It takes more than empathy to lead CX

Published 2 months ago • 1 min read

Hi there

If you want to be a VP of CX, or the Chief Customer Officer, or any leader of CX, Tabitha Dunn has advice you may not want to hear.

“Most senior leaders own multiple functions. They don’t just own one single, smaller function. They have a larger footprint.”

In this episode of CX Passport, Tabitha pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to lead in CX today. Spoiler alert: It’s not just empathy and feedback scores. It’s business acumen, operational range, and the ability to drive real change.

Customer experience professionals are like any role. They often rise through the ranks by being exceptional at what they do.

For CX folks, that’s often journey mapping, VoC, design, service delivery. But at the executive table, those skills aren’t enough.

The work that gets noticed at the top isn't just understanding customers

It’s about connecting CX work to business outcomes

It’s about influencing operations, managing transformation, and navigating change across departments.

Your Turn:

As you’ve built your career, CX or otherwise, how have you gained skills outside of your primary job function?

Put those tray tables up and buckle those seat belts. Let’s go!

-Rick

P.S. If you know someone who might benefit from this week’s newsletter, please feel free to forward this to them. Or they can sign up here.

What’s on tap this week?…

Host - Rick Denton

Rick believes the best meals are served outside and require a passport

🎤🎞️“The one with the resilience” with Tabitha Dunn in CX Passport Episode 212🎧

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