67: Self-care in Support with Greg Skirving

Charlotte Ward: 0:13

Hello and welcome to episode 67 of the Customer Support Leaders Podcast. I'm Charlotte Ward. The theme for this week is self-care in support. So stay tuned for five leaders talking about that very topic. I'd like to welcome back to the podcast today, Greg Skirving. Greg, it's lovely to have you back. The topic for this week is self-care in support. So how do we look after ourselves and how do we look after our teams in what is really a pretty stressful job at times?

Greg Skirving: 0:50

Yeah, thanks. Thanks, Charlotte. Good to be back. Yeah, you know, uh I think I think one realizes pretty quickly when they get into support that it is uh uh chaotic, fast-paced, um, interrupt-driven. Um I think it's uh it's it's critical that uh uh you you are comfortable being uncomfortable. Uh I know uh I know uh a lot of people uh get into support and and quickly realize that that they uh uh they might not be able to handle the the rigors of of support. But I think most people you know manage to uh to uh uh take a positive uh outlook and approach uh to the role. I think from a manager's perspective, and this is one of the key things that we do is ensure that our that our folks are uh set up for success. And um, you know, being able to uh manage their time, manage their their uh feelings and self-awareness is is uh a critical part. I know uh, and of course everybody's different, so you truly need to like all things understand your people, understand who needs what and when. Uh but uh what what I like to tell my folks is uh have a good start of day routine. Come in, you know, 10 minutes before the start of your shift, before you have to start taking calls, set up your day, you know, you have to plan. Um but as it's interrupt-driven, we need to uh be able to adapt. And uh, you know, all the successful engineers and support folks I know are able to plan uh and adapt. And that gives uh uh a sense of of structure to the day um and uh and some direction, but also means that you know we we can quickly adapt uh to changes. So with that as a you know good set of skills, it helps people to to um uh uh relax, obviously, as much as we can, but but be prepared. Be prepared. I think that's an important thing.

Charlotte Ward: 2:58

It's interesting, isn't it? Because it's a real dichotomy of the role that that it r is really interrupt-driven, and yet if you spend the day entirely at the whims of customers or or other stakeholders, um it actually doesn't make it for a very productive day anyway, and leaves you feeling spiralling out of control and uh and pretty stressed and burnt out if you if you sustain that for any length of time. So that ability to um try and draw some control from it, by by which we both I think mean structure and uh and prioritizing our own work, but but still being able to respond to all of those other needs, that's quite a balancing act. What what's your what's your trick for that?

Greg Skirving: 3:44

Yeah, well, like I say, um good uh uh uh I preach a good start of day and end-of-day routine. Start a day and and that that could just be looking at your schedule. I've got that 10 o'clock meeting, uh, I've got a deliverable for this, I've got a meeting at two. And and um uh I'm going back to my old Unix days, but you need to have a demon in your cron tab that's you that's constantly looking at what you have on your plate. And there's can't miss things, and there's things that you might uh uh be able to renegotiate uh deadlines, even with customers. Um oftentimes people are put into what I call next step conflict where uh they're they're required to be in two places at the same time. Well, fundamentally you have a couple of opportunities to change uh uh one of those or you know get a get a peer to to to cover for you. But uh good start and end-to-day routine and and like I say, being being uh being able to adapt, being able to handle next step conflict, like I say, being able to, you know, move things around. Um uh having a clock in the back of your head is a is a good uh a good skill to have as well. Um, you know, kind of knowing when you're on a call, when 45 minutes kind of kind of clicks. And I know I've I'm I'm I've I've got to make a decision for you know top of the hour. Am I gonna make it? Am I not gonna make it? So uh that's uh that's a skill I find that good uh good uh successful uh support people have.

Charlotte Ward: 5:16

So I love that uh analogy that you have a a demon running in the Ukron tab. I'm gonna take that away.

Greg Skirving: 5:29

Way back on that one.

Charlotte Ward: 5:30

Yeah, yeah. Not not to infer that we are machines, but but neither should we be. That's kind of the point, right?

Greg Skirving: 5:38

I think uh I think uh um a couple of other things that that are important is um um uh if some people need to take lunch, leave the building, walk around, go to the gym, ride their bike, whatever. Um other people they don't need to do it. So so I encourage find out what you need to um you know level set in in the middle of the day. Sometimes people need that, sometimes people don't. And uh, you know, I encourage that to get out, walk around, you know, then come back, recharged, and and you're good for the second half of the day. Yeah.

Charlotte Ward: 6:14

Yeah. Yeah, but taking a bit of control over your head space, definitely. Thanks so much, Greg. I think I'm gonna stop there. That was uh perfect. I was watching the clock. I had a little demon in my cron tab that was I tell you, I haven't heard those words since 1997.

Greg Skirving: 6:36

I told you I was gone way back.

Charlotte Ward: 6:40

That's it for today. Go to customersupportleaders.com forward slash sixty seven for the show notes, and I'll see you next time.