In the dynamic of Customer Experience (CX) leadership, communication is essential for engagement, persuasion, and education. However, even the most seasoned CX leaders can fall prey to certain communication pitfalls. With the result that they don't get their message across, colleagues don't understand them and more important, people don't get into action. Identifying and addressing these 'six blind spots' can transform how leaders communicate, connect, and influence their teams and customers.
Blind spot 1: being too complete
The Overload Trap: CX leaders often feel compelled to provide every detail in their presentations, believing that more information equates to better understanding. However, this completeness can lead to information overload, losing the audience's interest and diluting the core message.
The Fix
Focus on simplicity and clarity. Distill the story to its most essential elements to keep your audience engaged and the message impactful.
Blind spot 2: being too boring
The Engagement Gap: A common misstep is sticking to a dry, fact-based narrative and not much engagement. This approach can make your presentation, strategy and stories unrelatable and forgettable.
The Fix
Incorporate elements that have unexpectedness. That spark emotions - humor, surprise, or personal anecdotes. Engage your audience with a narrative that resonates and makes them remember.
Blind spot 3: being too conceptual
The Abstract Challenge: CX leaders might lean heavily on abstract concepts or industry and especially customer experience jargon, making it hard to grasp.
The Fix
Ground your story with concreteness. Use real-world and customer examples and relatable scenarios. Simplify complex ideas with metaphors or analogies to make them more accessible.
Blind spot 4: being too corporate
The Corporate Veil: overemphasis on corporate perspectives can make your presentation or strategy feel impersonal or propagandistic and might feel that it is just your CX idea.
The Fix
Humanize your story and add in true customer data to build credibility. Have a CX data sheet, that you can use and share experiences and lessons from a personal viewpoint. Combine data with stories and relate to everyday experiences that transcend corporate walls.
Blind spot 5: being too unpersonal
The Relatability Rift: presentations lacking a personal touch fail to connect with the audience on an emotional level. Often people won't connect and don't understand what to do next.
The Fix
Build in emotion to connect and let your personal stories come into play. Let your vulnerability and authenticity shine through to build a stronger connection with your audience. Also be specific on your call to action, what you want your audience to DO.
Blind spot 6: being too functional
The Functional Focus: focusing solely on the functional aspects of Customer Experience, like methodologies, processes or outcomes, can make it uninspiring.
The Fix
Weave in the human element and add stories. Highlight the impact on people, whether it's customers, employees, or communities. Stories that showcase human experiences and emotions are more engaging and memorable.
My conclusion and tips for you
Effective communication in CX leadership is about striking the right balance. It is my suggestion to use the success formula of Dan and Chip Heath from the book Made to stick. So, you start to focus more and get your ideas and communication across. To stand out from the crowd.
It's about being informative yet engaging, professional yet personal, and functional yet inspiring.
By addressing these six blind spots, you as a CX leader can craft stories that are not only heard but also felt and remembered. This approach not only enhances communication but also fosters a more profound connection with teams and customers, ultimately driving a more impactful CX strategy.
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