Leadership Archives - Page 3 of 4 - Etech Global Services

3 Ways to Create Authentic and Relevant Connection with Your Team

In order to have an authentic connection with people at your workplace, you need to show a certain level of vulnerability. Your leadership journey should start with a Leadership Point of View. Wickline describes this in an August issue of Blanchard Ignite as a story about, “. . .the people and events that have shaped who you are. It also speaks to your values, your beliefs and what drives you as a leader.” This is not always easy. Many people find opening up to be scary and emotional. Wickline suggests a couple of first steps to get you started on your journey. Take Time to Reflect Look back on where you’ve been and how you gained your current perspectives and values. Your past is part of your leadership journey as well as your present. Reflecting back gives you a lot on insight into who you are now. Even Wickline gained value from this exercise. “When I started working on my Leadership Point of View, I had to think long and hard about my current attitudes and how they came to be. For example, when somebody tells me I can’t do something, I immediately fight against that and do whatever it takes to prove them wrong. Where on earth did that come from?” Tell A Story Many times reflecting back will bring to light stories. Stories help you connect with people. An employee relationship is easy to build when you present your authentic self through these successes and failures. Wickline expounds on the importance of stories: “People remember stories. If I just say, ‘Here is a list of things I think are important,’ people won’t remember that. But when I tell stories about experiences I’ve had or share something I learned from my mom or dad, it makes a connection.” Creating a Deeper Connection As you open up to people, they will start responding to you. A leader is more than just a boss. A leader is someone you respect and want to follow. Through your stories you allow people to connect with you in a more meaningful way. Your leadership experience helps guide others in their own journey. Good things to share include life events that have shaped you, people who have influenced you and everyday happenings that keep you motivated. Wickline shares the benefits of this process by saying, “People who put the time and energy into this process consistently look back on the experience as something that helped them rediscover the values and beliefs they hold dear. Sharing your story with your team creates a deep connection.” So don’t be afraid to share a bit of yourself and allow yourself to be vulnerable every now and then.

How to Avoid Frustration and Still Lead with Patience

Leaders are often tasked with dealing with several different personality types, some of whom are difficult to cope with. However, even in the most trying situations when working with difficult people in the office, it is important to maintain a sense of decorum. Part of that decorum is knowing how to avoid frustration and still lead with patience. A working knowledge of the different personality types can help effective leaders with employee grievance handling and enable them to avoid conflict and improve overall workplace productivity. Though there are many types of difficult people in workplace, the five most common types that leaders will have to handle typically fall into these categories: the bully, the gossip, the narcissist, the naysayer and the passive aggressive type. While each of these personalities have their shortcomings, each of the negative traits they display can be turned into positives with patience and perseverance. From a leader’s perspective, a way to turn negative behavior into a positive experience is to remember to stay focused on the specific goal that is trying to be obtained. One key to neutralizing the negative behavior in the workplace is to actually include the person in the conversation. Even the most hostile negative behaviors can be neutralized when attention to the task at hand is prevalence. Regardless of the type of worker encountered at work, a true leader knows how to handle confrontations in the workplace, and in many cases, is able to diffuse the negative traits of many personality types. Another key to neutralizing negative behavior is following Franklin Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. One of these habits involves an internal shifting of attitudes toward people with problem behavior. Called a paradigm shift, this approach often allows leaders to gain a better understanding of an employee’s reason for the negative behavior. Many will think acknowledging negative behavior is counterproductive. However, leaders who keep the goal of a meeting in mind know that negative behavior is often a manifestation of frustration on the part of the employee who feels unheard or undervalued. The simple act of listening to an employee and encouraging participation can not only alter the course of a company, but also the negative behaviors. The leader who know how to avoid frustration and still lead with patience can gain not only the confidence of those he or she leads, but can also bring out the best qualities in employees who sometimes exhibit the worst traits.

Three Critical Things to Know While Leading a New Team

Good leaders are never completely satisfied. They are always reaching for higher levels of excellence, and this requires a combination of self-awareness and personal growth. Leadership can be particularly challenging when you’re transitioning to a leadership position with a new team. What are some critical things you need to know if you’re going to be successful? Always Aim for Transparency One expert on leadership takes clients and leaders through a process called Leadership Point of View, which is essentially a look back at one’s own leadership journey. Think about how you got to where you are as a leader. Where did you start? What challenges did you overcome? When you share the details of your path with your new team, it helps them to better know you as a leader and a person. If you don’t share your story up front, it could take months or even years for you and your team to reach the level of understanding that could have been achieved through a simple introductory session. On occasion, take time to ask yourself, “How well does my team know me? Is there anything I can do to become more transparent as a leader?” This may mean that you have to implement a new information sharing protocol or take a more active role in team building activities. Look for Feedback The members of your new team may hesitate to give you feedback because they fear a negative response. Take the time to ask for feedback, and do so regularly. Ask for patience from your team members, and make sure they understand that you want to work with them, not lord over them. This is particularly challenging if you’re transitioning to an environment with a different cultural understanding from your own, such as if you are leading an overseas team. Don’t be afraid to be vulnerable, and be humble enough to make adjustments. Be Committed to Growth Be willing to step outside of your comfort zone for the sake of growth. Identify what isn’t working, try out new behaviors, commit to change, and rally the support you need to accomplish your goals. You may even find it beneficial to find a coach who can help you progress in your career and personally. Don’t be discouraged if at first you don’t mesh with your new team as well as you would like to. It can take time before you adapt to them and they adapt to you. However, if you remain open to growth and change, you’ll be on the pathway to success.

Are Perceptions of Power Important to Understand?

In any leadership dynamic, there is a dominant impression that is made between the leader and those who report to that leader, either directly or indirectly. A leader can sometimes be a force that appears to be larger than life and frankly, intimidating. The question every leader should be asking is, “Are perceptions of power important to understand?” The answer to this question is a resounding yes, and should be heavily considered in a leader’s vision for a company. At any given moment, a workplace has five different power dynamics in the workplace: Reward power, which can be either impersonal or personal. Reward power offers a boon for employee performance that is beneficial to the company. The impersonal reward implies a fiduciary compensation for an employee, while the personal implies favor. Coercive power, which is highly personal because it can equate to using bullying or scare tactics as motivation. This is almost always negative and should be avoided in most cases. Referent power, which is power that comes through admiration. The danger of reverent power is that it can cause a sycophantic environment where the leader may only hear pleasing news. Legitimate power, which relies on the rank or title of the position as the driving influence of power. Leaders should be cautious of merely relying only on their position as their source of power. Expert power, which is the use of power that relies on the knowledge and expertise of the leader. The danger with expert power occurs when the expertise is withheld from an employee or team. Although each of these dynamics may be present in the workplace and be employed from time to time, either individually or in tandem with one another, each also has a prescribed pratfall if not used properly or in moderation. Using any one of these dynamics improperly can lead to a lag in motivation and can decrease productivity in the workplace. Regardless of the leadership’s thoughts on how a business should be run, leaders should also understand that perception is just as important, if not more so than delivery. If an employee has expectations that do not align with either the leader’s vision or that of the team, it can have a domino effect on the productivity. Are perceptions of power important to understand? Yes, and so are the dynamics of power and becoming an effective leader. Regardless of the leadership style used, these perceptions shape the way in which a company runs.

Five Steps That Can Help Leaders to Build Trust

Developing leadership qualities is essential for anyone running an organization, regardless of the business or activity. If the people with whom you work don’t trust you, it’s going to be nearly impossible to motivate them to achieve goals and accomplish the objectives you’ve set. Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for employees to distrust their managers and supervisors. On the good side, if you’re one who leads others, there are some steps you can follow to gain the trust of those individuals and teams you direct. Do What You Say You’ll Do : Building employee trust starts with you keeping your promises and not committing to things you know you have no intention of doing of those things you know you don’t have the ability to do in the first place. Sometimes you might be tempted to accommodate an employee’s request or say yes to an idea, knowing full well the answer should have been no. Don’t be afraid to turn down an employee. The person will appreciate this more than if you say yes and then later break the promise. Tell the Truth : Related to the point above is the need to be completely honest. There’s no reason to mislead your employees or to beat around the bush. Sure, the truth can be hard to take sometimes, but at least your team members will know where they stand and what you expect of them. Similarly, when you’re honest, your employees will be truthful and upfront as well. This will help create an atmosphere where all parties can communicate openly without the worry that someone is holding something back. Treat Others Fairly : When it comes to leadership thoughts and awareness, it’s important for people in position of authority to realize there’s nothing wrong with being direct and blunt, as long as you’re fair in your remarks. Don’t point out other people’s flaws openly, and don’t do so unless the criticism is warranted and designed to help the person improve. Your employees need to know what you expect of them, but you don’t want them to resent you. Keep Your Door Open : Doing this figuratively and literally will build employee trust. Make sure your employees know they can approach you anytime with any concerns or problems. Listen to what they have to say and be sensitive to their needs. Be Mindful of Your Own Actions : From time to time, take inventory of yourself. Evaluate how you’re treating others and what your attitudes are. Building trust is vital, but it’s not as challenging as you might think. Put these steps into practice, and you’ll notice a difference in your workplace.

5 Mistakes Effective Leaders Always Avoid

No one likes to see conflict on a team, but no matter how well your team members get along or how long you have worked together, conflict is inevitable. A good manager is prepared for these situations and has a toolbox of techniques at the ready to use when necessary. Here are five mistakes to avoid if you are in a team leadership position. Poor Emotional Intelligence Part of your image as a leader is your ability to stay calm under stress and to be approachable by all employees on your team when they need to address problems. It’s impossible not to be frustrated, annoyed and irritated during the course of a busy work day, but don’t let it interfere with your face-to-face interactions. If you sense that you are having a negative emotional response to someone, step away and come back to the issue later when the feeling has passed. You will find that you will have greater clarity on the issue at hand, as well. Inconsistency and Lack of Authenticity Effective team management requires a good leader who has an unwavering message, day in and day out; although you will likely favor some people over others because of personality or like-mindedness, you have to be sure no one is getting favored treatment or more information than others. This doesn’t mean that you create a fake mask to present to the world; workers can always tell when you behave in a robotic fashion instead of establishing and upholding your own value system. What is does mean is that you need to be constantly evaluating yourself to be sure that what you say and do is uniform and consistent towards everyone in all situations. Try not to have one-on-one conversations regarding the everyday workflow, but rather use group meetings, bulletin boards, and conference calls so everyone is included and getting the same message. Failure to Ask for Feedback Your workers should always feel comfortable approaching you and speaking to you frankly about what concerns them. You should likewise always be asking them for an appraisal of your performance as a leader. Other people will have many insights that you could never discover on your own, and you may be surprised at how you are viewed by others. As you become more aware of your strengths and weaknesses, you will become a more effective at team leadership. Thinking You Know Everything Already You don’t want to get caught in an echo chamber. Even with a properly diverse team that has an open line of communication with you, you will only grow in your abilities if you commit yourself to learning more and pursuing training opportunities. You should keep going to those seminars and read articles and books on professional topics. Failure to Set Goals and Measure Progress Self-improvement also requires practice. Set goals for yourself and develop a way to measure your progress towards them. Have a list of goals for every day that you go to the office, but keep it realistic. As you document your actions, you will have a clearer picture of what you are accomplishing and what you should change.

3 Ways to Help Others Develop Valuable Leadership Skills

Leadership skills do not come naturally to most people, but almost everyone will need them at some point. Most people will inevitably be faced with situations that require them to exercise leadership skills in various aspects of their life ranging from personal to professional. As a leadership coach, it is important for you to understand the various stages of the leadership journey. Once you understand what it takes to become a leader, you will have an easier time helping others develop valuable leadership skills that will help them throughout their lives. According to Blanchard’s Situational Leadership® II model, people who are learning a new task or skill go through four predictable phases. They start in the Enthusiastic Beginner stage then make their way through the remaining stages until they are Self-Reliant Achievers. Those who have made it to the latter level feel confident in their current roles. Due to the level of comfort and familiarity they have achieved in their current positions, they often have trouble adjusting when they take on leadership roles for the first time. As a leadership coach, it is your job to turn Self-Reliant Achievers into confident leaders. Here are three ways you can utilize your coaching skills to help new leaders get past their initial nervousness and uncertainty until they develop the leadership skills they need to succeed. Set Realistic Expectations One of the most common problems new leaders run into is setting unrealistic expectations for themselves. As a coach, it is your job to reinforce the fact that developing new skills takes time and effort. Once individuals in leadership roles realize that each attempt they make is a step towards success and greater experience, they will see their professional journey in a whole new light. Leadership skills don’t just pop up overnight. They must be learned and developed before they can be mastered. Put Knowledge Into Practice You can’t learn a new skill unless you put your knowledge into practice. Even if you fail, you still grow and learn something new from the experience. One of the most important things a new leader can do is try over and over again until they get it right. Accept Help When placed in a new leadership role, it may feel like you are expected to know everything right from the start. However, the best leaders are those who know how to ask for and accept help from others when needed. Most people will not look down on you if you ask them for their advice or expertise. In fact, they are more likely to be flattered at the opportunity to share their knowledge with you. There is no need to try and do it all alone when you have helpful resources all around you. Collaborating with others is also a great way to enhance organization culture and improve interdepartmental cooperation. Becoming a successful leader is a difficult process that can be painful at times. However, with perseverance and proper coaching, anyone can accomplish their goal. Great leaders become invaluable assets to their companies and communities and enjoy rich rewards for their hard work.

Becoming a Focused Leader Part 1

Effective leadership encompasses a myriad of activities but may be thought of as being primarily about directing staff to achieve company goals. Providing that successful direction can be accomplished by targeting leadership focus on the most critical areas. Although focus can be defined as a central point of attention or activity, to be an efficiently focused leader, you must develop the ability to shift attention to the right target at the right time, sense current trends, and growth opportunities. The result will be that the people who follow you will shift their attention to the things you focus on. The urgently focused leader will develop the ability to: Focus on yourself Focus on others Focus on the outer world As Daniel Goleman quoted, “Leaders guide attention. But a single-minded focus on goals can run roughshod over human concerns.” Therefore, you need to be alert not to focus on one area and neglect the others. The challenge is in finding the balance that yields results based on organizational structure. In part 1 of this discussion, we will dig deeper into the first focus point. Focus on Yourself Focusing on yourself does not mean being selfish and working to advance only your personal agenda at every meeting, it means practicing emotional intelligence. You can read more about emotional intelligence here. It begins with being self-aware and in touch with your inner voice. As you develop self-awareness, your gut feelings can simplify your decision-making process by guiding your attention toward the best option. The more you listen to those gut feelings, the more comprehensively you will understand them, leading to better use of your intuition. As a word of cautionary balance however, you should not make all of your decisions solely based on gut feelings only. This process also requires open awareness, meaning that you take note of everything going on around you while at the same time maintaining attention on the critical tasks at hand. Self-control follows self-awareness and includes the cognitive control of your attention where you want it and keeping it there no matter what happens. For example, if you were working on your quarterly sales report and then a colleague calls to chat, you would ask to call them back later. You continue to pursue your goal despite setbacks and distractions. The same self-control helps you keep calm during a crisis to think objectively about the situation and make solid decisions. Self-control is also about exercising your will power. It influences how you act when you exercise self-restraint versus self-gratification and voluntarily disengage your focus from any minor disruptions. You must develop the discipline to resist distractions and concentrate on critical goals. Focused leadership is a balancing act that starts with introspection and evolves to impact the people around you. When you are self-aware and practice self-control, your team will take note and work collaboratively to reach your business goals. Part 2 of the Focused Leader discussion will be coming soon. This blog was first published on LinkedIn

10 Inherent Qualities of a Great Leader

A company with great leadership thrives even in the toughest situations and without it the company suffers. True leadership is demonstrated when employees want to do the right thing in all situations without prodding. In the current economy, leading rather than ‘bossing’ will always yield superior results. Great leaders display 10 inherent qualities that attract high caliber employees and inspire them to perform in a culture of inspired excellence. Focus on ‘We’ not ‘I’ To be great, you focus on your team more than you do on yourself. When you take credit for the efforts of others, your team will not support you because you are denying them acknowledgement of their efforts. If your team gets all the blame for failing to reach goals but then you take all the credit for success, nobody will want to be associated with you. To earn your place as a great leader you have to be concerned about how your team is progressing and how you can guide them. Find opportunities to acknowledge their contributions towards the success of the company. Accept Full Responsibility You need your team to be accountable for results but accountability has to begin with you. Accepting responsibility means taking the heat not only when the company blossoms but also when things may appear to be going downhill. In business, you encounter bright times and dark times, and how you handle both shows how effectively you assume responsibility. When you make a wrong decision you need to accept that you were wrong, apologize, and find solutions to make it right. Do the Right Thing It is not easy to always do the right thing in every situation and it takes a great leader to shoulder that burden. He or she will not focus on how they are perceived in the short term, but on doing what will benefit the company in the long term. Knowing what is right and acting upon it separates great leaders from the merely adequate. Turn your convictions into action and set the gold standard for your team. Be a Visionary The ability to envision the company 5 years down the line is an asset which great leaders possess. You develop strategies and tactics to achieve the vision. The goals should be well documented and referenced continuously and frequently. Without strategies or goals you will never make any significant progress. Be Passionate About Winning A great leader wants to win, to be the best in the industry and to develop others to achieve their full potential. Passion goes beyond desire. Passion provides momentum even in the face of adversity and ignites the organization as they see the results of tirelessly pursuing the dream. Keep a Positive Attitude Stephen Covey used a 90/10 principle to explain the importance of having a positive attitude which states that 10% of life is made up of what happens to you and 90% is determined by your reaction to what has happened to you. Great leaders practice this principle and demonstrate it by being enthusiastic, cheerful and energetic. Build Strong Relationships Leadership is about trust, which is at the core of relationships. Can you follow someone that you do not trust? Would you even care to be associated with such a person? Of course not. Relationships built on trust and respect enable candid feedback without which improvement is impossible. A great leader builds strong and respectful relationships that are beneficial to everyone. Be Composed During Tough Times Maintaining calmness when the boat is rocking is an invaluable quality that great leaders exhibit. It helps the rest of the team to calm down and be objective about the situation at hand. Even when they cannot be certain about what will happen next, they try to make sense of the situation and focus on solutions in times of crisis or uncertainty. Listens to Others Critical feedback can be negative but, by listening to others, a great leader shows that they value and appreciate input. They also do not wait for the feedback to be volunteered but instead solicit it from all relevant stakeholders. Effective communication is two-way and it takes great character to be humble and listen, truly listen to feedback. Celebrate Progress A great leader understands the value of acknowledging and celebrating progress. He or she does not wait until the final achievement, but celebrates each benchmark as it is completed. Acknowledgements keep the team motivated and focused on attaining the big goal. Great Leaders set themselves apart by following these principles and practices and by creating the fertile environment to develop these traits in others.

4 Extreme Leadership Success Tips

A majority of people aspire to be leaders and every leader aspires to be successful, but it is not always a smooth ride to the top. At times you will experience success beyond your wildest dreams, and at other times you will encounter challenges that will make you want to quit. The highs and lows of business may call for extreme leadership. Extreme leadership is synonymous to extreme sport. Extreme sports are activities perceived to have a high level of inherent danger. These activities involve speed, height, an elevated level of physical exertion and specialized gear. Steve Farber explains extreme leadership as the dynamic interplay of fear and love –two of the most powerful experiences in human nature. Embracing extreme leadership can be easy if you follow these tips. Put on Your Specialized Gear Any player knows that a key rule of the game is to have the right equipment. For example, if you were a snowboarder, would you go without your snowboards? Whether you are just practicing for a competition or doing it for leisure, you need your snowboards to enjoy the activity. The same applies to leadership, your first step is to be equipped for the job, and you should have the right set of equipment. Set up the systems you need to run and manage your business effectively. Be selective in your purchases especially of technological equipments, so that they meet the needs of the business and its customers, giving you a competitive edge in the crowded marketplace. With the right gear you are able to handle challenges that come your way with ease. Focus on Where You Are Going You cannot hit what you cannot see. Focusing on your long-term goal will help you reach your destination faster. However, when you are distracted by what is happening on the sideline and questioning your every move, you will take too long to achieve your objectives or not achieve them at all. If you need to adjust your goals, do that only after aligning them to your customers’ journey. Utilize the insights you gather from the big data analysis. Other than understanding your customers’ needs and wants, you will also know what is dragging you down. Focus gives you discipline and tenacity to keep moving forward. Be Ready to Speed You need speed to win. Think about rafting; the waves come in different magnitudes and they do not wait for you to get ready. If you are not ready, you will fall. When you are prepared to steer with confidence and speed, and think 10 steps ahead of your competition, you will come out on top. Being ready helps you to maintain momentum even when things get tough. However, to make your journey less bumpy, ensure you gather all necessary information to take action. Business is changing at a faster rate than ever before, and you need to adapt with ease and speed to be successful. Be Confident Your confidence determines how far you go. If fear of the unknown overpowers your love for what you do, you will definitely not be able to stay afloat on the big waves. Your love for the “sport” gives you the foundation for your confidence and insights from Big Data build it to greater heights. Confidence is also about believing in you. You should wake up every morning with energy to face what comes your way. Extreme leadership is a necessity for every leader to excel and succeed in the aggressively competitive market. You do not have to be loud to be extreme, just be strategic. When you put on your specialized gear, focus on where you are going, be ready to speed and maintain confidence, you are on the right track.

Role of Senior Management in Delivering Customer Service

Hundreds of articles focus on customers and agents when it comes to customer service, and senior management role pops up as one of the many points in the article. However, I believe the contact center leadership plays a big role in ensuring that customers receive exceptional experiences. Leadership is about achieving results through others. Dwight D Eisenhower summed it up by saying, “Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want to be done because he wants to do it.” Today, I would like to change the focus to the senior management and the significant roles they play in the customer service delivery process. Here are their five key roles;- They Set the standards Before the customer representatives can pick up the phone and answer calls, they need to have a script guideline in hand. Managers draw up these guidelines or scripts based on the results they want to achieve as well as their experience with that brand and customers. They also sit down in meetings and discuss ways to help the company using data intelligence. For example, if the supervisor notices that the average handling time per customer is high, then he investigates the issue to uncover the possible reason the representatives are taking too much time on a call. He then discusses it with the managers to come up with a solution. Senior management formulates the company mission and vision, and they are at the forefront to ensure that all strategies implemented lead the company towards their goal. Without a goal, the organization will walk blindly. They Empower Employees Employees execute the set strategies. What would happen if you have the best customer service strategy, and tools and techniques in place but you do not have great employees to do the work? Absolute failure! Senior management is responsible for hiring the right people for the job, training them on the best practices, inspiring and motivating them to deliver results, monitoring their performance. When you have a knowledgeable team on the ground, you will achieve good results. However, a great leader knows that knowledge alone is not enough to achieve great success; they empower the agents to make decisions on behalf of the organization. An empowered team is an unstoppable team. They improve processes Technology is at the core of the excellent customer service delivery. An agent cannot make the decision to change obsolete equipment, but the senior manager can. The management monitors the trends in the industry and the organization output and makes the decision to upgrade or change the system. They understand the impact that great customer support software has on the level of service provided and are always on the lookout for what is working and what is not. When the team is well equipped, they will be effective and efficient in their work. The best way to support the representatives is to provide them with up to date tools and technology that gives them the opportunity to focus on the customers. They create the culture Senior management helps to create the corporate culture. New employees come and adapt to the existing culture. If the management creates a culture where exceptional customer service is a top priority, everybody else will follow suit. They create a great working culture by leading by example because they know that actions speak louder than words and most people learn by observation. For instance, you can answer some calls in the presence of our agents and show them how to handle difficult customers. They Foster Open Communication For any organization to thrive, they need to have open communication policy. The employees should be comfortable to come to you for assistance. Having a top down communication only will paralyze your effort to deliver exceptional customer service. Open communication brings together people into strong teams. Open communication also means that you provide your agents with all the information they require to meet customers’ needs. When you withhold information from the representatives, they will keep escalating issues to you. Therefore, you will waste time on one customer while the agent could have resolved the client’s problem if he had all the information. These roles of top management, setting standards, empowering employees, improving processes, creating a positive working culture and fostering open communication molds the contact center to deliver great customer services. When the leadership is strong, the representative will be strong.

3 Tips on How to Build a Lasting Business Relationship on Linkedin

LinkedIn is the largest professional networking platform in the world. That means it is the perfect place to connect with the who’s who in business. I have been using LinkedIn for a long time and I know its benefits firsthand. However, there is one thing that has really got me thinking (after it annoyed me beyond words), and that is my overflowing inbox with spam messages. Maybe you have gone through this, maybe not, but I will share my experience here; I recently accepted a connection invite and the next thing I see is this. **Hi Jim, Thanks for the connect!! Hope you are doing well, I just had a look through your company portfolio and I must say I’m very impressed, I would like to take this opportunity to share our company profile and our expertise in IT services. So I am inviting you for an online presentation, just to showcase our abilities in various IT services. We are not looking for any immediate requirement, in future if you have any requirement you can consider us. Please let me know your leisure time so that I can schedule the online presentation. Once again I like to remain you that, this online presentation is just to introduce my company and to build a healthy rapport with you. Kindly revert me if you have any clarification. My response: I sent it to our SR director of Development – if he is interested he will reach out to you Thanks, Jim, I am just sharing my contact details below. If I want to contact your SR director also, I can do that with your permission. Again I need to thank you for spending your precious time. Thanks, My response: – if he is interested he will reach out to you, I have nothing to do with IT (Trying to be nice) **Hi Jim, if you could give me about 20 min time slot in your schedule? I can arrange a meeting to discuss our company profile. Kindly share your email Id, so that I can send you a calendar invite. Thanks, My response: I have nothing to do with IT (Expecting that they got my “not interested” message and will keep their word…wait for it… another inbox that was even longer) Hi Jim, Thanks for your candid response !! This corporate presentation is just to introduce my company profile, IT services & our projects for about 15 min, so in the future, if you have any requirements you can consider us. So if you have any leisure time, please let me know. I will not text anymore and disturb you until you text me. Have a great day !! Thanks, My response: Thanks – Not interested though. Have a great week Now you get it, using the above example let’s look at three lessons we can learn on how to do effective sales pitches on LinkedIn, 1. Do your due diligence – Before sending a generic sales pitch, research properly. You can look through the person’s profile and take a further step by visiting their website for more information. If the above “connection” looked through my profile and company, they would know that we did not need the services they had to offer. 2. Listen – active listening is one of the most important skills a sales representative should embody. It is not limited to the actual hearing, and in this case, it meant following and understanding what I wrote. I was kind enough to tell the person I was not interested, but they just ignored me and continued to push their sales agenda. How rude! 3. Develop a relationship – LinkedIn is a networking platform, meant for making meaningful connections and learning from each other. Believe me, marketing will happen automatically after developing a direct relationship with your connections. The connection may not buy from you but could be a credible referral source in the future. LinkedIn will continue being a great business-to-business networking platform that could be an invaluable marketing asset when used well. Change your strategy with these three tips and experience better results with a bigger meaningful network. Don’t get me wrong I get tons of great connections who understand it, here is one I recently got over the weekend. I am actually excited to learn more about this person below and see if we can work together someday. Hello Jim, Thank you for connecting with me on LinkedIn. I look forward to communicating with you and learning more about your business. If I can be of any assistance in introducing you to people in my network please do not hesitate to let me know. Best Regards, XXX Have you been through a bad LinkedIn experience? I would like to know how you handled it. This blog was first published on LinkedIn

The Effect of Training on the Multi-channel Environment

The connected consumer has changed the way businesses communicate, especially because of their high expectations. What are these expectations? Consumers need to hear from you when they want to and through their channel of choice. The implication of this heightened expectation is that you have to be accessible on all communication channels. Simply put, you need to have a multi-channel communication strategy. Multi-channel communication goes beyond the traditional customer care hotline to include email, social media platforms, mobile, live chat, and self-service options. Does your contact center support your multi-channel communication strategy? If yes, how prepared are they to handle all customer demands and offer a seamless customer experience? These are important questions which is why contact center management puts a lot of effort into people development through training the agents. The following is a detailed analysis of the effects of trained agents as part of your business. Increased Staff Loyalty Call centers employ a large number of agents and training them well takes huge amounts of resources. It is always a win-win situation when agents are loyal to the company. Training of agents in multi-channel communication helps them to find their work more interesting and diverse. With multi-channel communication there is no monotony to say answering calls all day long, day in, day out. An agent can take a hypothetical break from the phone when responding to an email inquiry. They become rounded agents – thus can step in when the demand from one channel increases. This keeps them happy with their work environment and prevents them from looking for the proverbial greener pastures. Enhanced Teamwork Without proper teamwork, your agents will not be effective and efficient especially in the multi-channel environment that gives them access to several touch points. Agents that work for and through each other achieve tremendous results in a shorter time. Teamwork begins at the individual level. If an agent feels good about his work environment and teammates, he does his best to make the environment even better. This training exposes them to numerous opportunities of learning, developing, and building a solid career in the call center. With the diverse knowledge gained, agents are able to switch roles easily. Empowered Agents An empowered agent is one who has the authority to make decisions on behalf of the company. For example, an agent that is allowed to provide customers refunds up to a certain level without consulting with the manager is empowered. This agent takes full responsibility seeing that customer concerns are resolved within the shortest time possible. Training agents in the various ways they can offer the desired customer service instills in them trust in their capabilities of satisfying customers. They go the extra mile and are more devoted to their duties. This empowerment increases productivity, lowers operating costs, and helps them to embrace change easily. To management, empowered agents are easier to lead which provides more time to be dedicated to the strategic advancement of the call center. Increased Customer Satisfaction The essence of a call center is offer customer service support and ensure the customer receives the best experience. Well-trained agents offer a superior customer experience and are well equipped to handle questions and issues of all types and resolve them quickly. Have you ever talked to a customer care representative who was not helpful; especially in regards to the information you required, either due to the lack of right information or poor customer care? That experience leaves you dissatisfied with the company and more often than not, they lose you as a customer. However, when you are satisfied, you become their brand advocate. In conclusion, training your agents in the multi-channel environment is beneficial to all stakeholders. The effects are increased staff loyalty, enhanced teamwork, and empowered agents which all lead to increased customer satisfaction. As Aristotle, the ancient Greek scientist and philosopher said, “Excellence is an art won by training and habituation: we do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.” Therefore, continuous training of agents ensures excellent customer service is provided across the multi-channels. This blog was first published on LinkedIN

6 Tips to Increase Your Leadership Proficiency

They say you get better with age, but does it just happen? As I thought about this and evaluated my own leadership journey, I realized it does not just happen. You can be growing older but not getting better. It requires deliberate effort to get better at whatever you commit to do. As a leader, you most likely started out as an entry-level employee, rose to a supervisor, to middle-level management level and then to senior management level. This journey takes time and character adjustments. You need to grow from a personal level to grow your organization. As Jack Welch quoted, “Before you are a leader, success is about growing yourself. When you become a leader success is all about growing others” I believe each level requires new skill sets but here are six tips that can help you increase your leadership prowess to take you to the next level: Engage in Personal Development: You are as good as you believe you are, and thus act in accordance with your beliefs. As a leader, therefore, you can only increase your competencies by being in touch with whom you are and your potential and aspirations. You can enlist the help of an executive coach or a life coach to make this process shorter and more effective. Be a life student: Readers are leaders however, as Harry S. Truman put it, “Not all readers become leaders, but leaders must be readers” the difference is in what you read. Read material that is helping you grow to be the leader you want to be. In today’s competitive market place, the leaders who stand out are the ones who evolve quickly with the trends. The fastest way to keep evolving is through reading your industry reports. However, do not leave it at that put into practice the new methods of doing things that you learn. Be authentic: The people you are leading can tell when you are being real with them or not. Always be honest when interacting with every employee to the biggest customer. Being honest includes owning your mistakes; every so often, you make a wrong decision. When you push the blame to others, you lose credibility with your staff. However, when you are open, you build trust with your staff; you know that without trust, you will have no followers. Be a Visionary: This means you do not accept the status quo and are open to new information. A visionary leader has a vivid imagination and can paint the future today. When you have the ability to visualize the future and write it on paper as a vision. Then inspire others to work towards it, you set yourself apart. Do not be afraid of taking risks as long as you believe in your vision. As a visionary, you should not only take big risks but also calculated ones. Therefore, you will put together your action plan with a specific strategy in mind. Be a good Communicator: You can have all the right strategies to propel your organization forward, but if you lack good communication skills, they will remain as ideas. Cultivate your communications skills, both verbal and written. The result will be a team that knows exactly what the vision is and how to go for it. Good communication is not one sided, you need to be an active listener. Listening to your staff is important because they have ideas that will contribute to your vision and make it larger. With open communication, your team will reach great milestones faster. Mentor others: Your expertise and achievements puts your name out there. Did you do it all alone? Chances are you didn’t but worked with a support system of your staff and fellow mentors. Your expertise comes together when your team is right behind you, moving when you move and halting when you halt. However, after it all, you will pass the mantle to someone else. The best thing to do is to mentor others. Through mentorship, you can inspire them to become the best version of themselves and learn from your mistakes. In conclusion, step out and be the leader that you are meant to be. Incorporate the above six tips into your growth plan and enjoy the ride to top management. What tips have you used before that improved your leadership expertise? This blog was first published on LinkedIn.

Moving Beyond Transactional Leadership: How to Be Transformative

To really engage and inspire your team, you need to do more than simply react to circumstances as they arise. You must be willing to transcend the position-oriented, rewards-based compliance that is often tied up with transactional leadership and towards a values-based style of leadership. The question is, where do you start, and how should you proceed? First, Narrow Down Your Vision The key to implementing a transformative leadership culture is to begin with a vision instead of a number. What do you envision for your company? Think in terms of values rather than sales or other quantifiable metrics for now. If your organization could make a difference in the world, what would that difference be? Communicate and Inspire Now that you have your vision clearly in mind, cultivate the art and skill of communication. To inspire others to work with you toward a common goal, you have to get them to buy into your vision, to share it with you. The punishments and rewards system of management has no place in the transformational leadership model. Make It Happen To be an effective leader of your organization, you have to do the hard work and get the ball rolling. It is your job to make tough decisions, take risks, rise to meet challenges and go the extra mile to see your vision become a reality. This takes courage and decisive action. Fuel the Fire Learning how to inspire others takes time and effort. Observe other inspirational leaders and tap into their leadership qualities and what enables them to connect with their listeners. Your passion for your project and your drive to make your vision a reality will be the main sources of inspiration for others. Connect With the Team Get to know your team members. Learn their names and what motivates them. Connecting on a personal level helps each team member feel that he or she has an important role to play in carrying out the company’s mission and vision. Set the Example Understanding your own vision and being able to communicate it to others is of no use unless you are also living up to the standards you set for the team. As a transformational leader, it is up to you to set the example you want others to follow. This goes for attitudes as well as concrete actions and behaviors you want people to emulate. Follow Through It is essential that you keep yourself motivated and inspired, and revisit your vision and mission periodically to make sure you are still on board with your stated philosophy. If you notice that your enthusiasm is starting to wane, it may be that your vision has changed or that you have gotten distracted and need to get back on track. If you find yourself in a situation where you are not following through, and people are left hanging, this could spell trouble for your organization and for you as a leader. You must continually revisit and reassess your stated goals. Having a team of trusted advisors is one good way of keeping your company and yourself on track. Transformational leadership is based on character, commitment, attitude and pride in one’s work. These aspects of company culture filter down from leaders and managers to individual workers to create an environment where change and innovation are sought after and embraced.

How Do You Handle Failures?

Occasionally we fail even after careful planning. Nobody likes to fail I know I do not. However, failure is a part of our life. Have you ever failed? Most people fail before they experience success. The differentiating factor is what you do after the failure. You can sit there mourning and sorrowful, or you can rise up, wipe off the dust and keep moving. It is all up to you. It is personal! Here are tips that can help you be a success after failure; Own your mistake When you fail, take responsibility for your mistake. Before you point to someone else, look within and acknowledge how your actions or inaction led to the failure. If you are in a leadership position, it is important to take responsibility. Your subordinates will respect and trust you more. It is not an easy thing to do especially if the mistake is huge, but it shows your maturity and responsibility. Besides, you will learn more from it after owning it not the other way around. Share it with someone There is a high chance that after a failure, you will withdraw from yourself. Maybe you will bottle up your emotions and punish yourself daily. Talking to someone will help you to experience success by going beyond failure. Share your pain and frustrations with someone. Take caution however with whom you share your true feelings. You need to talk about it with someone who can motivate and encourage you to take the lesson and move on, for example, a mentor. Learn from the failure Thomas A. Edison quoted “I have not failed, I just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” This mental ability to see the benefit of a devastating experience will bring you success. It is not an easy thing to do, but it is essential to do it. To lighten it, expect to win some and lose some, that way you are ready for what may come. Not to mean that you do not give your best shot, no! There is a valuable lesson to learn. For example, early in my career, I rolled out a marketing campaign that failed miserably. It was such a huge mistake, with no results at all. I was like I need to go find another job and get out of this business. However, my mentor at the time gave me the above advice, and I sure implemented it. I learned that my lack of proper planning and research led to the failure. I did a much better job in my next campaign and from then on have been learning every day. Separate yourself from the incidence See the failure as a separate incident and not your identity. Most of the highly successful people failed at some point. Their ability to separate their identity and their failure made them reach their goal fast. The actions taken after the failure also define them as success or failure. Important to remember is that failure is something that occurs not something that you are. Take action Take the initiative to correct the failure. A common problem that tends to hold many people in a failure state is worrying. Worrying is like a rocking chair; you will move but make no progress. Do not let worrying and fear of making the same mistake enslave you. Face your fears to realize your potential. In conclusion, to succeed after failure, you need to own the mistake, share it with someone, learn from it, separate yourself from it and take action. I believe the bigger the failure, the more significant the success you will have after applying these tips. How have you handled failure before? This blog was first published on LinkedIn

How Mentors Help and How to Find One

Professionally, mentors are uniquely responsible for your overall trajectory, as they frequently come from the same or a similar field and give you access to wisdom only resulting from years of experience. However, finding the perfect mentor is as difficult as pinpoint exactly what your want from your professional life. In fact, deciding when to pursue a mentor is similarly challenging, because until you’re ready, it’s hard to see how they’ll push you to new professional and personal heights or understand who will act as effective leaders and coaches in your life. Have 20/20 Foresight Ideally, your mentor will be an expert or seasoned professional in your professional field. While every industry experiences significant changes, they typically occur over time and even seemingly shocking advancements might’ve been highly predictable for industry insiders. The younger decades of your career are the perfect time to make mistakes, because you’ll have plenty of time to recover for those largely expected errors. However, a mentor has the wisdom to steer you away from ineffective plans of action and towards the best solutions. Essentially, you can use your mentor’s 20/20 hindsight as your foresight. Gain Access to a Positive, Knowledgeable and Supportive Individual Positive support systems are integral to the success of any individual. By definition, mentors are positive people who genuinely believe in the abilities of their mentees. When you don’t know how to proceed or need help finding a professional solution, you know a knowledgeable individual who is prepared and happy to help you. Every professional will have moments of uncertainty or significant stress in his or her career, and in these situations, a mentor’s positivity can serve to improve morale and self-confidence. Understand Your Needs and Commit As an individual, what do you need to stay motivated? What will you need to successfully attain your personal and professional goals? Of the list you have just created, what can a mentor effectively provide? Once you’ve pinned that down, you will have a much clearer idea of the type of mentor you require, because you’re in tune with personal and professional needs. Next, you have to commit to the search for a quality mentor. You might find the perfect match in the first individual you contact, but don’t expect that to happen. Additionally, don’t be afraid to say no to a mentor if you think they are not the best fit. When your mentor invests in you, he or she is also affected when you fail to meet a deadline or miss an important meeting. If you want this relationship to be a success, hold yourself accountable personally and to your mentor. Everyone has bad days, but remember your mentor is committed to your advancement, so you should attempt to match and exceed his or her dedication. Young professionals frequently benefit from the guidance of mentors, who equally invest in the success of their proteges. Like any relationship, finding the perfect match may take some diligent searching, but mentees stand to gain the powerful benefits of sound wisdom, expansive industry knowledge and positive support.

How to Manage Change Effectively

We all know navigating change successfully can be tricky at times. In fact, if we allow it to overwhelm us it can be frustrating and disheartening. However if you are smart about it you can learn to manage at least the response to it. Here are a few tips I have been talking to my teams about lately since change is a constant. Accept Change as a fact of life! Our inbox is never empty, and once we learn that new technology that IT placed in front of us, we have to learn a new better one. Face it our world is changing at the speed of light so just accept it. Commit to always be learning! They say if change is constant then learning must be continuous. As long as you are constantly learning it will help you at least feel like you’re moving with the ever changing worlds we live in. You will feel better if you commit a lifelong of learning. Get Healthy – (one I fail at constantly but need to change) Change, even if its positive change is stressful, I have been trying to get healthy for years but have failed to change my eating habits, and have not gotten proper exercise and now my doctor is telling me I need to. Take my advice don’t wait till that happens. If you only accept change in the workplace you are missing the boat. Change can be an opportunity If you change your attitude about change that is the best management advice I can give. I have said before I will take Attitude over Aptitude any day. Instead of digging and resisting the changes, Allow yourself to embrace it and see where it takes you. Have a Strong Network of Support Just like anything in life, some changes require you to lean on others for emotional support and advice. Have that network and use it. Talk to God In my experience the only thing that is constant in life is God. God is the same every day, period. God has given us the best gift ever, unconditional love no matter what happens, embrace it. Have a Blessed Day!! This blog was first published on LinkedIn

Top 10 Leadership Qualities That Matter Most to Millennials

Vast changes have taken place in the work environment, and more than a few of them have to do with the new breed of employees: millennials. Just as effective leaders have to change up their leadership styles to stay ahead of the game, they also have to exemplify specific qualities to attract and retain younger employees who have different needs and expectations than older generations. Brush up on 10 qualities in particular that have the most impact on millennials. Open and Honest Communication While employees of any age like open and honest communication, it’s especially important to let millennials employees know how they are performing in the workplace. Not only that, but younger employees are now more aware than ever of the multitude of options they have in the industry, making it imperative that leaders be as transparent as possible with them to make sure they stick around. Recognition Employee contribution recognition is one of the most important leadership qualities when it comes to working with millennials. Leaders should be clear on company objectives and goals and let millennial employees know their incentives for achieving those goals. A Sense of Trust Younger employees are often slow to trust, and that’s especially true of individuals in positions of authority. Leaders, managers and supervisors should always be 100 percent honest with millennials to put them at ease and bring out their best. Showing Respect While they may only have entry-level jobs, millennial team members should be treated with respect. Turn the Workplace Into a Classroom Make sure you give younger employees plenty of opportunities to grow in the workplace. Training sessions and mentoring programs are a great way to give employees a sense of pride and excitement. Lead by Example Rather than tell millennials what to do or what the company philosophy is, leaders should exemplify the qualities they expect to see and embody the company philosophy. Give Them a Reason to Confide in Their Leaders You can’t simply expect millennials to respect and have confidence in their managers and supervisors simply because they are in a position of power. It’s more effective for leaders to show they are willing to be the best leader possible by attending trade shows, learning about effective leadership qualities and completing skills training. Invest in Their Personal Lives Like everyone else, millennials have lives outside of work, lives leaders should be interested in. When you do take an interest in the lives of younger employees, make sure you only do so in the parts that are relevant to work and work performance. Use the Same Tech the Same Way Millennials are seemingly attached to their phones. Leaders should use this to their advantage and make it possible for employees to complete work on the go. Open to New Work Methods Millennials might also enjoy having the option of telecommuting and working in a space of their choosing. Leaders who understand the allure and benefits of freelancing and working from home are leaders younger employees are likely to want to work with. Leaders should change up their work-styles to attract and keep millennial employees. Doing so not only makes them better leaders, but more aware leaders and individuals as well.

How Millennial Are Changing Management

Every generation makes a mark on the marketplace and labor force and as most millennial approach adulthood, the generation is poised to significantly shift the nature of business management. The baby boomers gave us employee support programs to ensure fair wages and respectful work environments. Generation X made tight-necked collars and stiff leather shoes obsolete with the spread of business casual office spaces. What will be the millennial contribution? They’ll ensure your boss balances your needs with those of the company and society as a whole. Productivity From a New Perspective Most millennials grew up with the infamous “nine-to-five from Monday to Friday” standard, but it’s far from the generation’s ideal. Moreover, you can burn those tired performance reviews that mimic your grade school rubrics. The metrics of productivity are experiencing a massive leap in evolution as millennial managers replace timed desk work with frequent, yet informal check-ins, because the need and principle of constant communication and feedback has leaked from these social media pioneers’ favorite platforms into their best business practices. Fluidity Over Rigid Work/Life Divisions Remember when parents and teachers thought if they blocked social media websites from school computers, students wouldn’t type in one of the memorized URLs of their current and rotating list of unblocked proxies to give the world a juicy life update? Well, now those same millennials are in the work place demanding a rework of Generation X’s work-life balance standard. They simply refuse to turn off their personal lives for 8 to 10 hours a day. In fact, the number of millennials working from home or flex hours for the sake of maintaining personal lives and commitments continues to rise. This generation wants the freedom to move fluidly between their personal and work lives, but that doesn’t mean they won’t respond to a business email promptly. In fact if they don’t respond in 10 minutes or less depending, their phone’s current signal strength is minimal or it’s is dead, which means they’re frantically looking for a charger anyway. The Innovative Price of the Millennial Generation’s Loyalty As of 2015, the millennials officially surpassed Generation X as the largest workforce in the country, but companies seeking to limit turnover will have to adapt their current “employee loyalty-inspiring” tactics to an entirely new gravitational field. A recent Brookings Institution study indicates millennials favor either high-tech enterprises or companies with strong ethical practices and forward-thinking employee benefits. First, the data supports the notion that millennials have no intention of supporting the status quo. This generation wants to improve and innovate; consequently, millennials seek empowering managers and environments that encouraging advanced leadership skills like creative problem solving and creative developments. Secondly, 63 percent of millennials and younger Generation Xers want to work for companies with high ideal regarding social, environmental and political causes. It isn’t enough to distribute paycheck on time or supply reasonable benefits. This generation prefers peace of mind to a financial bottom line in exchange for their loyalty as an employee. Millennial managers are as likely to invest in the employee as a social cause, giving new meaning to business leadership skills.

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