Our global economy remains uncertain; layoffs are once again filling our LinkedIn feeds; companies are seeking ways to reduce costs. Not to mention, public opinion on AI is increasingly polarized over the tool's potential to take jobs and livelihoods in the name of maximal efficiency. Employees are understandably on edge, and pressure weighs heavily on leaders as they struggle to guide their teams through such volatility.
With a deep commitment to serving and guiding people, Rasheeda James, VP of Client Services at Americorps, tackles today's greatest operational and workforce challenges. Whether navigating uncertainty around AI or employee disengagement, she ensures that teams feel seen and validated by grounding herself in empathy, transparency, and purpose.
During our previous webinar, she shared how to find the fine balance between innovation and compassion, and sustain employee trust and loyalty through every storm. Here are her top tips on compassionate and results-driven leadership.
Honesty feeds trust, and trust anchors teams. Leaders must provide clarity and perspective amid uncertainty, delivering a truth, no matter how unpleasant, that keeps employees informed. If faced with silence, they’ll fill in the blanks with assumptions typically far worse than reality.
On the flip side, false reassurance can also have its repercussions, making changes feel all the more sudden. While both actions are well-intentioned, they damage your rapport and create discord among your team members, leading to a broader organizational ripple effect.
James strives to strike a fair balance:
“Currently, our emotional climate is heavy. Everyone is on high alert. Our frontline agents are asking where they fit in and what their futures look like. They’re seeing how AI is automating, businesses are outsourcing, and executives are talking about cost reduction and efficiency. There’s pressure on us to be real, so sometimes, we stay silent because we don’t want to be wrong. But that hurts employee trust and damages our brand. We have to communicate what we can while acknowledging the unknown. People typically handle hard news better than confusion.”
When the unexpected happens—like a layoff or a tech stack overhaul —employees will want to voice their thoughts. Some will take everything in stride, but many will likely have questions fueled by anxiety and uncertainty. Effective team leads must recognize these emotions rather than dismissing or undermining them; empathy and open dialogue are top priorities.
“We have to provide direction. We have to admit, for instance, if a layoff was hard, and what went into that decision,” stated James. “We have to explain why the work still matters, and why they still matter, and what we will do moving forward.”
As people consistently feel seen and valued despite uncertainty, teams will recuperate and be more willing to adapt alongside their leaders.
AI should exist to set humans up for success; it can never replicate an agent’s ability to connect authentically with their customers. (Customers generally prefer human interactions as well.)
When integrating AI into the contact center, James underlined the importance of including employees at every step of the process, from start to finish, so their feedback can influence the direction of their growth and transformation. Without open collaboration, especially when adopting tech that seemingly evolves by the day, people will remain stuck in an unknown that doesn’t have to be so daunting.
James concluded:
“[Our leadership] was very honest about AI. We brought our teams into the conversation early. And so, again, it all goes back to trust. We need to make sure they feel involved in what we’re doing. That’s how we’ve handled it so far, and it works really well for us. I’m happy with our direction.”
Looking for more CX insights and stories from women leaders on the frontlines? Don’t miss our next webinar. Secure your spot!
Want to roll back the tape? Listen to Rasheeda James’ on-demand session here.