Years of scientific studies reveal that stress and apprehension become common problems while working. Some of these include a decrease in self-confidence, health plus productivity. Although many studies also found that various factors trigger or cause stress and anxiety, it is also true that a lot of cases resulting in stress come from the workplace – such as having an incompetent channel captain and how a channel captain unintentionally stresses channel members.
What is a channel captain?
Also called the channel leader, this is the person or company that possesses enough power over channel members to hold the role as a leader. This entails enforcing rules and procedures. In fact, a great leader will be able to establish and implement rules of engagement that can either increase or decrease strife, productivity, morale, and so on.
Some examples of channel captains include manufacturers and retailers. Not surprisingly, manufacturers have been channel leaders for a long time now. This is because they own powerful brands, innovative and effective products or services, and have access to channel members’ information that they can use to persuade these individuals or groups into following their recommendations.
However, retailers are now taking up leadership roles once they have a strong influence on their members. Thanks to new and effective marketing approaches, they get hundreds of thousands of members to follow their advice that they can make a difference.
As a result of being an influencer, successful handling of distribution channels gives marketers the power to choose channel partners who are cooperative experts in their fields. Having these kinds of channel members almost guarantee success in the achievement of common goals for the whole channel. From training to economic incentives, cooperation among its members results in productivity, efficiency, and effectiveness.
How Does A Channel Leader Unintentionally Stress Members?
Channel leaders including a channel partner leader must train to be able to act and communicate to the members in a professional sort of way. In times of trouble, you as a leader must become a role model of direction, clarity, hope, and optimism from those surrounding you.
If you are aiming to become a good manager, here are some important psychological lessons that you must learn and master. Always remember that your behavior at all times impact on your subordinates and their well-being and performance.
Here are five behavior patterns that increase the stress of people. Become adept at these patterns to become a good and effective channel captain.
1. Utilizing Bad Language
A person’s emotions are often conveyed by non-verbal communication in the form of gestures, body language, and facial expressions. However, verbal communication, especially ones uttered in the heat of anger, frustration, and disappointment cause more impact on the recipient.
At work, a channel leader must be careful to communicate negative feedback focusing on constructive criticism so that channel members can be corrected positively. Doing the opposite would result in humility, embarrassment, and stress, which could result in more unpleasant performance at work. Remember that verbal and non-verbal communication have more weight and emotional impact than written messages ever could.
Research studies found that anxiety and stress can be unintentionally triggered through negative language. Avoid saying negative words such as shocking, horrific, problematic, and undesirable and words that can heighten the impact it has on the receiver of such language. Apparently, negative words also depend on a person. As a result, it is best that the immediate leader or supervisor of a channel member discuss the problem at hand assuming that he/she knows how best to disseminate it and avoid or minimize negative impact.
2. Severe Pessimism
With so many benefits of being an optimist, this is highly encouraged at work. While pessimism may not be that bad in some situations, it certainly becomes one if it is on the overly done. A little bit of pessimism can help you perceive and thwart possible threats and risks plus limit overconfident decisions. However, in times of crisis such as the Coronavirus pandemic, severe pessimism in you as the leader becomes a problem as it affects your actions and reactions to problems that arise. In the end, whatever your members see in you affects them doubly or more. So, your stress can multiply in them to more stressful levels if your severe pessimism isn’t managed on the onset.
As a leader, learn or muster the courage to show optimism and remove any show of pessimism. This way, you can increase and transmit optimism to your members even if there’s chaos abounding. Composure and control seen from you can strengthen the resolve of your people as well. After all, if they see that you are still composed, they will also pull themselves together and you can all create a sound plan to address the problems at hand.
3. Uncommon or Impulsive Actions
Creativity is often connected with spontaneity and a come what may attitude. However, when it comes to being a channel captain, you now must curtail any impulsive actions so that you can be a good role model to your members. If impulsive tendencies trigger stress to the people you are working with, it is best to stop before it negatively affects your productivity or those around you.
To illustrate, the unprecedented effects of the Coronavirus pandemic in the workplace have thrown not only the members but also the leaders as well. Since there is no previous experience relating to this kind of problem, leaders are also at a loss on how to immediately address the changes and issues that arise. Despite this, as a good channel captain, you must keep your cool and strive to have some semblance of predictability and reliability.
To cite some examples, provide precise structure during meetings and correspondence, clear expectations on goals and objectives, limit last-minute cancellations or changes, and basically maintain a routine that everybody can stick to. These are just a few issues that show how a channel captain unintentionally stresses channel members
4. Disregarding People’s Emotions
Just got scolded by your higher-ups or clients yourself because of your team’s failure? Frustrated yourself since you know that you did your best and it still wasn’t enough to achieve your goal? How could they even shout at you and embarrass you in front of your colleagues and completely ignore your feelings, right? Despite the low feeling, take a deep breath and don’t do to your members what your leader just did to you.
As a good channel leader, don’t take out your anger and frustration with your channel members. So, what should you do? Control your emotions and get a grip on your stress. Once this is done, calmly talk to your channel members and communicate the bad news and negative feedback in a professional way. This way, you can come up with a better solution than if you were to blame them for that failure.
For 20 years now, extensive researches underline the importance of having emotional intelligence (EQ), which requires that you develop empathy for your colleagues and channel members. This entails understanding them and controlling your emotions as a leader when dealing with them. For starters, showing that you are willing to understand them can work wonders towards earning their trust and respect.
If you want to be a good channel captain, train yourself to monitor how your channel members affect each other so you can arrange everything to gear towards better performance, efficiency, and productivity. Remember that the leader that you are can amplify not only your members’ emotions but also engage them to succeed with you. So, amid this Covid-19 pandemic, bring out the best in your members.
5. Emotional Uncertainty
Impulsive bosses are fun to have when things are going well. However, they are also the worst leaders to be with when things go wrong at work. Imagine having to deal with stress in accomplishing your tasks and having to deal with an irate boss for not meeting the deadline or goal. Not a good one for sure.
As a channel captain, you must become competent in dealing with pressure first. Don’t expect your members or colleagues to be able to handle pressure when you have not achieved it yourself. Manage your emotions and get a grip on how you handle yourself, especially in times of crisis, because this is also the time that your channel members will be looking to you for direction.
Overall, be a good poker player and remain cool and composed despite the chaos that may be occurring. Though it is difficult to do so, become the rock and glue that holds your team together. No emotional outbursts that you will later regret and inadvertently embarrass and stress your members more. Learn the opposite of how a channel captain unintentionally stresses channel members and be the kind that kind of leader.
The Bottom Line
Being a channel captain requires a lot of things from you and often at the same time, especially in times of crisis or emergency. Though you may also be dealing with a lot of things at the time that your channel members need you most, you must still have the presence of mind and sound judgment to make wise decisions quickly while considering what your members are going through and their needs. To do this, you must master proper behavior and training to handle the onslaught that will come at you all at once. Sounds daunting? You won’t be a great leader if you don’t feel the pressure – and the courage to conquer it. But success in this endeavor can equip you to know how a channel captain unintentionally stresses channel members and doing just the opposite!
Are you a channel leader wanting to join other leaders who can help you grow? Join the growing Forzadash community of active MSPs and IT vendors. For more information, book a meeting here now.
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