The Ego ContinuumSAMPLE

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this is what is expected of you. You need to find a way to make it work. This is not tough love—it’s reality. Leaders usually have a lot on their plates and have to use exceptional time management and organisational skills. You want to be less of a shitty leader, don’t you? So, stop whining about time and keep reading. Being an active leader is what drives change. It is what builds consistency, and it is what establishes the rules. Some employees will cut corners and take advantage where they can if they don’t respect you as a leader, or the job. You have to teach them to care, and not to view this as just another job. How are you supposed to do this? By giving them an environment they care about. If your staff aren’t in an environment they care about, they won’t go above and beyond to meet the needs of a customer. They won’t solve customers’ problems, and that impacts the bottom line. We are all customers of something, we all ring up call centres. You are reaching their customer service department anytime you have to call any company. The agent you reach is bound by guidelines, rules and metrics to be successful. Sometimes, however, companies overdo it. They regularly send misguided messages to their staff. “We want every call you do to be five minutes or less, but you have to achieve one hundred percent quality.” So, is it quality or is it quantity? They leave their staff confused and frustrated. The agents wonder how they’re supposed to deliver amazing quality, do everything they’re supposed to, in five minutes or less. When you’re actively leading, your staff should be happy to approach you with thoughts, raise concerns or just ask for guidance. The only way to get any closer to the best of both worlds is to give your team attention, to keep them encouraged, and to give them specific, constructive feedback. Perhaps you suggest that you and your employee listen to a call together. You might find their call 18 the ego continuum
control is good, but they could have changed something which would have reduced the time a little. Help them understand how to manage each interaction better, reducing their call time without compromising quality. Rather than leave them hanging in a state of flux, confused about quantity versus quality, you give your time to help them understand. This is a small but noticeable difference when you as the leader are being consistent, supportive and genuine. Actively leading lets you get to the bottom line of how your staff perform, no matter what industry you’re in. Sometimes, a non-work related conversation is just as important. This is where it can become grey for many companies. They don’t want to get involved in anything non-work related, but that’s where they make their mistake. Take an employee who is usually really engaging, happy, smiley with a great attitude. If one week I notice they’re coming in sullen and withdrawn, then I need to find out what’s going on. Now, I don’t want to cross the line, get too personal or become a therapist. At the end of the day, I’m going to need to pull them aside and say, “Hey Samantha, is everything okay? You seem different, is there anything we can do? How can I help?” Inactive Leadership If you have an employee that is struggling and you do nothing about it, know that your silence is consent. You’re potentially going to demotivate or uninspire a productive employee. If you are an inactive leader, then you may be demonstrating behaviours like mine when I started my first team manager job. I made it about me, and not about my staff; I was disengaging. I wouldn’t link my one-on-ones and feedback together to establish Active Leadership 19
Page 1: M A R K R O B I N S O N THE E G O C
Page 5: THE EGO CONTINUUM A How-to Guide fo
Page 9 and 10: Contents Acknowledgments ix First &
Page 11 and 12: ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I have been absolut
Page 13: To: Adrianne Fagan-Pittman Alyssa R
Page 16 and 17: When a leader gets it wrong or does
Page 18 and 19: office thinking, “Wow, what was t
Page 20 and 21: team, and with your folks individua
Page 22 and 23: is how you feel about you, and if y
Page 24 and 25: a necessity. You will develop a for
Page 26 and 27: and struggle to find the right peop
Page 28 and 29: specific needs and requirements tha
Page 31: active leadership “Growing other
Page 35 and 36: in hearing what you have to say. In
Page 37 and 38: you’re not a shitty leader, but y
Page 39 and 40: active leadership Reflection Questi

The Ego ContinuumSAMPLE

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