WFM aka workforce management, is often described as the art and science of finding the right amount of staff for our projected interactions.
The definition has stood the test of time and continues to be a fairly accurate representation of what we do as WFM professionals.
What it doesn’t speak to, though, is the constant changing nature of our environment, like the following:
- Operations coming and asking for a last minute huddle.
- Training asking you to schedule the whole center into a training program that has to be completed in the next five days.
- Human Resources (HR) asking you for detailed attendance reporting for a certain agent going back six months.
And of course, every leader in the whole organization asking you “what happened to the service levels yesterday?” All before you’ve even had your first sip of coffee.
The challenge for WFM leaders is that what I just described is simply the environment we work in and the tactical challenges we face every day. But it doesn’t speak at all to the additional challenges waiting for us when we take on a leadership role.
We incorrectly think that someone’s ability to create an accurate forecast in a spreadsheet means they’ll be able to lead a WFM platform...
As a consultant, former board member of SWPP (Society of Workforce Planning Professionals), and a WFM leader for over a decade I’ve seen countless leaders struggle to shift from individual contributor to leader in the WFM team.
My hope is that this article will help those of you that are new to leadership in WFM teams, and maybe act as a friendly reminder to those that have been in leadership for a while.
Challenges to Leading WFM Teams
Too often in contact centers, people aren’t promoted because of their leadership skills but because of their tactical ability to execute. We see that they are great at pushing the right buttons, saying the right things, or hitting the necessary metrics. However, ...
- We wrongly assume that someone’s ability to control their own AHT means they have an ability to communicate and coach others to do the same.
- We incorrectly think that someone’s ability to create an accurate forecast in a spreadsheet means they’ll be able to lead a WFM platform towards an omnichannel solution.
It’s a great thing that so many contact centers promote within, I myself have benefited from this. But unfortunately, the practice of identifying tactical ability before leadership ability often leads to having individuals promoted to lead WFM teams who have no leadership knowledge or experience.
...the keys to success for WFM professionals remain true regardless of position or title. They are Curiosity, Kindness, Collaboration, and Chaos.
Worse yet is when the WFM team or the leadership role is new to the organization and the leaders are left to fend for themselves, without any clear direction or guidance on how to lead a WFM team.
The Core Values of Successful WFM Professionals
For me, the keys to success for WFM professionals remain true regardless of position or title. They are Curiosity, Kindness, Collaboration, and Chaos. Here are a few quick examples of how they show up in WFM.
- Curiosity in forecasting helps you dig into the historical data, moving past simply taking the numbers at face value. With curiosity you’re able to better understand which values should be included/excluded in your forecast, thereby helping you increase your forecast accuracy.
- Kindness in real-time monitoring helps you move past simply telling people what to do. Instead of “get out of Aux!,” kindness helps you shift towards “how can I help?” When paired with curiosity, real-time adherence can shift from an accusatory team to a team focused on helping both the customer and the agents have the best experience possible.
- Collaboration with Operations, HR, Finance, Marketing, etc. allows us to have a greater understanding of our environment and how we might need to change our plans. Collaboration also helps us get a seat at the strategic table.
- When others see us not just consuming information for our forecasts, but also participating in discussions to improve other teams, they’ll be quicker to include us in discussions.
- Chaos is just a natural part of the WFM environment. In chaos some people might shift to blaming others, isolating themselves, or frantically moving without direction. How we respond in those chaotic times will determine how impactful we are.
It takes practice, but responding with the same desire to be curious, embrace kindness, and lean into collaboration will help you navigate the chaos of WFM.
These values aren’t just necessary for the WFM team but are also critical to successful leadership of WFM teams. As leaders, we need to normalize and provide an example of how to live out these values at work. Let’s pivot to how these values are seen specifically in leadership.
Curiosity in Leadership
It’s crucial not to assume you know why someone has been frequently absent or what motivates your direct reports. Asking for clarity and showing genuine curiosity can help you better support your team and yourself. I’ve made it a practice to cultivate a culture of curiosity within my team by normalizing learning.
If you want your team to have a learner’s mindset then you need to model that for them. Make sure you’re sharing articles and books you’re reading, suggest helpful courses or conventions you’ve stumbled across, and most importantly, schedule time for you to enter the learning zone yourself. Don’t expect something from your team, like prioritizing learning, unless you’re willing to do the same.
Collaboration in leadership looks like spending time getting to know people as people (peers, your team members, your boss).
One way that I’ve tried to encourage curiosity as a leader is by ensuring when people mess up, or doesn’t know something, those around them don’t look down on them or use it against them.
A practical example of this is when I’ve done “Failure Fridays” with my team. We schedule an hour to go around the room and share what we’ve failed on recently and what we learned from it. It helped the team to hear that everyone is messing up, even leadership. It also helped as some team members were making missteps where others could help and allowed them to collaborate more closely.
I realize Failure Fridays isn’t for everyone, but it is an example of how we can gain value out of encouraging curiosity in our teams by creating a safe space to learn from failures.
Kindness in Leadership
It’s important that you realize your primary job as a leader is to support your team and ensure they are effective. Remember:
- Your job is not to do the team’s job for them, stepping in whenever the forecast gets challenging, or the schedule alignment gets off track.
- You also aren’t expected to stay in your ivory tower of leadership and simply pass down decisions and directions.
As a leader your job is to connect with the people who report to you, understand what is in their way, and how you can remove that challenge or equip them to overcome it.
Kindness in leadership starts with taking a supportive posture with your team. This then leads to a simple truth: the team’s failure is your failure; their success is their success.
This last one is an incredibly hard concept and practice. Especially if your love language is words of affirmation and you appreciate being recognized, like myself.
But one of the greatest displays of leadership is owning when your team goes off track and making the case as to why it’s your fault. And when they are successful, you step aside and give them all the credit and glory.
One way that I’ve tried to encourage a kind and supportive environment is by discouraging any example of “us versus them.”
Leadership amidst chaos begins with self-awareness: acknowledging your emotional triggers and consciously choosing your responses.
It’s all too easy for WFM and operations to be at odds with each other. “They always...” or “we never do this to them, but they are always doing it to us...”
Yes, sometimes WFM and Operations have different goals. But regardless of how frustrated we get with them it doesn’t help to villainize them or assume the worst.
Instead, I reinforce “they are doing the best they can with what they have” and “assume the best of people.” That it isn’t “us versus them” but “us and them.” It’s small reframes like these that I encourage my team to do daily.
Collaboration in Leadership
Collaboration in leadership looks like spending time getting to know people as people (peers, your team members, your boss). Here’s why you should do it:
- When we see people are more than the buttons they push, the data on their scorecards, or the decisions they give us, we’re able to better connect and communicate with them.
- As we see people more complexly, they will feel seen and heard, which allows us to collaborate more effectively and gain value and insights from those relationships.
But too often WFM professionals come into meetings with solutions before we’ve even heard the problem.
- We go into a meeting about training, and we’ve already figured out when Operations can and cannot train.
- We hear Operations talking about their need to do coaching: and we already know which metrics they should be coaching on.
When we jump to these conclusions, we short-circuit the opportunity to share information. Instead, I suggest that WFM professionals come and listen to these teams first. Listen, build relationships, understand the others’ goals they are trying to achieve, and only then should we be offering solutions. Yes, it’s a bit slower of a process, but the results are absolutely worth the time investment!
How I’ve encouraged collaboration is by working to not simply take information from other teams but also give it. Here’s what we do:
- When meeting with Marketing I want to know when they are doing their campaigns, but I’m also going to share when might be a better date because of Operations or other team’s priorities.
- When meeting with Telecom I’ll be sure to share what ops is thinking about and how it may impact them.
- When collaborating with others I want to make sure that I’m adding as much, if not more, value than I’m taking.
WFM leaders need to make sure they aren’t simply connecting with others to turn information into data to forecast, but they are also looking to add value to those other teams.
Chaos in Leadership
Leading through chaos demands not only emotional intelligence but also strategic foresight. As leaders, we must recognize that while we can’t control every emotion, we can control our reactions.
Leadership amidst chaos begins with self-awareness: acknowledging your emotional triggers and consciously choosing your responses. This approach ensures that the values of curiosity, kindness, and collaboration remain steadfast, even in turbulent times.
The key to managing crises effectively is consistency in our behavior, regardless of the situation. If we react by shutting down, assuming the worst, or taking on all responsibilities alone, it can undermine the trust and integrity we’ve built within our teams.
How you act under pressure often becomes the definitive test of your leadership. Maintaining a composed and proactive demeanor is crucial, as it sets the tone for the entire team and ensures that crisis responses align with our established values.
To navigate chaos more effectively, I stress the importance of networking and having a pre-established crisis plan. Effective networking helps ensure that all relevant parties are promptly informed and engaged when issues arise, enhancing our collective response efficiency.
Additionally, having detailed contingency plans—such as designated communicators for specific scenarios—provides a clear roadmap for the team to follow. However, no plan can cover every contingency.
Realizing this, I’ve learned the importance of staying adaptable and resilient. Knowing how I physically and emotionally respond in high-pressure situations has taught me when to step back and regroup, allowing me to lead with clarity and purpose.
This adaptability not only helps in managing the immediate chaos but also in maintaining long-term strategic focus, ensuring that our response is not merely reactive but also thoughtfully aligned with our core values.
Conclusion
Leading in the unpredictable world of WFM requires more than just technical skills. It demands a deep understanding of human connections and leadership qualities that foster a positive and effective work environment.
I believe embracing the core values of curiosity, kindness, collaboration, and controlled responses to chaos isn’t just beneficial: it’s essential. These principles not only help mitigate the inherent unpredictability of WFM but also enhance our capacity to lead with empathy and insight.
As we move forward, it’s important for every WFM leader to reflect on these values and integrate them into daily practices.
Whether it’s fostering a culture of curiosity and continuous learning, leading with kindness and empathy, encouraging robust collaboration, or managing the inevitable chaos with a calm and strategic approach, these values are the pillars that can support a thriving WFM team.
By embodying these principles, you not only become a beacon of stability in a sea of uncertainty but also inspire your team to rise above the operational challenges and contribute to the organization’s success in meaningful ways.
Let this article serve not only as a guide but as an invitation to re-evaluate and reinvigorate your leadership approach. The path to exceptional leadership in WFM is continuous and ever-evolving. Each step taken to integrate these values more deeply into your leadership style is a step towards not just professional excellence but also personal growth and team empowerment.