You're struggling with confidence in a call center leadership role. How can you boost it effectively?

Concentrate on the things that you are doing well and the feedback you are getting from your direct reports or your immediate manager. Let your manager know that you are struggling and collaborate together in order to improve your situation. If it is a crisis of confidence, they can help you through it without letting your direct reports know and you can keep it at a leadership level.

For one to have confidence to lead a call center it is essential that one has good communication skills as well as be a role model. Lastly, it’s important to always get feedback from your team on where they think they or everyone can improve on. Being organized for the meetings or any upcoming issue. Other processes include sustaining learning, having strong coaching and coaching programs, and coaching success along with reinforcement of small accomplishments are also useful in developing self-esteem and engendering a helpful team environment.

First identify the root cause by discovering why you lack confidence. Reflect and identify the specific areas or task that makes you feel less confident. This will help you to focus on targeted solutions. Seek feedback on performance from your team and identify your strengths and weaknesses for improvement. Train and better yourself as a call center leader which would make you more competent and productive in your role. Set realistic goals and break them down in smaller measurable tasks and celebrate each accomplishment. Take care of yourself and your team, surround yourself with positive people, seek support from other leaders, embrace failures and learn from them and celebrate your success. Lastly, have a mentor.

If you are new to Management, it can be daunting, and if you were brought in from the outside into this role, it can be tough to get over the outsider bump. Anyone brought up through the company that served in the role previously would already know the role but maybe not the role through a Manager's eyes. If you are from the outside, show them you are learning just as they did, and once up to speed, take calls just like they do. Remember people do not know how much you know until they know how much you care. If it is an internal promotion, you will find yourself switching gears from someone on the team to someone "in charge" but it is important to show them that you are there to get them where they want to go.

"Knowledge is power. Identify areas where you need improvement and dedicate time to your development. This could involve watching TED Talks on YouTube, exploring AI learning tools, or utilizing LinkedIn resources. If you have faith in yourself, your team will have faith in you too. In a call centre environment, I recommend focusing on the 7 Cs of effective communication and strategies for handling difficult calls. Remember, call centre interactions can be like road rage – because the caller can’t see your face, they may not personalize the conversation. It's your role to add a personal touch and not take offense, as it's not personal!"

Knowledge boosts confidence. Once you learn what the manuals and guides tell you, sit at a desk with a headset for a day and experience what your team experiences. That first-hand knowledge is of great value and will earn some respect from your team.

The goals must be SMART goals, having goals is a great thing but often becomes mired in Corporate speak if they are not "Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relatable, and Timely". Take on the goal of relieving some of the pain points your team addresses with you. Do your own waste walk and see what may be removeable or improve-able to see if you can make an immediate impact. And set personal goals for yourself that improves your skills. Help your team with their own goals and keep them in mind. Whenever you meet with someone on your team, you will be surprised what knowing what their goals are can do for morale and for them buying in to you as their Manager.

Stay positive. Being a call center representative can be extremely positive at times while being mentally draining at other times. When those draining calls (or even days) happen, stay upbeat with your team and remind them of the positive experiences and assure them that they will come again very soon.

Challenge yourself on this, it says maintain a positive mindset but that can be really difficult to do when the pressure is on and people are out sick and the phones are a non-stop onslaught. One way I try to maintain positivity for me personally is that I envision a small tree that has sprouted up in the middle of a small stream. Occasionally the waters rise as the rains fall and the small tree feels itself being pulled in many directions in the swirling currents of the stream, but it stays rooted. And eventually the river finds itself having to bend to the tree's will as it takes root and grows where the water cannot move it anymore. Be that tree of positivity and the waters will move around you.

Some of the best feedback comes from sharing a call scenario and asking a team member to walk you through how they would handle that call. Listen carefully and maybe take some notes. Don't stop or interrupt them, then talk about your perceptions of their choices and ask questions. Without looking like you may not know how to handle such a situation, you can gain some insight into other's ideas on how to handle a routine or difficult situation.

Having an open line of communication can be difficult. You may find yourself faced with people who "have been there longer than you" and think they deserved your job or people who are burned out, etc. The feedback loop is important. Having an open collaborative approach with your direct line is the best way to approach this. Showing your team you are willing to partner with them to make things better for everyone is key to getting them to feel comfortable with giving feedback. But getting them comfortable is just part of the battle, actively working towards solutions so they do not feel they are just giving feedback that goes nowhere is just as important.