Bad Luck? Maybe.

Some team members who fail to live up to expectations may not be poor performers. They may just be having a streak of bad luck. We consider that possibility when we talk with them about their performance.

For example, on a recent inbound call center project, one of our newest team members was becoming increasingly rattled by the pace and complexity of the calls.

Here is where the “bad luck” part enters. The computer firm that set up the software for the job failed to address the “hold” function.

When our new teammate didn’t know the answer to a question from a caller, they put the call on hold — or so they thought — and started swearing in exasperation.

The man on “hold” then shocked the rattled team member by responding, “You know I can hear you, right?”

To make matters worse, the client asked for a random sampling of recorded calls. Unfortunately, this call was among those selected for review.

While the hold button was not their fault, the swearing was undeniably their choice.

So did we ask our foulmouthed fresh hire to find a new job?

Not at all. The unlucky team member is still with us and is one of our most reliable employees.They definitely know how to put a call on hold and to hold the profanity. They are also grateful for a workplace where we can discuss moments like these and use them to learn and grow.

Other employees, though, can’t seem to get out of their own way. They may develop intense hostility, which is one of the most challenging anchors to lift.

Immediate supervisors must focus on mentoring and listening, so we can understand the other person’s point of view.

We never embark on the course correction process when someone is angry, nor do we leave our employees untethered in orbit.

We don’t put our problems on hold. We address them right away and give our employees ample opportunity to talk, explain, improve, re-train, and become the best version of ourselves.

Dasher is a data-driven, customer contact services operation with a focus on communicating complex messages to diverse populations. Specific capabilities include face-to-face communications provided by our field teams, customer engagement strategies provided by our call center and member engagement staff, and secure, complex, variable mailing services provided by our production team. Dasher is an experienced Minority, Women and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (MWDBE) with a bestselling book, “The Talent Pool,” and is certified by AICPA with the SOC2SM Type2 data certification and validation.