The CX Quantum Leap
Based on her PhD in CX and her 25+ years of experience driving CX transformation programs globally, dr. Zanna van der Aa explains the core concepts of Customer Experience transformation, navigating you through the sense and nonsense, sharing do's and don'ts, lessons learnt and successful, inspiring interventions.
She combines her scientific background with a very no-nonsense, pragmatic, energizing approach that you can apply immediately in your day-to-day work. Always connecting it to her vision of creating more Human Centric organisations by focusing on the three pillars of successful CX transformation: customers, employees and purpose.
The CX Quantum Leap
Zanna & Miranda - The leadership behaviors | EPS #64
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
This is part of our Leadership Behavior Series, where we're diving deeper into some of the 21 behaviors from my new book on human-centric CX transformation: Once You See It.
In this episode, Miranda and I talk about something that fuels every transformation from the inside out: bringing the energy. And I don't just mean being loud or high-octane about it. I mean knowing your energy — what drives you, what your authentic leadership DNA looks like — and then channeling that into mobilizing an entire organization to go on the journey with you.
Because here's the thing: too many employees walk into work and put on their "corporate hat." The energy dies. The transformation stalls. And the leader wonders why nothing is sticking.
Some things we cover:
- Why "bring the energy" is one of the last — and most important — behaviors in the book
- The two sides of energy: your personal purpose AND mobilizing the organization
- Why authentic energy matters more than high-energy performance
- Balancing the hard (data, numbers) and soft (behaviors, culture) sides of transformation
- Beyond NPS: how to actually measure energy and behavior change
- Why the old "3-year roadmap" approach kills transformation momentum
- Adaptive transformation: learning and improving as you go
- Lagging vs. leading indicators — and why most leaders are stuck in the middle
- How to track transformation using employee stories + AI
- Three practical steps to start tomorrow
What I love most about this conversation is how it connects energy to purpose. The leaders who are genuinely fueled by why the transformation matters — not just what needs to change — are the ones who create real momentum. Not through a campaign. Through conviction.
Whether you're leading a company-wide transformation or trying to shift the culture in your own team, I hope this gives you permission to start with yourself first — and bring your version of the energy.
NEW! Once You See It — Executive Guide to Human-Centric CX Transformation by Dr. Zanna van der Aa is out now! A unique combination of the CEO perspective and the CX transformation lead perspective — plus a dedicated chapter on the role of AI in experience.
Accelerate in Experience Academy
Ready to create more business impact with Customer & Employee Experience? Join the 6-week Accelera
NEW! Once You See It - Executive Guide to Human-Centric CX Transformation by Dr. Zanna van der Aa is out now!
It contains a unique combination of perspectives: the CEO perspective and the CX transformation lead perspective.
And in between these two parts of the book, she also shares a chapter on the role of AI in experience.
Accelerate in Experience Academy
Ready to create more business impact with Customer & Employee Experience? Join the 6-week Accelerate in Experience Academy by Dr. Zanna van der Aa. The proven method for CX transformation that delivers measurable results in just 3 months.
🌍 Trusted in 20+ countries by 11+ global brands such as Randstad, Allianz, Zain and Egon Zehnder. Now available online.
👉 Start your journey: https://academy.zannavanderaa.com/en
More info?
LinkedIn -> https://www.linkedin.com/in/zannavdun/
YouTube -> https://www.youtube.com/@dr.zannavanderaa
Website -> https://zannavanderaa.com/
Dutch version podcast -> https://beleving.buzzsprout.com