COACH’ S CORNER
BY MARK PEREIRA
ILLUSTRATION PROVIDED BY ADOBE STOCK
USING THE COACHING TOOLBOX PRACTICAL STRATEGIES TO DEVELOP
Sometimes it ' s about helping a mediocre or good agent become a standout performer. At other times, it ' s a much harder conversation- one that, if handled correctly, can help someone course-correct before they end up on a performance plan- or worse.
But here ' s what I ' ve learned: coaching only works when we make it personal.
That doesn ' t mean being soft or low-
YOUR AGENTS.
Coaching isn ' t just a checkbox: it ' s a ering expectations. It means seeing the bridge. A bridge between where an human behind the headset. agent is today and the untapped Every coaching conversation is dif- potential waiting just ahead.
16 CONTACT CENTER PIPELINE
ferent because every agent is different. What helped Susie turn around her attendance issues might not move the needle for Jackie, who ' s struggling with adherence. Even if the issue appears the same on paper, the root cause, mindset, and motivation— all of that— are unique.
And truthfully? Each coaching session has taught me something as well. Like the game Call of Duty, it ' s pushed me to go back to the drawing board: rethink my strategy, adjust my aim, and consider a different approach the next time. Coaching has made me sharper, more thoughtful, and more intentional.
Still, I know how tempting it is to avoid challenging conversations. Many of us are confrontation-averse, uncertain of how the agent will respond or how to say the right thing without escalating the tension. But if we delay, we miss the moment.
The best time for a coaching conversation is when both parties are calm and clear-headed- not overly emotional- and as soon as possible.