What Dolly Parton can teach us about authentic CX leadership

When Dolly Parton passed away, I found myself returning to the podcast Dolly Parton’s America. Listening to it again gave me a boost of belief.

Because Dolly was so much more than a brilliant singer and songwriter. She showed us what can happen when you dare to dream big, stay true to who you are and use your success to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.

And that makes her an incredible example of authentic leadership.

So, let’s look at Dolly Parton through the lens of my ANI model: Authority, Narrative and Impact. And more importantly: let’s explore what we, as CX leaders, can learn from her.

Authority: owning who you are

Dolly Parton had authority in every sense of the word.

Her personal authority came from her unmistakable voice, her fierce ambition and the way she unapologetically showed up as herself. The rhinestones, the hair, the humour and the big dreams were all part of who she was. She never toned herself down to fit someone else’s idea of what a successful woman should look or sound like.

Her positional authority was equally impressive. She sold more than 100 million records, built a career that spanned seven decades and even created her own theme park.

But perhaps her greatest strength was her relational authority. Dolly had the rare ability to make people feel connected to her. She worked with artists from different generations and musical genres, and millions of people felt as though they knew her personally.

That kind of authority cannot be created by a job title alone. It grows when people recognise your values, trust your intentions and know what you stand for.

As a CX leader, you may have positional authority because of your role. But your real influence comes from the way you show up, the relationships you build and the confidence with which you share your vision.

Narrative: telling a story people remember

Dolly knew how to tell a story.

One of the most powerful stories behind her work is the story of her father, who was unable to read and write. He inspired her to start the Imagination Library in 1995. What began as a programme for children in her home county grew into an international initiative that sends free books to children from birth until they start school.

Her personal story became connected to a much bigger mission.

That is what a strong leadership narrative can do. It helps people understand why something matters. It gives meaning to a strategy and creates a story others want to become part of.

Within Customer Experience, we often rely on customer data, dashboards, processes and business cases. These are all necessary. Yet facts alone rarely move an organisation.

People need a story that helps them see the customer behind the numbers. They need to understand why improving Customer Experience matters and what role they can play in making it happen.

Your story does not need to be as big as Dolly’s. It does need to be genuine, recognisable and repeated often enough for people to remember it.

Impact: turning success into something bigger

Dolly’s songs, appearance and personality made her famous. Her impact reached much further.

Through the Imagination Library, children across several countries receive free books every month. In the United States alone, the programme reaches one in six children under the age of five. It is a beautiful example of how a clear personal mission can grow into something that changes millions of lives.

This is also where CX leadership becomes real.

Your impact is not measured by the number of PowerPoint presentations you create, workshops you facilitate or customer metrics you report. It is measured by what changes because you were there.

Do colleagues make different decisions?

Do leaders include the customer perspective in their strategy?

Do customers notice that the organisation listens, learns and improves?

And are you building something that continues to create value when you are no longer in the room?

What Dolly Parton meant to me

Dolly Parton has been part of my life for as long as I can remember.

My father loved country music, so her records were played at home when I was young. I adored Coat of Many Colors before I could understand a single word of English. The combination of her voice and the melody simply felt magical.

In my teens, being a Dolly Parton fan was something I approached with a little more care. A-ha and Bruce Springsteen were safer choices to talk about, although Dolly’s music still played in my bedroom. Whenever I experienced heartbreak, I sang Jolene with everything I had.

In my twenties, Islands in the Stream became a karaoke favourite.

In my thirties, while combining ambition, friendships and life as a single mother, I began to understand how difficult it could be to be a woman with a goal. As I found my way in sales and leadership and experienced serious female discrimination, 9 to 5 sometimes helped me blow off steam.

In my forties, I fell in love with Harm and my father passed away. I Will Always Love You became the song of that decade: connected both to new love and to saying goodbye.

Now, in my fifties, I find myself wanting to be more like Dolly.

I am not necessarily talking about the hair and the boobs, although both might be fun for a day. I mean her ability to be gracious and fierce at the same time. To be kind, generous and outspoken. To believe wholeheartedly in her own plans and use her success in service of others.

Authentic CX leadership means turning up the volume

So, what can we learn from Dolly’s example?

Show up as who you truly are.

Share your rhinestones, your brilliant voice and your vision. Talk about your rock-painting hobby or your favourite football club when it helps people connect with you. Add a personal touch to your corporate storytelling. Invite yourself to the strategy table and confidently represent the voice of the customer.

Because we remember the people who dare to stand out.

I recognise how difficult this can be. I sometimes doubt, shiver and stall on my own plans. I have heard more than once that I am too loud or too much. Those words can make even the most experienced leader wonder whether it might be safer to tone things down.

But leadership does not ask you to become a less colourful version of yourself.

It asks you to use who you are in service of what you believe in.

So, here is my question for you:

If you showed up as 110% unapologetically yourself as a CX leader, what would we see more of?

What have you hidden because of uncertainty, corporate fear or other shizzle? What have you toned down because you thought you were too much, too different, too colourful or simply not “leadership” enough?

Maybe it is time to turn the volume back up.

My blue dresses are here to stay. And I am going to pursue my dream of building a global CX Leadership Community with even more fierceness and kindness.

I will channel my inner Dolly Parton.

Will you join me?

Do you want to grow into the CX leader you truly are and show up more powerfully within your organisation? Discover the CX Leadership Masterminds Bootcamp and join a group of leaders who are ready to increase their impact.

Until next time, keep spicing up your Customer Experience leadership.