I was talking with a Customer Service Quality supervisor the other day when she commented that she had several quality coaches who are in the wrong job. The time wasn’t right for her to elaborate, but it reminded me of how often customer service reps convince themselves that becoming a quality coach is the perfect next step.
Take John’s case for instance. As a customer service rep, John is one of the best. He enjoys interacting with his customers. His team members love working with him. Basically, he excels in what he’s doing. Obviously, John enjoys his work, and it shows.
Thinking that it’s time to start moving his way up the corporate ladder, John eventually set his sights on becoming a quality coach. About 6 months later, and with a glowing recommendation from his supervisor, John’s goal became reality. He was proud of his accomplishment and couldn’t wait to tackle his new responsibilities.
It wasn’t long before John realized that he got a little more than he bargained for. People who had been his pals now thought of him as a spy. A good share of his coaching sessions with the customer service reps turned into heated disagreements about who was right and who was wrong. Calibration meetings with the other coaches turned into nitpicking marathons.
Overall, John was miserable, and it showed. Taking the quality coach job turned out to be a huge mistake.
What went wrong?
His intentions were good, but he was a little short sighted in his planning. He jumped at a promotion that was immediately in front of him instead of stepping back and getting clear about what he really wanted and where he was going.
The saddest part about it all is John’s story is not unique. It happens all the time. Great customer service reps start looking for a new challenge but they can’t see the forest through the trees. Instead of looking at what’s possible, they take what’s in front of them. And they end up just like John.
If you’re toying with the idea of becoming a quality coach, take two steps back right now. Put the quality coach goal aside for a while and get clear about what you really want.
Get a coach, mentor, friend or your boss to help you work it through. There are lots of options for doing this, but here’s a short process to get you going.
What do I want to be doing in the next 3 – 5 years? Imagine yourself going through your ideal day at work. Take special note of the tasks you find inspiring, the people surrounding you (and what they’re doing), and what your work environment is like.
How is that different than what I’m doing today? Don’t think it NEEDS to be different. If you’re happy with what you’ve got, just enjoy it! But if it is different, look closely at the differences and let them guide you in the right direction. Make a list of differences.
What do I need to do to get there? This is your action plan. Perhaps you need to sharpen your knowledge, skills or abilities. Chances are you need to expand your network of relationships.
Now compare your answers to the roles and responsibilities of a quality coach. If they’re a fit, go for it! If not, get on the right path.
You won’t be sorry if you look before you leap.
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