Call centers can be tough places to work. It can be a churn
environment, where employees are easily replaced if they do not hit their
benchmarks. Imagine for a moment what it is like to be a leader there…
Now imagine a leader who faces the challenges of a call
center environment with a commitment to the employees,
finding every opportunity to expose them to professional development—speakers,
books, seminars, forums, and, yes, coaching. It is a risky endeavor to invest
in the softer side of personnel management in a business so heavily dependent
on numerical results. It requires courage and strength to balance both the
inflexible financial goals and the endlessly malleable needs of people. Jim
Phelps is this leader at Discover Financial Services, here in Phoenix.
Discover, who happens to have a number of people who have
worked there for 20+ years (in this day and age!!!), provides its employees
with educational opportunities both internally and externally. Jim refuses to
let his employees get complacent about the opportunities available. He is a
champion for continuing professional development and makes sure there are
plenty of options available to Phoenix employees.
Jim also provides a
model for community involvement, especially with Habitat for Humanity and
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. He devotes his time, his energy, and his
handyman abilities whenever he gets the opportunity. With this commitment to
service, Jim promotes a vision of the workplace as a means for
personal and societal transformation.
I owe Jim a HUGE thank you for the wonderful coaching
opportunities he has sent my way. The people from Jim’s team that I have worked
with have been an inspiring group (see Coaching Clients blog). Jim’s commitment
and courage to invest in those people inspire me.
Thank you, Jim.
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