THE NEW MANAGER HOLDS A CONTEST!

Holding a contest is a great way for you to bond with your department and to inject some positive excitement into your staff. You can use the contest to learn more about their group dynamics, to build a stronger team, and to attain your required numbers. Announce your intentions to your staff at your weekly meeting.

Do not depend on your own good judgment when deciding on rewards. Why? Here are typical fails made by well-meaning managers: Handing out chocolate covered peanut candies or instant scratch lottery tickets. Oops! Is someone allergic to peanuts? On a diet? Diabetic? Observing a religious fasting period? And the lottery ticket  might be unacceptable to the winner’s moral stance.

Rely on your staff to advise you what  rewards are acceptable and desired. Phrase your questions in such a way that you do not single anyone out. You might state you were thinking of offering a specific treat, but wondered if you should, since it contains nuts, or sugar. Or you could ask whether the group thinks lottery tickets are an appropriate prize.

Typically, some of your staff will want immediate gratification, and some will enjoy a larger reward that takes longer time to achieve. Be prepared to provide both. As an example, you could offer smaller, incremental rewards for a shift or a week, and also larger rewards for the month or even the quarter.

Be especially aware of the metrics you choose, since you will get more of whatever you measure. You will  learn quickly whether the contest is successful in rewarding the intended behaviors. You will also learn quickly what inadvertent loopholes exist in your metrics. It is best to start off with a fairly short-term contest, so that you become aware of unintended consequences sooner rather than later.

Remember: You are always the ultimate winner of any successful contest you hold! 

Jeannie Newman, Chief Solutions Officer of JZN Associates, is an experienced creator of many contact center contests, across several different industries. She is available to  advise you on your contests, and to save you from pitfalls both obvious and hidden. Find her and connect with her on LinkedIn or at http://jznassociates.com.

NEW MANAGER: TRUMPET YOUR INNOVATIVE LEADERSHIP!

     What differences in your department’s energy can immediately be noticed by others now that you have taken over the leadership role? 

 

Colleagues and internal and external customers engaging with your department should notice...something seems different. 

This creates buzz and offers your staff the opportunity to become emissaries for your innovations.  

  

The key is to share your tactics with your department. The more transparent you are with them, the better. Ideally, you will be able to ask them for input, which offers you another opportunity to strengthen your team. Additionally, it offers your staff opportunity for professional development.

Here are some ideas for ways to trumpet your impact and innovations:

•  Schedule your staff meetings, face to face and virtual,  on the company calendar so other departments know your event is taking place and that the room and time are reserved.

•  Does your staff interact in person with the public? Review, revise, and standardize their greeting script, manner, and timeliness of greeting.

• Are there appropriate outlines in place for your department's electronic correspondence and social media postings? Revisit and review them.

• Does your staff answer or initiate telephone calls? Provide each station with mirrors, so that they can check their smiles. Explain your reasoning to your staff.

•   Consider enlisting the aid of other departments. For example, you might test response time to internal emails--after ensuring your staff is aware of the exercise. Your staff are partners, as opposed to subjects. 

•  Stating your department intentions and goals publicly is a powerful tool. Write them and display them prominently in the department. Celebrate each time a goal is achieved. Make the achievements public. Display them and discuss them.

• Consider posting daily or weekly quotes in the department. This is more powerful if you allow your staff members to choose them--within your approved parameters.
  
  
  
  
  

  Jeannie Newman is the Chief Solutions Officer for JZN Associates. She designs and implements guided discussions,workshops and seminars for her clients. All her topics are rooted in psychological and Emotional Intelligence concepts. She is also known for her motivational skills. Connect with her on LinkedIn.