I’ve been wanting to write another article for quite sometime now. I’ve just been busy about so much and maybe I forgot my talent on observing. Today, as I passed by the calling floor, I noticed one supervisor coaching the agent with another person observing. This is what we call “packets.” The main purpose of this is to develop the agent’s skills on coaching and monitoring other agent’s. This is done so to prepare the agent’s, so that if ever they’ll be promoted and become call floor leaders themselves, they’ll know what to do. I’d like to call this process “Leadership through Mentorship.” Basically mentorship refers to the personal developmental relationship in which a more experienced or more knowledgeable person helps to guide a less experienced or less knowledgeable person. This kind of leadership has been widely practiced throughout our contact center for quite some time.
I remember when I was an agent myself, I am usually chosen to be the agent to be coached for these scenarios. Maybe because of my bubbly and out-going personality, or at least I used to think that way. However, later on I realized that these packets are done to build my confidence, which is very helpful as I reached my current position. The packets allows the agents take the supervisors’ role, where they put themselves in the shoes of their supervisor, help in identifying the AOI’s (Areas of Improvement) and help their fellow agents overcome these AOI’s. These packets does not only promote employee engagement, it also builds the agents character. Assures them that they can be leaders someday and prepares them to the task.
There is another agenda though why these packets are done. It is also to build and strengthen the leadership of the supervisor or whoever the supposed mentor in these packets. So you see, it builds not just the leadership skills but the relationship between the supervisor and the agent. The supervisor is given sometime to build rapport, where he/she is allowed to ask some personal questions to the agent, like how’s the agent’s day so far, or some random questions like their favorite pets name and how’s their relationship with their pets. This way, a personal connection or relationship is build between the supervisor and the agent.
Why do I like the personal touch in leadership so much? Because you see, when you are the leader, those under you are most likely to pick up your trail. And they are most likely to pick it up from the relationship you shared with them. Before they’ll come to see you as a leader, they are to see you first as a person that relates to the values and beliefs they have in them. Because leadership is not about sitting down and yelling how your people should reach their numbers, leadership is about being in action. A never ending testing of your skills and sharing what you know best to your people.
3 am thoughts 