Yes! I said it! I am asserting that you can be a leader in ANY position in the contact center!!
To really get into this we will look at a few words specifically, as language has power.
Let’s first look at the definition of leader:
Noun: a person or thing that leads.
Most people have this tendency to look at “leaders” as those who have the title or the position and therefore the power. Try this on for size: leadership is a way of being, not a title or position. So, let’s look at that for a moment. If that is the case, what does it mean to “BE” a leader? What are some of the qualities that describe leaders? There are many courses, books, and studies on the subject, and in addition, different types of leaders. I am sure as you are reading this, you have people and descriptive words in mind, including those that you would say are NOT leaders.
For the purpose of this article, let’s conclude there are a few qualities that could be included in the description of a leader.
- Someone who brings others along with them (inclusive)
- Someone who sees a need, and fills it
- Someone who goes into the unknown, even if they're uncertain of the outcome
- Someone who makes things better than they were
There are other descriptions that can be used, but I wanted to keep things simple. The above bullet points are descriptions of someone who is being a leader. However, leadership changes based on context. Context is defined as:
The set of circumstances or facts that surround a particular event, situation, etc.
The best way to understand the power of context is to look at the picture below and answer the following three questions.
Notice, when the context changes, you see the image differently, and the answers change. The context drives how you see that picture.
Leader changes, evolves, and varies based on situations and needs. The most common perception of a leader is one who is in charge of others. What happens when the context is changed? What would that open up for you? Take a look at those bullet points listed above describing leadership. Apply them to every area of your life, but specifically to every role in the contact center. You'll see leadership is more than title or position. It's a state of mind and way of being. Leadership is action!
In Part 2, we will look at how and what it looks like to lead from the most important position in a contact center – the front line!
Amayea currently is the Director of Technical Support for MineSight, a software solutions product serving the mining industry. Where she ensures international Global Support and Services readiness, and at present, oversees support teams in eight global locations.
Her passion is to create and empower organizations where the experience of leadership inspires the human spirit.
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