As a CEO, your greatest strength lies in clarity—seeing what’s holding your business back and taking decisive future focused action.
It’s not about controlling every external factor but understanding the dynamics within your organization. Often, the key
to progress lies in the connection between two essential forces: employee experience (EX) and customer experience (CX).
At first glance, these might seem like separate challenges. But they’re two sides of the same coin. When your team thrives, your customers feel it.
When your customers are satisfied, your team’s morale rises. Unlocking the connection between CX and EX starts with one thing: insights.
Safe-to-Strive employees empower better customer experiences
“Safety is not the absence of threat. It is the presence of connection.” – Dr. Stephen Porges, Polyvagal Theory
This idea from Polyvagal Theory explains why safety is essential, especially in your workplace. Employees who feel “safe-to-strive”
are more than just engaged; they’re empowered. They innovate, collaborate, and align themselves with your company’s mission
because they feel secure and supported.
Contrast this with employees operating under stress or uncertainty. That strain affects their performance, and eventually, your customers notice. Subconscious cues of safety or threat can even be discerned through expressions in brand photography, which is why employee photoshoots require careful planning.
A disengaged team leads to disengaged customers.
However, a team feeling safe to strive reflects confidence and energy back to your customers. On your frontline, they bring authentic enthusiasm into every interaction, effortlessly building trust and satisfaction. Or not. Team members in freeze mode are simply unable to connect with customers – because they feel disconnected from themselves. As a leader, how are you going to make the shift for everyone’s sake?
Why customers need to feel heard and their needs understood
“Not being heard or seen—or being seen in the wrong way—is a trauma. It affects us deeply.” – Dr. Gabor Maté
Let’s be clear: your customers aren’t just buying your product or service. They’re choosing it because it helps them solve a problem or achieve a goal.
And ultimately, they’ll remain loyal to your brand because they feel understood as humans. For this reason, you need to show understanding not just in the context of the transaction but in the bigger story of their lives.
So when mining for customer insights you’ll need to consider more than satisfaction metrics. A blend of qualitative and quantitative insights will be required for close consideration. They tell you when your messaging resonates, where you’re falling short,
and what really matters to your audience. Moreover, acting on these insights fosters loyalty by demonstrating that you’re listening and adapting.
At Good CX we’ve always believed that customers who feel truly valued will stick with you and spread the word to others. That’s the power of understanding your customers as more than numbers, but as people seeking your unique, differentiated value.
CX and EX Insights: A feedback loop for success
“The best leaders are those most interested in surrounding themselves with assistants and associates smarter than they are.” – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
As a leader, your role isn’t to have all the answers—it’s to create an environment where your team can perform at their best.
NBA star, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s leadership advice applies perfectly to this context: the best leaders trust their teams, empower them with resources, and clear the path for success. Holding six NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards, he understands employee NPS pretty well, right?
Unsurprisingly, this same performance principle ties CX and EX together. Engaged, supported employees develop authentic connections with customers -0 because they feel safe enough to do so.
These connections boost customer loyalty, which in turn reinforces your team’s morale and purpose.
You understand all too well that it’s a feedback loop that drives performance, builds resilience, and strengthens your organisation.
Insights create transformational leadership
“The essence of leadership is serving others effectively. You take care of your team, and they’ll take care of the mission.” – Ernest Shackleton
Great leaders, like explorer Ernest Shackleton, understood that taking care of people is a defining characteristic of leadership. In a critical sitution of having to get his team across the South Pole he had to carefully assess the dymanics of people. In an insightful moment, Shackleton realised he needed to keep the weakest member of his team close in order to save the morale of others. Focusing on employee Insights can let you do the same for your team—uncovering blind spots
and aligning your team with your customers.
Consider this: if customers feel frustrated about a lack of responsiveness, your employees may also feel unsupported under similar conditions?
By listening to insights from both sides, you can address internal obstacles and create solutions that delight customers while energizing your team.
Insights are your roadmap. They illuminate areas for growth and alignment, making it easier to lead with clarity and conviction.
Transform your business with CX and EX insights
“Superstars are not smarter than anyone else. They just know how to process and apply what they’ve learned.” – Michael Jordan
Like Michael Jordan’s approach to personal excellence, success in business comes from applying what you’ve learned. CX and EX insights
give you the clarity to lead strategically, align your teams, and create long-lasting customer impact.
When your employees feel safe-to-strive, they bring their best selves to their work. Similarly, when your customers feel heard and understood, they stay loyal.
These two forces feed into one another, creating a cycle of growth, connection, and success.
Discover why customer insights matter and how to shift your team with a polyvagal-informed Innovation Lab or coaching.
