Make Teamwork Happen

You have piles of papers on your desk that report all kinds of operational data: time to answer, duration of call, cost per customer, abandonment rate, IVR first response, etc.  With call center technology counting each click, we generate more data than we need or could ever use.  However, each piece of information is part of the bigger puzzle created to help manage your CSR team better.  Right?

Well, maybe!  If you shared all that information with your team, their heads would spin and you would have a major revolution on your hands!  Instead, sift through the data and pull out the vital few metrics that tell you the most about what’s going on in the call center.  Make sure you have a healthy balance between operational data, financial data, service quality, customer satisfaction as well as employee satisfaction.  (Don’t worry if you don’t have a “balanced” set of metrics … just look at it as an opportunity to improve!)

Draw Pictures.  Prepare some simple trend charts of the data from the past week, month, quarter, or year depending on how often the data is collected.  Show not only the trend, but also draw a line to show the industry average and another line to show the company’s goal for that particular metric.  I also like to put an arrow up or down to show the desired direction – either up or down.  Chances are they have probably seen the data before – usually on a spreadsheet with a bunch of other information.  A picture says a thousand words, and everyone will be able to quickly tell how they are doing.

Open Up.  Share these trend charts with your team.  Tell them why you think they are important and how you gauge the success of your team.  Let them ask questions and discover why the trends were favorable (or not).  Let them wrestle with the same issues you wrestle with.  Often times, one metric affects another and triggers a robust discussion about the contextual issues that affect metrics – issues that you may not even be aware of.

Work Together.  If there is a problem, let the team discuss what occurred and how to prevent it from happening again.  Rather than you “telling” them what happened and how to fix it, let the team develop their own understanding of the situation and take ownership of how to implement their solution.

Validate the Measures.  Through this discussion you may discover that some measures might be “better” than others – they tell the “story” better.  Or maybe your measures aren’t balanced and only tell part of the story.  Make sure you have the best measures to help guide your team because you know the old adage: “What gets measured, gets done!”

Review Frequently.  Every other staff meeting take a fresh look at your measures and check out the trends.  Some teams even like to post the charts on the wall so the team can track progress – especially if there’s a payoff to hitting goal!

Question:  Are you using your team metrics effectively?

To book Kristin to speak or view her products go to www.ExtraordinaryTeam.com

Reality TV is a voyeuristic view of teamwork.  The producers take willing subjects, throw them together with a simple premise, and let the fireworks begin.  Each segment is a fascinating case study on team dynamics where we have the opportunity to see the good, the bad, and the ugly.

My favorite show this season is “The Celebrity Apprentice,” a multiple-week contest where sixteen celebrities vie to be the winner for a large donation to the charity of their choice.  Each week, Trump gives the team(s) a task.  The teams are then evaluated and one member is “fired” with the last person winning the crown. 

So far there are several lessons to be learned:

Be Clear.  Trump is explicit about his expectations.  Each week he provides a “dossier” or team charter with a clear objective and some guidance.  One week, the objective was to “set up a bridal gown store and sell as many dresses as possible in a certain number of hours.”  The team who makes the most money “wins” and someone from the “losing” team will be sent home.  It’s an intriguing microcosm for Donald and his advisors to evaluate the celebrities’ business acumen, team skills, and competitiveness.

Be Timely.  After each task is completed, Trump immediately assembles the teams and evaluates the results.  The teams know instantaneously how they did, where they stand, and what he thinks of their performance.  (Note to all team leaders: he didn’t send them an email; he gave the good and bad news face to face.)

Be Decisive.  Donald Trump is known for being able to make decisions swiftly.  After gathering input from his advisors, he alone makes the decision as to who will be fired. 

Align with the Culture.  Given the fact that Trump is decisive, direct, and results-oriented, it is challenging to operate with a different approach, especially when you’re in a television fishbowl.  For example, within the Trump Organization, it is better to make the wrong decision than to be wishy-washy.  It is better to be direct and objectively state your case than to assume your actions will speak for you.

Question:  Would Donald Trump hire you?

To book Kristin to speak or view her products go to www.ExtraordinaryTeam.com

One of my clients recently shared with me his frustration during an international conference call.  One of the key players joined the call an hour late!  When he wanted to reopen some of the issues that were already discussed and agreed upon, his fellow team members became audibly irritated.

One of them piped up and said, “We already covered that; I’ll brief you on the discussion at the end of this call.”  Rather abrupt, but it ended the latecomer’s desire to revisit each issue.

Question:  Do you stop the discussion and recap for a latecomer, “rewarding” him for his inconsiderate behavior?

I was sitting in a hotel lobby when a waiter came over to take my order.  I noticed he had a large button pinned to his shirt emblazoned with the words “I AM EMPOWERED.”  I asked him, “What are you empowered to do?”  He quickly replied, “I dunno.  They make us wear this.”

Although empowerment is a contemporary buzzword, the term “empower” is not new, having arisen in the mid-17th century with the legalistic meaning “to invest with authority; authorize.”  Shortly thereafter, it began to be used generally to mean “enable or permit.”  Its modern use originated with the civil rights movement which sought “political empowerment.”  The word was then adopted by the women’s movement and then even more generally to connote being in more control of one’s own destiny.

I just hate to see a perfectly good word be bandied about indiscriminately.  When using the term “empowerment,” management has given specific authority to a person to make certain decisions.  It is not unbounded power to do whatever is necessary whenever one chooses.  Typically, empowerment comes in three forms:

Structured. Each individual or job title has been given a set of do’s and don’ts – limits on what they can or cannot do, that is broader than usual.  For example, if you have a dissatisfied customer, you are empowered to return the item to stock and credit the customer for the amount purchased.  If the customer wants further remuneration, you are not empowered and must get a decision from your manager.

Philosophical. A set of codified rules that guide employee behavior.  For example, one company uses the following as their “definition of empowerment”: 1) Take care of the customer, 2) Use the system, 3) If the system does not take care of the customer, escalate to management, 4) Management to take care of the customer (see rule 1), 5) Reevaluate empowerment boundaries.  Everyone agreed that no one could get into trouble for following these rules.  People who wanted to get promoted and recognized should follow these rules as well.

Adult Rule. We treat employees like capable adults, giving them license to use their minds and judgment within the scope of their responsibilities.  In my experience, this is the toughest and most dangerous form of empowerment, since it leaves a great deal of room for interpretation and can be seen as “abandonment” by some.

For any empowerment program to survive, the employees must know what empowerment is, know what is acceptable and non-acceptable behaviors under the definition, and receive constant feedback and evaluation of the boundaries and the decisions made.

Question:  How do you empower your team members?

More on this topic:

Empower the Team

Empowerment — The Fuel of the Future

Team Dynamics and Team Empowerment in Health Care Organizations

To book Kristin to speak or view her products go to www.ExtraordinaryTeam.com

Teams are made up of a bunch of different people, with different personalities, needs and aspirations.  Every team is unique.  I wish I could give you the cookbook on teamwork, but it just doesn’t exist.

However, there are a few things you can do to significantly increase your success with teams:

Be A Sponge. Learn all you can about teams.  Read books (reading this blog is a good start!), listen to CD’s, and interview successful team leaders and members.

Ask For Feedback. Ask your teammates “What’s working well?”

Reinforce the positives. Don’t forget to ask, “What could we (or I) do differently that will increase our success?”  Then do it differently.

Don’t Be Insane. Insanity is doing the same thing you’ve always done but expecting different results.  If you don’t like something on your team, point the finger back at yourself.  YOU do it differently, or create an opportunity for the team to recognize what needs to be done differently.  Then as a team, make a plan of action to improve your team’s work.

Talk Teams. If teams are important, are you talking about teams?  Are you reinforcing team approaches and teamwork?  Are you using team processes where appropriate?

Walk Teams. I just hate it when people talk a good talk, but they can’t practice what they preach.  It is vitally important to model great team behaviors and be open to feedback when you aren’t.  NO ONE is perfect – especially when it comes to teams.  There is always room for improvement.

Be Open. The good news is that you don’t have to know everything there is to know about teams.  So be open to learning, feedback, and positive changes.

Question:  What have you learned by being open to feedback?

More on this topic:

Characteristics of a Good Team

2009 Raiders Need Teamwork

To book Kristin to speak or view her products go to www.ExtraordinaryTeam.com

An exceptionally talented (and beautiful) colleague of mine, Roxanne Emmerich, is offering a free teleseminar on

How to transform your workplace from adult daycare filled with energy vampires to a “bring- it-on” place you and your customers love.

Register today—you don’t want to miss this.  I’m not going to!

Here are some thoughts from Roxanne:

Remember when you first started your job?

It was amazing…wasn’t it?

If you were like me, you had butterflies in your stomach and everything was new and exciting. You were starting with a clean slate—everyone you worked with was wonderful, your assignments and projects were exciting and you couldn’t wait to leap out of bed to start your day.

And then you actually had to start doing the work… and pretty soon like me, you may be questioning if you’re underpaid and overworked… or just plain nuts!

Now does this sound familiar to you… or maybe to someone you know? You hit the snooze button three or four times and can’t function at all until you’ve consumed a gallon-sized triple latte with an extra shot of espresso to get you going.

What in the heck happened to that “New job feeling?”

And, as long as we’re on the topic, what in the heck happened to your co-workers?

Exactly when did your workplace turn into an adult daycare filled with energy vampires?

If you’re an average manager 34 percent of your day (or more) is wasted dealing with dysfunctional behavior. Imagine what you could be doing with this time!

And if you’re an average employee, you spend a huge chunk of your day frustrated by the dysfunctional behavior around you.

Help is only a question and a phone call away.

Here’s what you can do, take 30 seconds and tell me your SINGLE biggest work issue or most OUTRAGEOUS workplace situation. All you have to do is submit it online—and I’ll provide you with tools and advice to get rid of it once and for all so you can re-capture that “new career feeling” and start loving your job again.

Don’t worry—I’ll keep your identity on the down low, so feel free to be as candid as you’d like!

Take 30 Seconds to Get Registered Now!

Just click the link below (or cut and paste the link into your browser’s address bar):

http://www.thankgoditsmonday.com/specialcall/

How to transform your workplace from adult daycare filled with energy vampires to a “bring- it- on” place you and your customers love.

• Tuesday, April 7, 2009

• 2-3 p.m. Central Time

Even if you don’t have a question, you can still RSVP to listen-in and learn!

So, if you could ask me ANY question or resolve ANY workplace situation, what would it be? Go ahead…ask your question and start living a Thank God It’s Monday™ life.

Committed to your success,

Roxanne

P.S. Feel free to pass this invitation along to anyone who could benefit from participating in my teleseminar.

P. P. S. Subscribe to my Thank God It’s Monday e-zine. It’s FREE and filled with practical advice, tongue-in-cheek quips, and easy-to-implement tips. Sign up today at www.ThankGoditsMonday.com.

Are you a small business owner trying to pull together new business ideas for the year, but drawing a blank?

It’s tough enough coming up with marketing ideas by yourself — and much more fun when you bring in others to help!  Here’s a fun way to thank your best customers for their business as well as come up with those new marketing ideas you are looking for.

Invite Your Top 10.  Go through your customer list.  By name, identify your top clients — the 20 percent that brings in 80 percent of your revenues.  Send them a clever invitation to dinner at a nice restaurant that has a private room for your “party.”  If you’re really ambitious, ask your top clients to bring one potential client.  This adds a wonderful networking touch to the party, as well as a great way for you to introduce great prospects to your business!

Plan and Prepare.  Make this a memorable party from the moment they walk in.  How will they know they are in the right place?  How will you greet them?  What are you going to do to thank them for their business?  What are you going to do to show them what else your company is capable of?  Think through the agenda.

Listen.  As you mingle, listen to what they are saying about you and your business.  Ask great questions to draw out information or probe deeper.

Start Strong.  After a short social and fabulous dinner, personally thank them for their business.  Ask people to introduce themselves and to share one reason why they do business with your company.

Ask for Help.  Share what you are trying to do (grow your business, replicate these great customers, become world famous, etc.).  Give them a two-minute summary of your business and the benefits you provide.

Ask for Feedback.  In your own words ask, “What do you like about doing business with me and my company?”  (You will need this positive feedback to balance out the next question!)  Just listen to what they have to say.  Don’t interrupt and don’t justify why you did what you did.  You may, however, ask questions to clarify what they are saying.

Take a Deep Breath.  When done with the “likes” ask, “If you were me, what would you do to improve our products/services?”  “What should we start doing, stop doing, or do differently?”  “What would you do to market/get the word out about our company?”  and specific questions that will help you gain a better insight.  Again, just listen.  Listening is really hard to do at this point because you want to let them know why.  But don’t!  Be gracious and keep your mouth shut, unless asking a question to clarify.  Hint:  You may want to use a neutral third-party facilitator because they may not tell you “the bad” directly.

Thank Them.  At the end, thank them for their comments.  Summarize the key points and highlight some of the key things you learned.

Follow Up.  A week or so later, follow up with a personal letter highlighting what you learned from the event and what you are committing to do as a result of their input.  This would also be a good time to provide amplifying information that you wanted to share during the feedback session.

Keep in Touch.  Throughout the year, as you accomplish key activities they suggested, follow up with a phone call or letter thanking them for their great idea.

Question:  Have you had a client “party” recently and what great ideas did you receive?

Labor Day signifies the last vestiges of summer.  Vacations have been taken, kids are almost back in school and temperatures start cooling down.  To prepare for the change in season, we go through the mental checklist including shopping for school, closing the pool, cleaning the air filters, seeding the grass — all those little things that need to be done to make sure you are healthy and happy.

Labor Day is also the perfect time to reflect on getting back into the swing of things at work.  Do you have your mental checklist of “things to do” to make sure you are part of a strong vibrant workplace?

Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman spent over 15 years identifying the little things that make a superior workplace.  In their best-selling book, “First, Break all the Rules:  What the World’s Greatest Managers Do Differently,” they identified 12 questions that signify whether people are engaged (or not) at work:

1. Do I know what is expected of me at work?
2. Do I have the materials and equpment that I need in order to do my work right?
3. At work, do I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day?
4. In the past seven days, have I received recognition or praise for doing good work?
5. Does my supervisor, or someone at work, seem to care about me as a person?
6. Is there someone at work who encourages my development?
7. At work, do my opinions seem to count?
8. Does the mission or purpose of my company make me feel that my job is important?
9. Are my coworkers committed to doing quality work?
10. Do I have a best friend at work?
11. In the past six months, has someone at work talked to me about my progress?
12. This past year, have I had opportunities at work to learn and grow?

Mentally go through these 12 questions.  If the answer is “yes,” that’s a good thing!  Congratulate yourself that you know what is expected of you, etc.  Make it a point ot thank the people who have contributed to your ability to say yes!

If the answer is “no,” or “I don’t know,” then make a decision.  Do you want to turn your “no” into a “yes?”  If so, then search for help.  Ask your supervisor, team leader or your fellow teammates how to create a vibrant workplace.

Make Labor Day into a Great Day!

Question:  Are you ready to take the steps to eliminate your “no’s?”

I should have known better.  I was working with a team of experts from diverse organizations to consider a controversial proposal.  The participants were used to working together in previous meetings, and my client didn’t feel like a “team building” activity was necessary.  They said, “That’s just way too ‘kumbaya’ for these technical experts.”

The reality is, whenever you start a meeting (especially in the morning), people need a warm-up activity to engage the mind and senses and set the tone for lively interaction.

Knowing that all teams need some type of “warm up” activity, but faced with resistance, I planned on putting the group into smaller groups to discuss a work activity.  This would then serve as a team-building activity as well as one of the first agenda items.  Good idea, but it took precious time to get past the preliminary politeness to get agreement on the purpose and process of the meeting.  It became so awkward that my client asked to do a team-building activity to energize the group!

This meeting reinforced a basic team principle:  Always do something to break the ice and build the team.  Even if it is a nonthreatening, simple question that you ask everyone to answer, get your teammates involved right up front.

For example, when teams are first forming, ask each team member to complete one of the following statements.  Assure team members that they can pass if they want as well as ask questions for clarity (not to challenge):

• The purpose of this team is to …
• From this team experience, I want to gain/get …
• To help this team succeed, I bring these strengths to the team …
• One thing that makes me a good team player is …
• I am most proud of …
• My most significant accomplishment is …
• My main concern about being on this team is …
• The expertise I bring to this team is …
• The one thing that frustrates me the most about working in teams is …
• To achieve our goal, I think the potential hurdles we might face are …
• My most memorable moment on this team/doing our mission is …

As you listen to the answers, capture the main ideas on a flip chart.  When all have had an opportunity to share, debrief the list by asking, “Are there any common themes?  How does this affect our team’s work?  Is there some action we need to take?” 

This simple starting activity gets everyone involved and energized to focus on the team’s work.

Question:  Do you have other ice breakers that you use prior to your team meeting?

CNN’s Cafferty Report yesterday posed the intriguing question: “Can Hillary Clinton muscle her way into the V.P. slot?”

My ears perked up when Jack Cafferty mentioned that “Jenny from Rome, Georgia says that He [Obama] seems to have surrounded himself with an excellent team and Hillary is not a team player.”

I wonder, what would give the impression to the American public (Jenny specifically) that Clinton is not a team player?

Question: What signals are we sending to the general population that we are (or are not) a team player?