truth: Tiptoeing around a situation doesn’t help anyone. You need to give them honest corrective feedback when necessary. That doesn’t mean slamming them for falling behind. Give them the facts, explain what they’re expected to do, and find out if and where they may need help. If they do, give them more coaching or training. Accountability isn’t just about holding your team accountable; it’s a two-way street. You must follow through and get what you said you’d get done.  Recognizing that your team members depend on your work’s results is key. Open, proactive communication is also essential to keeping team members informed about your progress toward their commitments, as this directly impacts their ability to achieve their targets and KPIs.

It’s about taking ownership and initiative, doing the right thing for the team, and taking responsibility for results—the opposite of passing the buck.  Trust is the backbone of high-performing teams. And, when team members see that you are truly accountable and take ownership of the team’s results, you’ll earn their trust. They’ll trust you to do the right thing and do what you said you’d do. And, once you’ve earned their trust, they’ll work to earn yours.

So, work on your feedback skills because it’s one of the most important things you must do as a team leader. Feeling ignored by not giving feedback is one of the most demotivating things you can do to your team. Keep track of your commitments and hold each other accountable. If you promise to provide more positive feedback or coaching, schedule it and hold yourself responsible for delivering on it.  If a team member commits to something, ensure you can check in and hold them accountable.

Industry Content Supporter:
Marc Carriere
Managing Director
https://www.linkedin.com/in/marccarriere/

Creating exceptional Team Leaders takes a lot of work and is not always easy. Still, the surprising thing is it isn’t the hardest thing in the world either… especially if your Team Leaders adopt positive habits they consistently apply every day!  Over the past 35 years, I’ve been involved with Call Centers as a Call Center Owner, consulting with businesses or coaching and mentoring Call Center Managers and Team Leaders. I’ve seen the best habits in action that excellent Team Leaders use to successfully nurture, coach, and lead winning teams!  I promise. If your Team Leaders learn these habits and effectively apply them daily, senior managers and team members will recognize them as truly amazing Leaders in a few months.

Habit #1: Knowing Their Numbers

Outstanding Team Leaders are obsessive when it comes to knowing their team metrics. They know these numbers are how they are measured every hour, day, week, and month, so they track where their team is about their KPIs and sales targets daily and every hour of the day.

Habit #2: Setting Expectations

Exceptional Team Leaders always remember they are leaders, coaches, and mentors. They set the direction and expectations for the team and team members individually early and often. They set expectations on key performance metrics, work behaviors, and dress codes. They also set expectations on what the team will get from them: coaching, extra training, cheerleading, or celebrating team and individual achievements.

Habit #3: Walking the Talk

Outstanding Team Leaders handle calls each week to stay sharp and on top of any issues they may face, showing the team they’re invested in its success. They know that taking or making calls earns the team’s respect and helps them in other ways. If the team knows their Team Leader can do the job, they’re more open to being coached and listening to suggestions and tips.

Habit #4: Clearing Roadblocks
Exceptional Team Leaders discover what keeps their team members from hitting their targets and doing a great job. They know it’s their job to try their best to address and fix these issues.

They let the team know why they can’t fix any issues. They know the team will accept an issue once they understand why it cannot be fixed.

Habit #5: Helping Team Members Be Great

Outstanding Team Leaders remember how scared and unsure they were when they started using the phones. They also remember how much they had to learn and take on board. They remember how much they needed reassurance and support from their Team Leader and how much they wanted and needed constant feedback, especially in the beginning. So, fantastic Team Leaders evaluate team members' efforts often and provide corrective feedback and reassurance to help them become good at their jobs.

Habit #6: Effectively Onboarding New Members

When a new team member joins, amazing Team Leaders first get feedback from the training team to understand what they were good at and what help is still needed. They also want to assess the new team members' attitudes, attendance, training participation, and interactions with others to determine what needs improvement. Fantastic team leaders ease them into the job by having them sit with an experienced agent for a few shifts to settle them into the job and the team. They also get comfortable with the job by watching and listening to how it is done. It provides a safe place for employees to ask questions, raise concerns about the job, and connect with team members.

Habit #7: Getting Extra Help When Needed

When outstanding Team Leaders notice a gap in specific call activity, procedures, or processes, they seek help from the training or quality assurance teams. They may ask the teams to listen to extra calls or provide additional training to help them fill the gap.

Habit #8: Managing Absenteeism

Exceptional Team Leaders work on absenteeism daily, seeing it as a tripwire. They warn team members that there may be a problem if a member is considering leaving.  Apart from being concerned for their team members' welfare and their duty of care to them, they see this as an excellent opportunity to fix a problem early before someone decides to leave. They know that often, it can be a simple fix, or these absences may be related to a more serious problem that can affect the whole team, so they want to find out what’s going on and, if possible, fix it as soon as possible.

Habit #9: Showing They Care

Extraordinary Team Leaders develop high emotional intelligence by constantly showing they care about their team members and being genuinely interested in their lives both inside and outside work.

Habit #10: Recognizing Good Effort

Exceptional Team leaders know that genuine recognition and appreciation for hard work, even if someone just missed a target, are very rewarding. It can be as simple as a pat on the back.

Habit #11: Keeping Their Team Close

For the better part of the shift, outstanding team leaders manage their team by walking around their team, being available to answer questions, giving tips or quick training sessions, and fixing any problems people are having that come up. They know that it’s more efficient and easier to be accessible with the team sitting around them, so they don’t have to wander all over the floor because when someone really needs their help, they need it immediately!

Habit #12: Being Prepared

Excellent Team Leaders work to a schedule for the upcoming week and follow their schedule.

They build their schedules with activities they know will occur every week. These include any regular meetings they have with their boss and other meetings. They also schedule time outside peak calling times for admin tasks, answering emails, reading reports, or updating them. They especially schedule time to listen to recorded calls and coaching sessions to provide corrective feedback!

Habit #13: Efficiently Running Pre-shift Meetings

Outstanding Team Leaders always have quick positive meetings for 5 to 10 minutes before a shift begins to share where the team is tracking against KPIs and targets and share any information on changes or updates to processes, systems, or products the team needs to know about and hand out award certificates and providing recognition. They also get each team member to commit to a personal target for the shift and do a ‘Check up from the Neck up’ to ensure everyone has cleared their minds and is focused on their goals.

Habit #14: Learning Why a Team Member Quit

Considering all the time and effort they’ve invested in their team members, fantastic Team Leaders want to know why someone quits and whether the situation could have been avoided or corrected so that it doesn’t happen again.

Habit #15: Investing In Their Personal Development

Extraordinary team leaders want to enhance their skills, take advantage of any training opportunity or leadership seminars the company provides, or further their personal development by getting their hands on as many books, articles, or videos as possible to grow further. They also speak with other team leaders and senior people in the company to find out what books, courses, or training materials they would recommend. They also join online call center communities and associations to learn more and improve their skills. The quicker a Team Leader adopts and applies these habits daily, the easier their job will become. They will also be recognized as excellent Team Leaders who effectively coach, nurture, and lead a great team, someone worthy of greater responsibilities and promotion!