1. ESSENTIAL SKILLS FOR
TEAM LEADERS
Presented By:
Kristyn J. Emenecker
Product Manager, Contact Center Solutions
Mercom Systems, Inc.
Team-Building
Motivational Techniques for
an Enthused and Committed
Workforce!
Characteristics of a Good Leader
• The good leader is the one people want to follow!
• Capitalize on the strengths of your own unique
leadership style
• Maintain personal and professional balance so you
remain a leader while still being part of the team
• Celebrate differences and nurture the unique strengths
in each member
• Invest in the victories of the individuals and you will
celebrate the victories of the group

2. Coaching, Counseling & Motivating
• Negotiating Change
– Keep focus on the desired results
– Make sure that each person always knows why their
change matters to the purpose and results of the
whole
– Put people in a position to learn by doing and
provide them with the information and support they
need just in time to perform.
– Embrace improvisation as the best path to both
performance and change.
– Reinforce positive steps and discuss with
enthusiasm, even when you think they’re not
listening
– Practice leadership based on the courage to live the
change you wish to bring about.
Coaching, Counseling & Motivating
• Workplace Stress
– Recognize the signs
– Have a gameplan
– Monitor your own stress
– Laughter and fun
– Break big problems into small pieces
– Know when to bring in help
Coaching Ideas
• What makes a coaching idea successful?
– Action-oriented
– Tested
– Varied
– Clear
– Concise

3. Interpersonal Communication
Communicate to build trust
1. Respect your followers
2. Watch how you say it
3. Communicate openly
4. Follow through
5. Listen and don’t argue
6. Avoid the “digs”
Interpersonal Communication
Communicate to build trust (continued)
7. Point out the positive
8. Appreciate what others have to say
9. Realize trust and hope come from mutual
exchange
10. Be truthful with yourself
11. Show your human side
Progressive Education
Good Leaders Work With
Their Teams, Not Mandate
to Them!

4. Continuous Improvement
Start with yourself
Expect the best—and don’t let it surprise you!
Development Tools
Building performance is just like building a house;
You need good tools!
• Demonstration calls
• Self coaching through review of voice & data on
the system
• Role playing
• Skill set checklists
Mentoring
Establishing bonds within the team to pair strengths
and weaknesses.
• Use mentoring for “soft” skill development such
as closing skills, transitioning skills, and other
communication issues.
• Mentoring allows for less structured learning in
a peer to peer environment and may be less
intrusive education for more developed team
members.

5. Five-Step Coaching
• Education
• Validation
• Confirmation
• Escalation
• Accountability
Conflict Resolution
Conflicts will occur, how we deal with them
can impact how often they occur.
– Listen to the employee’s issues.
– Acknowledge their feelings.
– Remain calm and do not be defensive.
– Do not allow the situation to become personal.
– Support the team.
– Allow for, and ask for the possibility of an error.
– Close the situation gently by assuring follow up.
Basic Strategies for
Avoiding Conflict
Spend time with your people: Get to know their strengths
and weaknesses.
Lead by example: Show your time that you don’t expect
them to do anything you wouldn’t do yourself.
Delegate responsibility: Help them think creatively and
develop their own talents.
Expect excellence: If your teams knows you think they’re
capable of reaching greater heights, they’ll strive for them.
Remember that recognition is the number one motivator:
Give credibility to your feedback by basing it on their real-
world performance. Have something positive to say every
day. Make it one of your top priorities.

6. Time Management
Performance Management
Time Is the Key to
Managing Every Aspect of
Performance!
Time
• Assume control of time by breaking the day
in to manageable pieces.
– Imagine 2 halves, 4 quarters, 8 periods; Each
hour is a period, every 2 hours is quarter, 4 hours
are a half.
– Manage to the smallest unit; the period, and build
from it!
• Prepare for the time you will spend
managing each day and control your actions
and output!
Performance
• Performance is the measure of success.
• The purpose of management is to improve
performance.
– Plan to improve performance continuously.
– Respect the effort required to improve results.
– Regularly evaluate success and failure to stay on
track.

7. Pre-Shift Planning
• Daily pre-shift game planning based on previous shift
results
– What are my opportunities from the previous
shift?
– Who has the greatest potential for improvement
today?
– Who will benefit most from my assistance today?
“Top 5 List”
• Make a list of the top 5 team members with greatest
opportunity for improvement.
– Consider the list of recurring, or “trend” call
quality issues for the team.
– Consider the team members with greatest
opportunity for production/output improvement.
– Consider feedback received from any other
department
Post-Shift Game Planning
• Did my game plan/revised game plan work?
• Quantify improvement!
• Did I use all tools available to me?
• Be objective, and continue to use the manager
as a resource!

8. Post-Shift Game Planning
Continued
• Did my team reach the objectives for the day?
– Objectives can be any goal you set; Be realistic
and push yourself and the team!
• Identify greatest opportunity for the next shift.
– Look for personal opportunities and opportunities
for the team members.
Final Thoughts
John C. Maxwell’s The 21
Indispensable Qualities of a
Leader
John C. Maxwell’s The 21 Indispensable
Qualities of a Leader*
• Character • Passion!
• Charisma • Positive Attitude
• Commitment • Problem Solving
• Communication • Relationships
• Competence • Responsibility
• Courage • Security
• Discernment • Self-Discipline
• Focus • Servanthood
• Generosity • Teachability
• Initiative • Vision
• Listening
*Maxwell, Dr. John C. (1999). The 21 Indispensable Qualities of
Leader. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers