Team Leader Review

My role as a team leader involves managing a team of 8-10 sales agents. Their primary role is to sell and set up breakdown cover for Toyota/Lexus customers. My role includes staff wellbeing, development and coaching. This also involves day to day planning and running of the department.

I have learnt new skills regarding time management and how to effectively prioritise my workload. I have also learnt new skills regarding conflict management and how to better motivate staff. Some of the existing skills that I have developed are around mentoring and how to delegate work effectively to achieve maximum benefit.

At times I enjoyed the programme, but there were other times that I did not enjoy it. I was lucky that there were several of my colleagues on the course and this helped me to get through it. I did not enjoy the fact that there was no classroom element to the course but I understand there would have been restrictions in place due to Covid.

To begin with, I found the structure of the course very difficult to understand and for the first months I was not quite sure what I was doing. It took me around three months to understand the structure of the course and how it would run for the duration. I did find this frustrating at times.

To begin with, I received little support from my employer, they made it very difficult for me to have time away from my day to day role to complete my work and I was essentially doing it all in my own time. It was only once I moved departments that my new manager gave me the time and encouragement needed to help me complete my work. I do not understand why the company encourages us to enrol on these courses and then hinders our time to complete them, I know several colleagues that dropped off this course or had to take breaks in learning as they were not given the support they needed.

I found my executive coach to be helpful and approachable whenever I needed support throughout my qualification. I could reach out to him at any point and he was always quick to get back to me with whatever help I needed. He would explain things to me in the way that I needed.

I feel that there are some aspects that I can add to my daily role to help me perform better, however I do feel that the qualification and particularly the final assessments were heavily geared towards projects and project management. This is something that I do not do very much in my daily role.

No.

Yes

I would recommend AA to a friend as it is a large organisation with lots of opportunities and looks after its employees and customers. However, I would advise friends against signing up for this course unless they have been assured by their senior managers that they will be given the time and support to be able to complete it.

Before applying, I would gain some sort of written agreement from your manager that you will be given time away from your role to complete your work. I would draw up an agreed schedule with your manager which clearly indicates the time dedicated to your qualification. I would also think hard about the commitment you are making and if the end result is going to benefit you.