Job Title: Team Leader
Word Limit: 2 Pages
Demonstrated ability to lead large teams to meeting prescribed performance outcomes, including managing attendance and poor performance
Within my current role as Team Leader at the Smart Centre in Canberra, I have demonstrated my ability to lead large teams to meet performance outcomes as well as managing attendance and performance of individual team members. For example, last year I observed a staff member using their mobile phone at their desk whilst scheduled to be working. I advised them light-heartedly that I hoped it would be the last instance and they agreed. A few weeks later I observed the same behaviour. I then put the direction in writing that the staff member was not to have their mobile phone turned on within the building unless using a breakout area. I also let them know how disappointed I felt as how they are perceived to others has always been important to them and I thought it would have more impact. Furthermore, I outlined the consequences should they not heed my direction again.
My ability to lead teams is demonstrated in the results I have achieved as Team Leader thus far. I lead a team of around 18 staff at the current time and in the set-up of the Smart Centre, have been the lead of up to 56 staff at any one time. During my current role, I meet both individual and team goals by utilising excellent organisational and time and task management skills. I do this by planning and prioritising my tasks, re-assessing as the day progresses and as other urgent priorities arise. I write lists, utilising task management tools and communicating openly with others to achieve results.
Ability to manage multiple stakeholder relationships in an often complex and sensitive working environment
I have displayed my ability to build and sustain working relationships also during my current role, where I deal consistently with my own staff and management as well as Operations Managers, Program Managers and other Team Leaders to develop and implement solutions to operational issues.
My role in setting up the Canberra Smart Centre included liaising with different teams to ensure a smooth transition into what was often a new environment for staff members. There were some staff members who were transitioning into the call centre environment and some who I formed relationships with to get the environment set up and running. In managing these relationships it was important to understand that these staff may not have worked under pressure like this before. The set-up of the Canberra smart centre was ultimately successful and a large part of this was due to my management of relationships with the many different areas.
On one occasion in my current role, staff were going to be offered non-ongoing contracts and had a decision to make about whether they would take one of these contracts, or remain on their current contract. There were a range of pros and cons for staff and some were quite stressed about the decision. This created a sensitive environment were role included ensuring staff had all of the information they required to make a rational and thoughtful decision about their future employment. This process went reasonably smoothly with staff taking their time and make informed decisions.
At a general level, I demonstrate active listening skills and always involve others and recognize their contributions including: Allowing other members of the Leadership Team the opportunity to share their ideas and feelings in a group setting, prior to voicing my own; seeking the thoughts and input of staff prior to making decisions; seeking advice and feedback from external stakeholders, my staff and my Leadership Team; making myself available for staff and members of the Leadership Team to debrief with me; welcoming external stakeholders to seek assistance and debrief with me; allowing staff the freedom to express themselves through the development and deployment of team portfolio roles; always providing honest and constructive feedback and remaining transparent.
Display personal drive and integrity with the ability to quickly acquire knowledge and impart this to others
I possess personal drive, integrity and resilience to perform well under pressure and carry out my responsibilities calmly, professionally and flexibly. I take personal responsibility for my tasks and actions, use my time effectively, and operate at all times conducting seamless processes with respect to probity and accountability.
During this year, with my team changing to Families and Parenting, I have demonstrated my ability to acquire knowledge of this area and pass this onto my staff efficiently. This has required organisation of training, self-education to refresh my own knowledge and the mentorship of staff through this change process. In addition, we have now incorporated work for the Australian Electoral Commission and I have supported and imparted knowledge to my staff whilst being positive about the changes taking place. I like to ensure that my own knowledge of my staff’s roles is adequate enough to be able to assist them with any aspect of their work if required.
I have over six years of experience in the public service, and understand that I am bound by its guidelines, and have at all times upheld the Australian Public Sector Code of Conduct. I understand and support equity and diversity in the workplace, and recognise that differences need to be respected and acknowledged.
Ability to communicate effectively to both large groups and individuals, leading these staff through the change management process. The capability to provide accurate and concise written communication as required.
I respond in a positive and flexible manner to change and uncertainty. I also share information with others and assist them to also adapt, as part of effective change management. I reschedule and reorganise my work to reflect changes in priority and deal positively with uncertainty and cope effectively in an environment characterized by change.
A recent example this year is the transitioning of my direct staff members from undertaking general access calls to full Families and Parenting related work. Through the rapport I have built with my team, I am aware that not all members cope well with change. To manage this and ensure a smooth transition, I announced the change to the team by: Being positive about it myself, leading by example; Congratulating them on their new opportunity; Outlining the benefits of having a break from Access related enquires; Outlining the benefits of being up-skilled and having variety; Outlining the benefits of being the very first Non ongoing team to take on this work; Outlining our previously proven ability, whereby we have successfully transitioned through change; Outlining our strengths in the management of electronic self-managed services and Advising that our team had been chosen due to our competency, reliability, and overall reputation and brand. We then worked together in planning for the rollout as best as possible and then reorganizing work to accommodate when things did not run to plan. This saw my direct team being engaged and feeling part of the change.
I have demonstrated my ability to write and submit reports in my role as Response and Real Time Team Member, where I was requested to provide important statistical information on the four highest volume transaction of calls for the Assistant Director of the Digital Promotions Branch. I did this by analysing and compiling information from the call centre performance tool, and provided a comprehensive report that included a breakdown report of the volume of calls across the identified business areas. My written communication skills are also an area I have undertaken some professional development around so that I can further develop these skills.
Ability to exercise sound judgement and decision making skills in either team related and individuals CSOs or customer related situations
In support of my ability to exercise judgement and sound decision making, I have a number of strategies I use to make decisions including seeking the thoughts and input of staff and often seeking advice and feedback from external stakeholders and my Leadership Team. I routinely make many decisions within each and every shift and need to be able to exercise judgement including weighing up consequences of decisions made. During my role as Real Time Team Member Scheduler and a Workforce Planner, I was responsible for monitoring demand throughout the day, reverting calls and managing the resource demand across agencies. All of these tasks require a degree of judgement and making decisions about changes in resourcing to meet demands and ensure that customers were serviced effectively.
Within my current role I am required to effectively manage the attendance of employees and at the same time, promote staff health and well-being. On occasions, I have had to rely on my judgement as to whether staff members are having unscheduled days off because they are genuinely sick or for other reasons. This can be a sensitive area and one that requires my ability to know and understand my staff members and therefore make decisions based on this knowledge.
