7 Things Creative Team Leaders Do Better Than the Rest

Can’t quite figure out why Sophie is a far better team leader than Josh? Or what Kim really does to help her agents smash their targets time after time?

It’s no beginner’s luck! Our Editor – Megan Jones – spoke to Danny Wareham, Maria McCann, Martin Teasdale, Matt Riley, and Naomi Smith to find out what sets the very best team leaders apart from the rest.

What Creative Team Leaders Do Better

1. They Lead Their Team With Empathy and Humility

Great things happen when team leaders know not only what makes their team tick, but how to take care of them when the chips are down. Of course, empathy is regularly practised in customer conversations, but it’s equally important to extend this into internal relationships too.

Matt Riley, Contact Centre Performance Specialist — Matt Riley

“Being an exceptional team leader is about noticing when an agent is a bit off and giving them the additional support they need to get through the day.

It’s about being proactive – not reactive, because it’s really no use to anybody if an agent ends up being rude to a customer and getting a complaint, only for their team leader to find out after the fact that they’re having problems outside of work that are affecting their performance.

Great leaders know this BEFORE their agents jump on the phones!” – Matt Riley, Contact Centre Performance Specialist.

Getting the very best from their agents also requires a certain degree of humility. Great team leaders don’t need to be perfect and have all the answers, but they do need to make a habit of listening, admitting mistakes, and valuing the input of others.

“The best team leaders engage with their team, show genuine interest in their wellbeing, career aspirations and challenges, and support them to be the best version of themselves.” – Naomi Smith, Contact Centre Manager at Worcester Bosch

2. They Are Curious and Approach the Role With an Open Mind

Being curious is a real underrated superpower in leadership! Why? It empowers the very best team leaders to consider what other people bring to the table and then learn from them – moving frustration to fascination time after time.

Danny Wareham, Certified Business Psychologist and coach — Danny Wareham

“Why doesn’t Adam motivate his agents like I do? Why does he leave things to the last minute?

Questions like this can be a big source of frustration to team leaders working alongside their peers in a busy contact centre – but it doesn’t have to be that way!

That’s why the very best leaders are curious about what others do and stop to ask themselves “Now, what does he do that I don’t?” to continuously learn and develop themselves and their leadership style.” – Danny Wareham, Founder & Director of Firgun.

3. They Engage Their Agents With Great Stories to Help Them Understand the “Why”

Another key trait the very best team leaders display is to help their agents see the “why” and their purpose in the contact centre – so they can understand the wider impact of their day-to-day actions.

Through the ability to clearly convey ideas, tell great stories, and create a culture of openness, they can keep their team focused on the company vision. All helping to create a highly motivated and effective team.

For advice on how you can empower team leaders with the best tools, processes, and habits to drive great results, watch our webinar: Boosting Agent and Team Leader Effectiveness in Customer Service

4. They Lead With Innovation – Not Constraints

An innovative mindset is key too. Always “thinking outside the box” as they say!

Maria McCann, Co-Founder of Neos Wave — Maria McCann

“Amazing team leaders don’t restrict themselves within perceived constraints; instead they see any barriers as opportunities and a challenge to overcome.

By routinely leaning into problems and find creative ways to overcome them, they make a habit of driving continuous improvement and creating overall efficiencies across their team – not just limiting themselves to doing things the way they’ve always been done.” – Maria McCann, Co-Founder of Neos Wave.

5. They Are Self-Aware Enough to Realize When They Don’t Know Best (Or Even When They Are Just Feeling “Hangry”)

When people lack self-awareness, they can drag their team down.

From being “hangry” (feeling bad-tempered or irritable as a result of hunger) to being too closed minded to listen to new ideas, leaders who lack self-awareness can be toxic – unknowingly failing their team with their poor attitude and not seeing how their actions are part of the problem either!

That’s why the very best team leaders are self-aware and understand how their actions make other people feel. After all, it’s no good to anyone if a team leader is getting through the daily task list but moaning and dragging down morale as they go.

Top Tip – If a team leader is lacking self-awareness, you can start to make inroads with some honest conversations, drawing on specific examples, e.g. “Did you realize that this [insert example] behaviour has this [insert example] impact?”

6. They Have the Confidence to Be Calm and Decisive

Great team leaders consistently make timely, well-informed decisions and stick by them – continuously helping to reduce the chance for any confusion or compromising the trust of their team.

This display of confidence is a far cry from arrogance too, but is instead belief in themselves and their vision. Even doing the right thing even when no one is watching!

7. They Display Resilience in an Ever-Changing Contact Centre Environment

Resilience is critical in a fast-paced contact centre environment!

Setbacks happen, but the very best team leaders bounce back, learn from failure, and keep on moving forward – without losing momentum. They don’t take anything personally either.

Martin Teasdale, Founder & Host of Get out of Wrap — Martin Teasdale

“The best team leaders are those who continuously learn and adapt.

They create an environment where agents feel comfortable asking questions and making mistakes, which in turn leads to higher engagement and better customer interactions.” – Martin Teasdale, Founder of the Team Leader Community

★★★★★

Creative Team Leaders Get the Very Best From Their Agents

So, what do the very best team leaders do differently? They lead with curiosity, empathy, and resilience, so they don’t just manage people, they understand them.

From being self-aware enough to know if they are the problem, to inspiring their teams through storytelling and innovation, these leaders don’t settle for the status quo. They challenge it, improve it, and bring others along with them.

Ultimately, it’s not about being perfect – it’s about being real – creating an environment where agents feel heard, supported, and motivated to do their best work. And, in the fast-paced world of contact centres, that makes all the difference!