#193 Jordan Powell on the transition from Agent to Team Leader

[00:00:00] Hello everyone and welcome to another episode of Get Out of Wrap. This week I am doing something a bit new. As many of you know, I will so run a team leader community.

[00:00:12] One of the most active members of that community and a great help in the community is Jordan Powell. Jordan is a corporate sales team leader at Gravity, a great place if you want to take your teams out and engage them. They've got loads of locations around the UK.

[00:00:30] What I thought we would do with Jordan is talk about that first transition from Agent to Team Leader. And this recording is taken from one of the live streams that we do regularly in the community and I hope you enjoy it.

[00:00:47] I are going to do a bit, this is recorded so I'm going to turn this into our very first podcast of the Team Leader Community Series. I thought the best thing to do would be to start with that first addition.

[00:01:02] So when it comes to actually putting this into a podcast, don't where I'm going to do an introduction, list in your title and where you are at Gravity and begin that up. If we can Jordan to jump straight in, when did you first become an agent?

[00:01:21] What Agent wise was when he won in August and that was my first ever role from using a phone. So I'm a bit of a jack of all trades. I was a job for hand and then going from being an introvert into an extra role as an engineer.

[00:01:43] There was a master transition, but talked a bit like a doctor water and that never went back since. And what made the best interest in, because given that you were doing something that meant you didn't have to interact with people to the same extent as being an agent?

[00:02:01] What made you make that decision to go and be an agent? So initial was it was going through COVID and put the market was very slim. And one of my friends had recommended mids goal for the role because he was going for the same one and did that.

[00:02:19] And he lasted two weeks and then decided to get gum and from there I'd just kind of flew within the business. Well, as for reason in, in this case with job was there. I see it as a temporary happen there, no, it became permanent.

[00:02:34] And that's something that I think a lot of us can relate to isn't it something you think is going to be either a stock gap or temporary. What made you stay then? The people. So I had an awesome and let me learn a walk.

[00:02:55] And then from there, just kind of kept growing and growing and just kept learning. I want to get bored, I tend to move on and I actually probably I just I breathe within the community's mother and aware.

[00:03:06] There is no two days of saying so I'm never getting involved. So I keep on learning and thriving. And what was it about that? You mentioned that that team leader helped you learn. But you also said they were awesome. What was it about them that was was awesome?

[00:03:21] So when you see all that almost looks 100% old time, but then you come in and see him having a bad day. He realized that they're human as well. But what he did was rather than just going with the same approach to everybody, it adapt to it.

[00:03:34] A lot of the people within the team was on a wire out of was his name. He was actually autistic. And he was the way he took around about things. And he knew it's just more as differences with all because he just registers everything.

[00:03:49] And then I just wanted to try and be as much like down as we've got. And good news is actually attended the wedding. And from. Yes, we should know as well for people that are not in the community and just listening to this through.

[00:04:05] Get out of rap, but George got my first team leader community wedding. Everyone was very excited about it. Congratulations again. Thanks, man. Thank you. So how long then? Um, major.

[00:04:22] So technically it was four months and actually got tired of being on the phones where it got bit too much. So took a step, step side and I just didn't in QA. And learned a few things. And then the fire was like, that's good. I never go.

[00:04:40] And within a month there was an opportunity for a traveling outside. And the only way to go out and do that is if you'd gone through like care the TL someone. So usually six months then both said the rug would learn her.

[00:04:55] So I did that over in a month. And I was on a flight out to South Africa and spent three months out there. And that was my official start of being a team leader. And it's been the same case ever since.

[00:05:09] It's amazing to think you evidence there something that I think we need to talk more about. Externally, which is the opportunities that present themselves to people within our industry come quick. You know, you're talking four months then you did QA.

[00:05:25] Then you did a month kind of training and then before you know you're on a you're on a plane. And what was South Africa like? And it's never been I would highly recommend going. So the UK everybody's happy to go look at now inside of Africa.

[00:05:43] It's something completely different. So you've got you working with people essentially have nothing. And when you're going in there with the skills to use them and how to make something of themselves. The like the like sponges taking everything on everybody's super abusive.

[00:05:57] You get the odd few that obviously, obviously against the grain but for the majority. The people just seconded on and if I got if they have the opportunity it's got back up there in happy. So you were there what did you say three months? Yeah, three months.

[00:06:13] Or fortunately if you want to go any longer than three months, it's a visa and to take a long time. So when you came back, what would you say the main sort of skills that you'd learn and those don't need to be necessarily specific to the job?

[00:06:26] But just about yourself and your kind of leadership approach. And you learned to deal with different about people. So like you have in the UK you've got different sort of demographics and the same thing as South Africa. And it's just going to what what before you run.

[00:06:47] It was for the first thing. And it's always difficult to track a list of skills that you think you pick up and you assume you've had them all that time but in reality you pick up so much.

[00:07:00] Now everyone in the community knows your confident guy, you're a very active learner. But would there ever times especially, you know this is your first venture into leadership and not only that it's in a totally different country, different culture.

[00:07:18] Were there ever times when you fell either overwhelmed or god of the what I'm doing and if so, how did you handle that?

[00:07:27] So in Poster syndrome definitely hit within the first couple weeks being out there like every is looking up or choose a sort of reference and no, no, was I'm used to that. And the way the way I handle it was just taking them take a step back.

[00:07:46] And taking a scan to everything that you're doing everything that works and essentially you're just teaching the guys on just doing the same sort of thing but in their own ways translate it.

[00:08:02] And where other things got a bit too much down was always back in the UK so I do recap I've that's we've read now and then come back in again like nothing ever happened and then that happened about once about two times while. And grew massive lifetime.

[00:08:19] It's interesting because you you highlight the power of having.

[00:08:24] And network or trusted person that you can just go and speak to and say hey hit hit his where I'm at you know whether that is someone that's managed you are meant to or a friend who understands the industry but might not necessarily be.

[00:08:39] In it with you on that specific project making that yours is kind of like a accelerated transition from agent to team leader given the challenges that and the project you were thrown into.

[00:08:54] We have an aspiring leader space in the community what would you say to people who are agents now and that they want to make that transition what are some of the things that they could be doing to help make that jump and help make that jump successful.

[00:09:13] So what I found was there's say comes make a bit of work in was I was waiting to be asked to do certain things and what I'd recommend people to try and do is have a look around what's happening.

[00:09:25] Trying to yourself involved with what's going on whether it's within your role whether it's something that you think that's probably irrelevant because essentially if you don't ask anything you know gonna get it and sort of industry that will work and then it's not good things come to the other way.

[00:09:39] It's a good thing to go out and get it so if you're worried about taking that leap of faith make mistakes as an agent because then it's the lessons learned from you become that team leader it's inevitable and especially when you've got the right attitude.

[00:09:54] which you which you have in spades so I want to ask you about. Again, within the community you've evidence time and time again that you like to self learn you go out and you read books watch videos whatever you can.

[00:10:12] Did you have any specifically leadership training or was it a case of you actually was so involved in that project in South Africa that there was no time for that.

[00:10:22] Deficacy so involved that the way any real time of it and but what I do in the after time when I went home what outside do the checking calls and stuff would be.

[00:10:35] I'm a different method and a key to keep person at the look to would be Simonsonic being you the foundation training that is got is second to none.

[00:10:46] I'm a lot of the users now for training on the coaching and I have handled different types of people he's just is the first best that comes up with in searches.

[00:10:55] Not just because you're decent SEO but says actually genuinely good and there was never any real structure it was a case of a comfortable hurdle.

[00:11:04] I know what the problem is and then I just search for the answer to that and then look at it if you don't know how to manage it, just ask people what work what would and then it just be a constant and battle chemistry cause the wrong chemical reaction.

[00:11:19] So you've come back from South Africa. What what happened then where what what were you doing then so we then think it was two weeks of running back there's a new campaign taking on.

[00:11:34] But anything like that and I'd be solely responsible for success or the decline of that so that campaign. And then in mind, so the watchy team leader all got some came in.

[00:11:48] I had there was all brand new no been on set of phones and there was trying to get to people to agree.

[00:11:55] Trying back on missile gas on electric time when gas on electric was the world of control put in price and you just don't agree for what to represent them on the missile missile.

[00:12:07] Now despite a genuine 85% of people being this sold and it was incredibly different and no new which way to go.

[00:12:15] I had go through an asset bad advice and the only way I could find the answer was come upon the phone and find it for myself and see what would work.

[00:12:24] And so I did cook for days on the phone and found some real quick wins and then all of a sudden when I the campaign became so excited.

[00:12:33] Now ultimately the campaign did fall, but that was after I was taken off a bit after three months and then the team just fell apart the camaraderie when everybody was just caught. And doing nothing being laser and all because you want me to go back to the art.

[00:12:50] It's interesting that you talk about camaraderie was that something was that conscious decision of yours to try and foster that and if so what were some of the things that you did. So I want people to have one thing that works well within a team and that's trust.

[00:13:09] If you've got just people you work with the you know we're going to work together and we had a group target and obviously individual wants to a complete up.

[00:13:17] What if you have a team at next to you that's performing hard and you're having a bit of a bad day that energy is going to slowly rebarference you to then get you onto the same level and that's the sort of thing I want to try and account for.

[00:13:29] And what obviously one side got a chat over from about to do it remotely and for that sort of roll outbound be to be it's a rough rough campaign.

[00:13:43] And the energy levels when ever came disengaged and it's just really unfortunate now fortunately for me one of the team members had got quite close show.

[00:13:55] And he's now and is in a similar position to why I'm now so he's gone from being a new bear within the space of year and is now a team leader over there. So it's not just all dealing clean.

[00:14:08] He's in these are some of the stories aren't they I think. Men you've spoken before you know my lot of my time as an agent and then as a nerdy team leader was in outbound campaigns and.

[00:14:20] You live and you live and you die by the performance but within that kind of competitive environment you you learn fast. You try different things you're prepared to accept failure on a daily basis you know hourly basis.

[00:14:36] But it makes you creative it makes you resilient and makes you try and do the thing that keep your team going because. To some extent you could say and I'm sure people get annoyed about this but in my experience you could say.

[00:14:54] If you're purely on a customer service campaign there can be moments where it's okay to kind of free wheel a bit you know if you're in a sales environment.

[00:15:05] Those moments where you're free wheeling can cost you a good day or a bad day in one call one hour.

[00:15:13] You know so it and keeping a team on the go during that as a team leader is both a challenge but I think I learned the most during that during that period.

[00:15:25] I think it's a good thing that I'm going to be wrong and still enjoy managing customer service teams always have but it was in those sales team environment. But I learned the most without doubt.

[00:15:38] Yeah, but I think the thing I've drunk away and it's a quick solution is if they're fast. And because you ever do at the top and if you ever feel like the top look around she probably somebody already are taking you.

[00:15:53] The first team leader that you had was it Dan. How how you manage a team? So as for how I actually do it it's completely different. And she was very out and getting your base and when asked for me I feel like a bit more reserved than that.

[00:16:14] And what I hope it comes across is just a supportive and getting the same sort of performance out. But yeah, some but the foundation of that is exactly the same.

[00:16:27] It's just been all communicated differently because we're completely different people and you try to be the same as somebody else and what's the point in being unique. Yeah, so truth. Yeah, and if we're thinking about that transition from agent to team leader.

[00:16:44] What are some of the things now talk to your agents about who say that they do want to progress? So it's tend to bring a big thing to one side to strip back on what the current the gap and what they feel like the missing.

[00:17:00] Now it's not okay. So if going ahead and telling them what I think they've got to do the position, I might find out whether they think they're up.

[00:17:08] And because most of the things that they started to know after the board is it's more of self-confidence and then what we do though I had to make a plan on what to do and how we're going to go about getting there.

[00:17:20] And I found that works really well at the last place and it's actually needs adapting to the different businesses, the sort of shampass and where they look and you just get them onto the radar when from us is become available.

[00:17:34] And do you see your role, the key part of your role is being their champion.

[00:17:40] Sometimes the numbers are a little bit down and then they need a little bit of support in a bumping the numbers up. So I just can down, choke heads up and start jumping on a sailing again.

[00:17:51] And then seeing the sort of enthusiasm that I bring to a car all very looks like what is going on here.

[00:17:57] And and something that's the common thing is every look if they want to stood up and walk around, must on child from the phone and not everybody's wondering what was going on here and you think that around your feet.

[00:18:08] Yeah, we used to do that a lot. There were definitely team members who would spend most of their shift stood up talking like we would always do a power hour or everyone stood up and it does make a difference certainly to your voice and your energy and changing your physical state I think is is really important just to keep the energy going in it gives you a bit of a boost for for sure.

[00:18:34] Yeah, I think about the future then. So you know, you're young for things already was that can you remember the point where you thought actually this industry is one that I can this can carry on I can keep having new challenges I can keep getting either promotions or doing different.

[00:18:56] You know areas of the business. So that that came to life when I got the yes comment on to be quality.

[00:19:03] I made department so it wasn't even the South Africa aspect so I said into essentially one side of the business is something completely different and try doing that.

[00:19:13] I then went to a project from the QA and what's the fact to then go out to a different continent and it's just like it just absolutely flew from the get go.

[00:19:26] And it might be rare whether actually happens for most people but if you don't try definitely what happened and what are the current issues one of the very rare places where you can get promoted very highly with general qualifications.

[00:19:41] Like even now if you ask what call case you've got within the contact center. Yeah, absolutely zero and what is more your human skill that given you are the bet you're going to be in this industry.

[00:19:55] I mean, being asked to talk a bit of rubbish is always handy but certainly never target that it's a different skill so and it's totally underrated. Completely agree and what what are your kind of aspirations for future what do you hope to do.

[00:20:12] And me might my ultimate angle to be retired by time I'm said absolutely push and that I just want to be able to do me on the thing and that's what I'm always working towards it's not taking a minute to dress it's a case of you got all those years after you retired or whatever else.

[00:20:33] So that's my goal is to end off revenue to be able to do that and have been working with the industry that's always healthy.

[00:20:41] Business outside of the outside of work last time so that's going to help feed that whole process up and always being able to choose to work. I can tell you I love that but as a 50 year old man it makes me feel very very very beautiful.

[00:20:57] You're a community and you always have to help others I can't thank you enough for. Oh, I see we've been joined by Dara.

[00:21:07] Hi Dara how you doing then if you wanted to write something in the in the chat me with me and Jordan we just talk and this is a whole series we're going to do with that kind of journey from agents through to team leader and then out of thrive as a team leader.

[00:21:24] I'm actually going to edit this and turn it into a podcast. I might edit that last 50 just that interest Jordan what is the what is your right side hustle. So I do read to the displays.

[00:21:41] I do the installation and it's very rather actually do the design part doesn't make us watch money and but installation is very very lucrative.

[00:21:50] And what is that for then when you say we're talking to when you walk into let's say PC world and you walk in as you see the different displays like Samsung Microsoft and massive displays that you see in there.

[00:22:05] I'm done so I've did it so I was in and so I've got team of six people contract to rate and then whenever there's big jobs in just get everybody down.

[00:22:16] You're young entrepreneur and that's something I've noticed within the community as well there are a few people that have very.

[00:22:24] Active very successful kind of side hustles I think it's real it's I think it's great I think is really interesting and probably a sign of things to come for the next generation as well following you.

[00:22:37] I think it's really interesting to see what I'm doing myself I'm not just going to be totally reliant on the company I got only knows how you find the time. And very difficult and hence circles under the eyes and it's temporary.

[00:22:53] But I think so there's a lot more people now not just outside the box but some people just thinking is if there isn't a box to begin with.

[00:22:59] And the other it's on the long people start believing that you will you will go as far as you mind will take care and because your body gives up one for that.

[00:23:09] The further people will go the more people will be and hopefully people start taking the start taking the start taking the pathways for distance and make the last bit my difficult for an easier end. Yeah choose the hardest path is what I'll always say.

[00:23:25] Well Jordan it's been great thanks so much for sharing like I said I'm going to this will go in the community first then I'll edit it and add a intro and end.

[00:23:35] And then this will be get out of rap episode that will go Friday so look out for that and thank you very much my friend. Hey Sam any time. Have a good one and thanks Darra see ya. Take yous, Greg. Thanks so much Jordan for doing that.

[00:23:55] I think one of the things we will do differently next time is rather than take the audio straight out of the team leader community, the live stream.

[00:24:05] I will do a separate one this same way I've always done them because there were times during that episode where the sound was a bit glitchy. So apologies about that I hope you did enjoy it.

[00:24:17] If you are interested in like Jordan and myself and 380 other members of the contact centre world predominantly team leaders but if you'd like to join the team leader community just drop me an email at martinatgetoutofrap.com. Thanks for listening and take care.