Call Center Industry News and Tips
Pay for Performance – Some Basics
By John H. Williamson
We have all heard about Pay for Performance (P4P) and some of our companies have implemented a P4P program and are seeing positive results. But what is P4P and how does it work best? There are forms and incarnations of P4P that work better than others. Here is my take on it.
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Employees Will Be More Productive If You Help Them Feel Important
By Deborah Laurel
More productive employees mean a more productive and successful business. This can be accomplished by helping employees feel valued and important, as well as helping them see the big picture.
The Ostrich Approach To Leadership – Denial
By: Lynn Banis
Do you know all there is to leadership? Do you have it all down pat? If so, I would venture to bet that you are guilty of having "ostrichitis" or of taking the ostrich approach. What is that? It is where you are burying your head in the sand and everyone else can see your big rump sticking up in the air. I heard a friend the other day calling it the great comb-over of leadership – denial.
They Are Just Not That Into You
By: Andrea Herran
They are just not that into you or your business. Think about your years of managing people. I'm sure there have been times when you have noticed that no matter what you did, said, or wrote – your employee would just look at you with that "whatever" look on their face.
The situation didn't matter, it could be praise, a new project, a thank your or a correction. You got a big "nothing", "nada", "whatever" or "sure". Maybe it wasn't always this way or possible it has always been this way – but what does it mean?
How Do You Know What You Don't Know?
By Laurie Wondra
You start with what you do know and begin to ask questions? Webster's definition of QUESTION is –
An expression of inquiry which requires an answer; a problem; an unresolved matter; the act of inquiring or asking.
In a continuous improvement organization, or a High Performance Team, a question is more aligned with the following
1. To seek clarity, understanding, become further educated in a particular area
2. A method to find and potentially take action where there is opportunity for improvement which may or may not include change
The experience that your employees have when they work with you is worth thinking about, because it’s a topic that isn’t so high on the agenda of the activities you undertake as a manager.
Since all of them are important, it’s also good to show that you are human too. Having some fun is a vital component of showing that, in the main, you are just like the people that you manage and lead.
Sometimes as a manager you really need to find courage and you need to confront employees about poor performance. As you have probably found out, not all employees are open to criticism.
Some will react by speaking poorly of you and the company, some will even make threats. Some will apologize and promise to improve, but nothing changes. It may be tempting to get rid of that poor performer under the guise of downsizing, but the only way to handle this employee is to confront them about their performance. This takes courage.
