Press Release

Leading in Trying Times

(Boonton, NJ, Apr 9, 2009) — What makes an effective leader? Role models from the spheres of business and politics have taught us many lessons that can help today's leaders weather the current economic storm.

In the April issue of Customer Service Newsletter, experts from Sibson Consulting offer five key lessons for leading under pressure:

• Be visible. Leaders need to reach out and communicate with employees at all levels during a crisis.
• Be honest. Acknowledge the depth of the crisis and the uncertainties that the organization faces. Sugarcoating the situation will only destroy a leader's credibility in the long run.
• Be empathetic. These are stressful times for all. Do not underestimate the value of empathy in creating organizational "glue" — increasing a sense of community and cooperation.
• Be authentic. Do not ask people to make sacrifices and do things that you would not do yourself.
• Be opportunistic. Embrace the opportunities as well as the challenges that the crisis presents. Excessive and narrow sighted focus on the challenges at the expense of overall objectives may cause your organization or your department to lag behind when business improves.

About the Customer Service Group

For more than 20 years, the Customer Service Group has helped customer service, call center and help desk managers increase productivity, improve service quality and boost customer satisfaction, loyalty and retention. The Customer Service Group publishes Customer Service Newsletter and The Customer Communicator.

Website: http://www.CustomerServiceGroup.com