Join me and come and chat to four of the awesome Team Leads at SSCL at the end of a great Team Leader Day.
[00:00:00] Hello and welcome to another episode of Get Out of Wrap. Last week I was lucky enough thanks
[00:00:07] to an invitation from Marco Jettmeer-Andrade and Steph O'Leary at SSCL to go and spend
[00:00:15] a day with the team leaders. We had an awesome day, it was such a laugh. We did loads of
[00:00:23] exercises about being more strategic, prioritising tasks and I also got the opportunity to meet
[00:00:32] and talk to some of the team leaders. We had 20 on the day and there were four or five brave
[00:00:39] souls who decided that they would like to share some thoughts in a podcast. I was really
[00:00:47] really impressed with both the whole setup at SSCL and the team leaders themselves. For
[00:00:54] many it was the first time that they'd met team leaders in other departments, in other
[00:01:01] locations. We had people that had come from Liverpool, from Newcastle and it was great
[00:01:08] to see their shared purpose and the dynamic between the group even though some of them
[00:01:16] are doing very different things in different locations but there was a real sense of purpose
[00:01:21] and that's testament to both the environment at SSCL and the leadership. A lot of these
[00:01:29] guys are members of the team leader community as well so it was great to put some faces
[00:01:35] to names of people that I see in the community and we talked about what is such a critical
[00:01:42] role in our industry and you won't be surprised to know that I imagine like all team leaders
[00:01:49] in every contact centre they are juggling a lot of tasks but paramount to all of them
[00:01:56] is being there for their people. Without team leaders we would not have an industry and
[00:02:05] places like SSCL absolutely recognise the need to provide team leaders with development,
[00:02:14] with support and with the skills needed not only to deliver for their team but also for
[00:02:22] them to be able to know that they can progress in a great industry. These people are full
[00:02:27] of zest, they're great communicators, they're great relationship builders, they
[00:02:32] understand their industry inside and out, they just don't get that much time to consider
[00:02:40] where they are as a whole in terms of what's possible. They are our future leaders, how
[00:02:50] we support them in terms of their career development is really important and through events like
[00:02:56] this, this team leader day through the team leader community they get access to see what's
[00:03:02] possible and to understand how to navigate that. I have to say just even in terms of
[00:03:09] hanging around at lunch, walking around the entire building at the start you can always
[00:03:15] tell a good contact centre by that kind of meerkat moment I think we'd all recognise
[00:03:22] that you know what it's like I've been on the phones and the team leader when there are
[00:03:26] visitors coming around everyone sort of peers over those initial interactions I think are
[00:03:31] really important everyone was smiling everyone was saying hello when you wanted past you
[00:03:37] know this isn't manufactured this is a sense of the culture that exists and it's
[00:03:44] no surprise Marco is an awesome guy Steph is a wonderful wonderful human being. I'm
[00:03:51] just surprised neither of them have been on the podcast and it isn't because Marco is a
[00:03:56] Chelsea fan we did talk about finally getting him on and I hope to do that very soon. But
[00:04:02] first of all let's hear from the team leaders themselves.
[00:04:21] If you can just say your name and the team that you lead okay so I am Jake Morgan and
[00:04:32] I'm a team leader on the Resourcing Customer Hub for SSCO. And Jake what is it like working
[00:04:37] for SSCO? Oh it's amazing and I'm not just being paid to say that you know there's no one
[00:04:43] watching you know it is a really really good job I've done loads of different jobs in
[00:04:47] the past mostly retail but coming to a contact centre you know ironically I didn't know it
[00:04:51] was a contact centre when I started. Really? How come? It just wasn't in the job description
[00:04:56] you know like I think that was my fault for my reason but then when I started I fell
[00:04:59] in love with it straight away you know like I've always been a people person like I'm
[00:05:02] confident I'll talk to people so just speak to them on the phone even if they are being
[00:05:07] a bit you know like shouting back at you you know kill them a kindness and they're
[00:05:11] going to give you kindness back so and even SSCO as a company is just so supported
[00:05:16] over everything you know career developments you know I think SSCO right now on our team
[00:05:20] in Resourcing they're paying for qualifications everyone just developed them as much as you
[00:05:25] can so it is a really really good company to work for. Has it changed your, has working
[00:05:29] here changed your perception then of contact centres? Absolutely I'll be completely honest
[00:05:34] before I start working here if I called I don't know I wouldn't exactly be the
[00:05:38] nicest people on the phone but now I will be so nice on the phone so I know
[00:05:42] exactly what they're dealing with. And you take a like a professional curiosity now
[00:05:46] exactly yeah they're doing quite well actually. What tip would you share with
[00:05:53] another you know someone that's going to be a team leader or what would be your
[00:05:57] kind of remember the you know remember this more than anything else yeah so for
[00:06:03] me and biggest thing for me was that I didn't have confidence when I started
[00:06:06] this role I didn't think I could be a team lead because at the time I was
[00:06:10] only 21 so I didn't think I was old enough to step into a supervisor position
[00:06:14] like that but it's just have confidence in yourself you know because if your
[00:06:18] manager thinks you have that potential just put yourself out there put
[00:06:21] yourself out at comfort zone you know even if you have to go up and present
[00:06:25] in front of loads of different people or you know just not like mentor people
[00:06:30] or just train people you are like you're capable of doing that whether you
[00:06:33] think you are or not and that's exactly what I was put through you know like
[00:06:36] I was putting so many different uncomfortable situations but once I did
[00:06:40] it I thought this amazing you know like and now I'm much more confident than I
[00:06:45] was like so let's say two years ago so you know it's just believing in yourself
[00:06:49] because everyone can do it so it's even if you get a team leader position then
[00:06:53] you don't believe in yourself and then once you do it and you believe and
[00:06:57] you can do it properly don't stop there keep pushing yourself further
[00:07:01] because there are opportunities so much higher and everyone's capable of doing
[00:07:05] it you just gotta put yourself out there comfort zone.
[00:07:07] That is amazing I love that that is absolutely brilliant.
[00:07:10] Jake thank you very much.
[00:07:12] You're welcome.
[00:07:24] So if you start with your name and the team the kind of team that you manage.
[00:07:28] Yeah sure so I'm Karen Moorling I managed the team at the Gov Resorting Hub
[00:07:34] customer service.
[00:07:36] How long have you been at SSCO?
[00:07:37] Almost two years now and you enjoy it.
[00:07:40] Yeah I do I started on the phones although I came from being a team leader in
[00:07:46] a previous organization after Covid I went back on the phones to kind of build
[00:07:53] you know a foundation like get back into aIndia.com.
[00:07:56] I'm a customer service.
[00:07:56] How long have you been at SSCO? Almost two years now and you enjoy it?
[00:08:01] I've been at SSCO before.
[00:08:03] Totally agree.
[00:08:04] Leaping into the next step so I didn't apply for a team leader role even though I'd been a team leader
[00:08:09] for six years previous to that.
[00:08:11] I wanted to know the job first and then.
[00:08:13] I was going to say that helps now.
[00:08:16] That helps now.
[00:08:17] You must have it massively.
[00:08:18] Without a doubt.
[00:08:19] Then you've got that kind of knowledge there.
[00:08:21] And people know that I've been in their positions.
[00:08:25] I know how they feel.
[00:08:26] And you can make better decisions as well.
[00:08:29] Yeah I think so.
[00:08:30] Do you, it seems like there's such a really nice atmosphere around the place.
[00:08:35] How does it compare with where you work before or what's it like to work here?
[00:08:41] Very different in terms of I think to compare the two is probably before Covid and post Covid.
[00:08:50] Lots of differences where I've kind of had to adapt.
[00:08:53] I think that's just for one organization to another.
[00:08:56] But the people are brilliant.
[00:08:59] Everyone welcomed me when I first came.
[00:09:03] Because they knew that I wanted to progress.
[00:09:06] They encouraged me to attend an interview for a team leader.
[00:09:10] I also attended an interview for a trainer as well.
[00:09:14] So didn't get that one.
[00:09:15] But then a few months later I got the team leader role before going down to work on that as well from the gov.
[00:09:22] So there's other teams that you can go from team to team.
[00:09:26] Get more experience.
[00:09:29] And there's nothing wrong with that.
[00:09:31] No.
[00:09:31] So when they were needing more people down on the Meckleys,
[00:09:35] then I said that I'd move down there just to add another kind of string to my bow.
[00:09:40] So I'll go down there for a bit, experience what they do.
[00:09:46] And then I saw the position of team leader back on my old team and I decided to go for it.
[00:09:52] I was encouraged to do that.
[00:09:53] And given that kind of gathering skills, becoming competent in lots of different areas and now
[00:10:00] leading the team for someone who maybe is just going to start.
[00:10:05] There might be someone listening who's just taken on a team.
[00:10:08] What would be a top tip that you would share?
[00:10:10] Or what's one of the things that you think is important for them to remember?
[00:10:15] Or like from your point of view, you think, you know what this is one of the most fundamentals
[00:10:20] of being a team leader?
[00:10:22] What would it be for you?
[00:10:23] So for me, it's just developing relationships with people and trust is a big thing for me.
[00:10:31] So when I speak to people, I ask them to do something.
[00:10:38] I don't expect them to do anything that I wouldn't do.
[00:10:41] And yeah, just that open communication that get to know individuals
[00:10:46] and not think that everyone can do the same.
[00:10:48] So kind of understand what people's strengths are so that you can bring the best out in that person.
[00:10:54] That's brilliant.
[00:10:55] Thank you very much.
[00:10:56] You're welcome.
[00:11:11] Hello, what's your name?
[00:11:12] My name is Katie and I'm a team leader on the Prison Inquiry stand.
[00:11:16] How long have you done that?
[00:11:17] About eight months.
[00:11:19] And prior to that, we used to...
[00:11:20] I was an advisor on the TAS team.
[00:11:22] Yeah.
[00:11:23] How long did you do that for?
[00:11:24] Oh, about two years.
[00:11:25] And was it always an idea to go for the tier role?
[00:11:29] Yes.
[00:11:29] So I think that was always in my development plan is something I always wanted to do.
[00:11:33] And then I worked previously on the Prison Inquiry Centre and then I did my CIPD so went to HR.
[00:11:39] And then yeah, and then I was decided that actually in terms of a team leader,
[00:11:43] I would feel more comfortable doing it on the Prison Inquiry Centre.
[00:11:47] So that's where I ended up, where I am now.
[00:11:49] Does this mean that people come to you for all of their HR related questions?
[00:11:52] I seem to always get the HR issues.
[00:11:54] I don't know why but yes, I think that a lot of them.
[00:11:57] What would you say to someone who's maybe like me and you, we both started on the phones?
[00:12:04] What sort of tips would you give them both to get to become a team leader
[00:12:08] but then also what's important to remember when you are a team leader?
[00:12:13] So I think if you want to be a team leader and that is your in your career plan,
[00:12:17] one of your goals, I think you need to tell your team leader that that's what you want to do.
[00:12:21] So you can set up the development plans and things like that because I think
[00:12:25] if you just keep it to yourself then they're not going to know the right way to develop you
[00:12:29] and things like that.
[00:12:30] So I think if you wanted to do it, then you should definitely first and foremost tell
[00:12:35] your team leader.
[00:12:36] You can then work on a development plan together, a skill inside of things.
[00:12:41] You can get the relevant training that you may need that will help you.
[00:12:46] I think a big part of it as well is finding a team that you want to be a team leader on.
[00:12:51] So something you perhaps enjoy or that you've worked in previously and things like that.
[00:12:55] So I think that would be the main thing and then when you do become a team leader,
[00:13:01] just whenever you're communicating to the team or having one to one's or whatever it may be,
[00:13:08] just remember how you would have wanted to be spoken to and doubt with if you were still an advisor
[00:13:13] because we've all been there and it is a different kettle of fish I think being the team leader compared
[00:13:19] the advisor but just remembering where you came from and what you wanted and then giving that back
[00:13:25] to someone else.
[00:13:26] I love that.
[00:13:27] What's it like then?
[00:13:28] It's been a really good vibe today and seems they're walking around and it's a lovely environment,
[00:13:34] lovely people.
[00:13:35] What is it like working here?
[00:13:37] So I think the office space and coming to the office is a luxury.
[00:13:42] Like it's a really nice place to work and then obviously you've got like really supportive team
[00:13:46] leaders, you've got higher management as well.
[00:13:49] It is very, very supportive.
[00:13:51] You know, it's quite informal.
[00:13:53] Everyone sort of floats around and sits with each other.
[00:13:55] It's not like a them and us.
[00:13:56] It's they do all sit together and I think they offer a lot.
[00:14:00] So we've got like employee support programs, got mental health, the state,
[00:14:04] we've got training programs, notes of opportunities.
[00:14:07] So I think whatever you want to do, whether that be CPD, whether that be, you know,
[00:14:13] support that you need, whatever it may be, there is someone here who can help you and
[00:14:18] it is a really nice place to work.
[00:14:20] And how much of you, how much has your kind of mindset changed?
[00:14:23] I think we've all agreed in this room during the session today,
[00:14:27] no one ever thinks, oh I really want to work in a contact centre but how much
[00:14:31] has it changed? Do you talk about this to your friends outside of our industry?
[00:14:35] Sort of, yeah.
[00:14:35] So I never thought I wanted to be in a call centre and to be honest,
[00:14:40] I left school at 16 and I came here.
[00:14:42] This was like my very first job that I ever did and I got thrown on the phones.
[00:14:45] And I think it's a pen what sort of call centre you're in.
[00:14:49] I think this one is a very different environment because in bound calls
[00:14:53] rather than sales and outbound calls.
[00:14:54] So I think, and I can't comment on that because I've never worked there,
[00:14:57] but I think it's probably easier in a way.
[00:15:00] Whilst it is a call centre there's different elements to it through its inbound emails,
[00:15:04] it's inbound live chat.
[00:15:05] You know, it's not just phone work so it does vary and break up the day a little bit.
[00:15:10] So you don't feel like I would never say I work in a call centre.
[00:15:13] I would not because there's a stigma around it because I think there's so much more to it than that.
[00:15:18] That's some really nice way of thinking actually.
[00:15:21] It's been brilliant, thank you very much.
[00:15:23] No problem, it's been lovely speaking to you.
[00:15:31] Hello.
[00:15:33] Can you tell me your name and what your position, the team you manage?
[00:15:38] Yes, so my name's Siobhan Muscary and I'm a team leader
[00:15:41] on the Government Contact Centre for the Ministry of Justice,
[00:15:46] predominantly working in HR.
[00:15:50] Love it.
[00:15:50] And also the first winner of the very first Rock, Paper, Scissor tournament.
[00:15:54] Indeed, indeed.
[00:15:55] I'm going to hold that title and take that away, not under champ.
[00:16:01] What would first people might be listening who want to work and be a team leader?
[00:16:07] What would the important things to remember?
[00:16:11] So the most important thing for me is the people, you know, being open and sort of
[00:16:19] transparent as a team leader, treating others how you want to be treated,
[00:16:25] speaking to people on their level as well, not, you know,
[00:16:29] I'm a higher sort of level than you, or bringing yourself down to their level
[00:16:33] and really just fishing them as I'm speaking to you now.
[00:16:39] As a person, I like to get to know each member of my team on that personal level
[00:16:44] and I like them to know that I'm approachable, you know, anything they ask it,
[00:16:50] you know, there's nothing too big or too small,
[00:16:52] there's nothing we can't overcome together.
[00:16:54] On busy days, I'm quite happy to jump on the phones alongside them,
[00:16:59] pick up live chats because I do feel that it is important for your team to know that
[00:17:04] you're willing to do the same job that they do,
[00:17:07] you're willing to get stuck in, you're willing to work alongside them.
[00:17:12] Yeah, just for me, it's all about the people.
[00:17:15] You didn't have the people, you wouldn't have a job.
[00:17:18] Exactly.
[00:17:19] So yeah, that's the most important thing to me and just working alongside people,
[00:17:26] whether that other team leaders or your advisors and just treating them all fairly and equally.
[00:17:32] It's quite nice, I used to like those times when you did jump back in,
[00:17:36] it was quite nice actually, it's funny isn't it?
[00:17:40] It switches things up, it's a different day, you know.
[00:17:43] The team liking as well though, don't you think?
[00:17:44] The team liking it and actually as part of coaching my team,
[00:17:49] I, you know, on quieter days, I'm quite happy to sit there and take calls
[00:17:54] and have my team members listening in to me so they understand,
[00:17:58] you know, what I like about how you open a call, your customer service, your empathy.
[00:18:04] You know, so when I come to the call audit,
[00:18:07] they can see exactly what I'm looking for in terms of managing a call
[00:18:13] and your customer service.
[00:18:14] And yeah, one of my advisors absolutely loves that because he's like,
[00:18:19] oh you're doing my work for me today.
[00:18:21] So yeah, it is all about, you know, jumping in and being part of a team
[00:18:26] rather than just being a leader.
[00:18:28] I love it.
[00:18:29] And what's it like working here?
[00:18:31] Working for SSCL, I love it.
[00:18:34] I've worked here for 15 years now, you know, I've seen some changes over the years.
[00:18:38] Initially when we were privateised, it was, you know, a bit worrying, it was all new.
[00:18:43] But they really are a really good employer to work for.
[00:18:47] The people you work with, everyone's willing to sort of get stuck in.
[00:18:52] We've got lots of benefits here.
[00:18:55] We get an additional day off for our birthday.
[00:18:58] We have mental health status, lots of health and wellbeing
[00:19:03] and you know, it's flexible working, all those types of other things
[00:19:06] that we really do care about our colleagues and our staff.
[00:19:12] And it's just really a great place to work.
[00:19:15] And that's come across today.
[00:19:16] It's been, it's been brilliant.
[00:19:17] And thank you so much for doing this.
[00:19:19] Thank you.
[00:19:20] Nice to meet you.
[00:19:21] Nice to meet you too.
[00:19:24] Well, as you can hear some great people there, it was a brilliant day.
[00:19:29] Had some great feedback from all the participants as well.
[00:19:33] I'd love to do more of these team leader days where I get out
[00:19:36] and meet the guys doing the job and share some of my experiences and mistakes mainly.
[00:19:43] But it was brilliant.
[00:19:45] And testament to SSCL, Marco, Steph, everyone there basically.
[00:19:52] What a great place to work.
[00:19:55] I hope you've enjoyed the episode.
[00:19:58] We've got more coming up and heading towards the May where it will be five years since this
[00:20:07] podcast started.
[00:20:08] I really can't believe it.
[00:20:09] It's kind of snuck up on me a little bit.
[00:20:12] I have no plans for any kind of grandiose ceremony or dinner or event or anything like that.
[00:20:18] It's just a case of carrying on and doing some more.
[00:20:22] But if you have listened, whether this is the first time you've listened
[00:20:26] or you've been part of this for all of the five years and anywhere in between, thank you so much.
[00:20:35] Still a few more to go until we get to five years.
[00:20:38] It was May the 19th I think.
[00:20:40] But it's been brilliant.
[00:20:41] I've loved it.
[00:20:42] Found out as well just the other day actually that out of 12,223 podcasts that are categorized
[00:20:51] in the management section, which this one is, we were 97 in the UK charts, which is just amazing.
[00:21:00] So I genuinely appreciate anyone that's listened.
[00:21:05] Thank you for your support.
[00:21:06] It means a lot and take care.