Coach’s Corner

There is a big difference between wanting to write a book and actually doing it. <Insert Captain Obvious Statement here>

If you talk to 100 Contact Center experts, you will have a very similar statement: “I can write a book about everything I have experienced/seen/heard in the call center!!” If you talk to those same contact center experts a year or so later, probably 1 or 2 have put pen to paper (is that still a thing?) and wrote a book. I am not one of those people. Troy is though!

I don’t know Troy personally but I know people who do. From all accounts, Troy is not only awesome at what he does but is a great person to boot.

As a parent who coached (albeit poorly) youth sports, this book resonated with me. Coaching in a professional or work environment is pretty straightforward. Whether it is reviewing a past experience or helping your team see a perspective differently, you have the tools at bay, you just need to do it. Coaching kids is different. In my experience, it was girl’s softball. Like Troy illustrates, you have can have the BEST plan and it will fall flat really quickly with little control or ability to fix. My coaching career didn’t last long and I currently pretend to be the best coach from the bleachers. :)

The Power of Story-Telling

What I love about this book is that it provides some easy to implement/reflect lessons in the workplace. Do you need to be ‘in the biz’? Definitely not. This book is for anyone, in any position that has a team, manages a process or operation.

Going back to my 100 contact center experts, the thought and dream of telling a story is profound since the experiences in this industry are often diverse, multi-faceted and in a lot of cases, really crazy. Every interaction is a lesson in communication, empathy and problem solving. Some interactions is a lesson in ‘What the hell just happened?’!

The ability to capture the thrill and craziness in this world will also show the true beauty in the patterns that emerge and the lessons they teach. These patterns also serve as a microcosm of a larger world. How many examples can you think of if the world simply did a better job at actively listening and showing empathy?

Coach’s Corner is a very easy read and very relatable.

Congrats Tony!

Get the book here!