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Pete's Perspective

PETE'S PERSPECTIVE as published in the Virtual Support News!   

 
"It's not rocket science"
     

Support organizations that deliver exceptional customer service and business value have, at their core, something in common:  Leadership. But what does leadership look like?  It's business-focused people who approach their responsibilities with energy, passion, and intelligence.  They never forget where they came from and what it took for them to get to where they are.  They take with them the lessons they learned and the people that influenced them along the way. They are resourceful and thoughtful.  They are unafraid to seek advice, direction, and support. Most importantly, they share the most important characteristic of all - they are servant leaders. They never let their egos convince them that they are the smartest people in the room. And they never let arrogance stand in the way of being a good listener and a continuous learner.

Servant leadership is about doing the right thing and making fact-based decisions. It's about challenging conventional wisdom and having the moral backbone to stand up for doing the right thing for the customers and employees who serve them well. Servant leaders continuously look for innovative ways to leverage industry best practices, technology, and people. They treat every customer like they are their only customer. I challenge all service leaders to become Servant Leaders.  Set the bar high for your team, constantly measure your progress, and continuously improve. Create a rewarding and healthy service culture that is driven by your daily examples of your servant leadership.

 

Introducing Pete's Perspective, our new column that provides key insight into service & support provided by Pete McGarahan of McGarahan & Associates. Pete is a recognized thought leader throughout the support industry and business. Pete's twenty-five years in the IT industry go both deep and wide in all areas of IT, business and service and support.     


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Composed: 10/13/2009 | Modified: 07/09/2010
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Service Leadership
08/24/2010

Kirk Weisler's Thought 4 the Day

 Everyday Leaders

August 17th, 2010

   “My research debunks the myth that many people seem to have . . . that you become a leader by fighting your way to the top. Rather, you become a leader by helping others to the top. Helping your employees is as important, and many times more so, than trying to get the most work out of them.” ~ William Cohen, The Stuff of Heroes: The Eight Universal Laws of Leadership.

I just read a great article in Support World Magazine by Peter McGarahan titledService Leadership ” for the full pdf read click HERE

here’s a short excerpt…Pete writes…. -In my many leadership positions and interactions with support professionals around the world, effective leadership comes down to one thing: people care when they know that you care!

In recent Gallup polls regarding the state of the U.S. worker, it is shocking and disappointing to see how many people are truly disengaged in the workplace. In support organizations, the biggest differentiator between organizations that excel at service delivery, customer service, and delivering business value and the ones that always struggle is leadership. Leaders who approach their responsibilities with energy, passion, and intelligence will always make a difference in people’s lives.

These leaders never forget:     Where they came from,  What it took to get where they are, and The important lessons they learned along the way.

They are particularly resourceful and utilize trusted, experienced mentors for advice, direction, and support. What’s even more interesting is the fact that these leaders-successful, happy people-are humble! They never let their egos convince them that they are the smartest people in the room, and they never let arrogance stand in the way of being a good listener and a continuous learner.

Obvious - Common Sense - old news…you say?!  Well yes… it is, but rare and wonderful is the leader whose life emulates these principles.  And blessed, happy and engaged are the few lucky souls who work with that leader.

Kirk Out



Reducing Support Costs!
06/01/2010

Reducing Support Costs with a "Shift-Left" Strategy: An Interview with Pete McGarahan
By Cinda Daly

"Arise, ye service leader! The time is now!" proclaims Pete McGarahan, an industry thought leader and respected consultant for twenty-five years. It's not a new concept that service leaders need to run their support organization like a business. Achieving that point, however, is challenging. With continuing pressures to drive down support costs, service leaders need to optimize the business model: determine what's really important, then dive deep into the detail of structure, process, people, and tools.
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