Bringing humanity back to leadership

What if the biggest barrier to great customer experience isn’t technology—but leadership?

In this week’s episode of The Experience Edge, Jen Burton, seasoned CX leader and coach at Zendesk, joins host Jochem van de Veer to unpack why bringing humanity back into leadership is the key to better teams, better culture, and better customer outcomes.

Jen pulls back the curtain on two decades of experience building and scaling customer experience operations. She shares how too many companies treat support teams like they’re on the “frontline of battle” and why that mindset is toxic—for employees and customers alike. Instead, she talks about fostering supportive partnerships and empowering agents to be problem-solvers, not punching bags.

You’ll learn how Journey Management plays a crucial role in breaking down silos and ensuring CX teams aren’t just support teams but strategic business partners. Jen drops gold around how metrics like CSAT and NPS often fall short and what CX leaders should really be measuring to drive business impact. Plus, she shares how AI can enhance CX operations without dehumanizing the experience [38:00]

One of the most powerful takeaways? How leaders unintentionally fail their teams by either over-sharing, micromanaging, or neglecting the human element—and how to fix it. [5:00]

Whether you’re a CX leader, product owner, or anyone passionate about building better experiences, this episode is packed with tactical wisdom and refreshing honesty that will leave you thinking differently about your leadership and customer strategies.

Listen now to find out:

• Why “us vs. them” culture kills great CX [22:00]

• How to build a warm, accountable team culture [14:00]

• What metrics really matter—and what to stop measuring [42:00]

• Why understanding the customer journey is everyone’s job [57:00]

It’s not just about customer satisfaction—it’s about creating an environment where humans thrive and business follows.

Catch the full episode:
Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts