Emotional Connection is Key to Leadership

Mike Eastman is the Vice President of Customer Service Strategy & Operations at the Tucson Center of Excellence. He’s also a veteran, an aviator and an all-around fascinating guy.  In this Q & A with Mike, find out why he firmly believes that emotional connection is not only the key to effective leadership, it’s also the driving force behind Comcast’s Customer Experience strategy.

What the most challenging part – or the most rewarding part — of being a Comcast leader in Tucson?

The biggest opportunity we have is to show our commitment to delivering exceptional customer experience and continuously delivering on that promise. The most rewarding part of my job is having the opportunity to develop individuals on the team to succeed in their current role and throughout their careers. As a veteran myself, I particularly enjoy working with the over 100 members in our Veterans Network group comprised of 35 veterans and spouses of veterans on our Southern Arizona team. Helping these folks adapt their military skills to civilian life is extremely rewarding for me. For other folks, who have experience in the contact center space, it’s about helping them see past what traditional call centers looked and felt like.

As a leader, I take time to build emotional connections with each person on my staff. There is a story between myself and each of them. I know about their family, or fun facts about their lives, the last place they worked, or how they like to be recognized. This genuine emotional connection is the basis for getting people to shift their thinking and really grow and transform. It’s a similar strategy that infuses Comcast’s approach to Customer Experience, establishing a connection and breaking the traditional way of thinking.

What is something that the community would be surprised to learn about you?

People will be surprised to learn that I grew up in the inner city, in a very poor neighborhood in Hartford, Connecticut. I am also an aviator. I have a pilot license and I am instrument rated. Most of my free time is spent doing something related to aviation. It wasn’t what I did in the military, however. I was a combat medic; people are always surprised to learn that. But I was fascinated by aviation since I was a little kid, always flying kites and building model airplanes. I always wanted to fly, but that was not something within my reach, financially. In the inner city, the aviation industry doesn’t tend to come to the career fairs. So aviation has been something I have explored as an adult.

How do you support the next generation of Comcast leaders?

I try to make sure whatever I do has purpose. I am a big supporter of Big Brothers Big Sisters. I love talking to kids about careers they didn’t know were in their grasp. Whether it’s roles in health care, aviation, the military or the corporate world – I love opening their minds to all the possibilities. I tell my story and then I actively encourage people – both youth in the community and people on my team – to explore the opportunities that interest them. Mentorship is a part of my leadership style. Overseeing 1,000 people I can’t mentor all of them, but I try to ensure that I not only mentor my direct reports – but also build their capacity to mentor others. We want to prepare our employees for success – whether it’s a role in this building, in another part of Comcast, or with a different company altogether. I work hard to make sure people understand that we are invested in their success. I have an open-door policy – anyone can come and talk to me at any time, it doesn’t matter what level they are. Sometimes it’s hard for me to be one time to meetings because I get stopped by folks who have questions or just want to chat. But I don’t mind. Taking the time to make sure I maintain a connection with people is an essential part of my day.