Leaning In: Enhancing WFM through Collaboration

We've all been there: working with operational leaders who have different views on how workforce management should be handled, diverging from your own philosophy on WFM operations. In such situations, as a WFM leader, you can either lean out or lean in. Early in my career, I often leaned out, dismissing the operational leaders' views as a result of inexperience, incompetence, or both. This pessimistic, naive, and egotistical response only widened the gap between the leader and the WFM team. As I matured professionally, I began to lean in, engaging more with operational leaders holding different perspectives. I was surprised to find that the friction between operations and WFM often stemmed not from malice but from the following reasons:

Under Pressure: Operational leaders are often under pressure to continuously improve its department’s performance. When their department's performance falters, they seek to identify root causes, sometimes attributing issues to a WFM process they perceive as misaligned with their goals. As a WFM leader, it's crucial to lean in and listen to their concerns. Sometimes they are correct, leading you to rectify the process. Other times, their concerns are unfounded, offering an opportunity to explain the process and enhance their understanding.

Inexperience: Many operational WFM leaders develop internally, and unless they have experience across various companies, their WFM opinions and beliefs may be based on a narrow range of observations. As an experienced WFM professional, it's your job to lean in and educate team leaders, explaining the rationale behind WFM processes. This often leads to better rapport and working relationships between WFM and operations.

Over Index: Operational leaders receive feedback from many within the organization, and WFM processes are generally designed to serve the majority rather than a select few. If an operational leader receives negative feedback from one of the few, they might mistakenly believe it reflects the entire organization’s views. Thus, by leaning in and having continuous conversations with leaders are essential to provide a balanced perspective on how WFM processes are perceived by the majority.

Blind Spot: We all like to think we run a top-notch WFM team, especially if we consistently deliver results. However, this belief can lead to blind spots in our processes that may harm the business. If you discover a blind spot by leaning in, don't justify it—just fix the process. By taking ownership of the mistake it will create a stronger working relationship with the business. 

Adopting a collaborative approach with operational leaders can transform friction into productive dialogue, fostering a more cohesive and efficient workforce management environment. By leaning in, you not only address immediate concerns but also build stronger, more understanding relationships, ultimately enhancing the overall performance of the organization.