Ep. 95: A Balanced Approach to CX Leadership With Head and Heart

The Vital Role of Leadership in Customer Satisfaction

We welcome Daniel Burks to this week’s episode of the Digitally Irresistible podcast. As a retail management professional with over two decades of experience in elevating customer experience and service excellence, Daniel brings a perspective on leadership that blends both intellectual and heartfelt elements to create exemplary leaders. 

As a U.S. Army veteran, Daniel recognizes the importance of acknowledging a team member’s achievements, a practice that fosters a collaborative environment where every member feels valued and driven to pursue collective objectives. His leadership experience, whether in military operations, call center settings, or remote teams, has culminated in five key leadership pillars designed to develop leaders who successfully manage teams equipped to deliver top-tier customer experiences. 

Tune in as Daniel explains these pillars, which he deems as essential for building an environment rich in communication, high morale, and meaningful recognition.

The Influence of Personal Background on Professional Leadership

Raised by Great Depression-era grandparents, Daniel says they significantly shaped his professional and personal life by instilling in him a sense of simplicity and kindness, which he has carried into his leadership style. This foundation of straightforward, compassionate interactions has been a guiding principle in his life and career, particularly in how he approaches leadership and customer service in large organizations. He credits these values for teaching him how to treat people and manage customer interactions effectively. 

Prior to entering retail in 1999, Daniel served in the U.S. Army, where he noted the importance of recognizing his fellow soldiers’ achievements without delay. He learned a simple strategy for offering recognition successfully. 

1. Recognize in a timely manner. The sooner you acknowledge someone, the more impactful and meaningful your interaction will be. 

2. Recognize specifically and publicly. When pointing out a noteworthy moment in an individual’s performance, mention exactly what someone achieved in front of their peers so they have the opportunity to shine. This also inspires others to adopt good habits. 

Drawing on the influence from his grandparents and his military experience, Daniel carried these lessons of discipline and empathy into his future leadership roles. 

The Impact of Mentorship and the Pursuit of Leadership Excellence in Retail CX

From his early days in the retail industry, Daniel’s journey was greatly influenced by the exceptional leaders and mentors he had the privilege to work under. These mentors were pivotal in recognizing his potential. They invested time to help Daniel refine his skills by providing honest feedback when needed, which was aimed at guiding him toward success and personal and professional development. This foundational support fostered Daniel’s growth and instilled in him the value of continuous learning and self-improvement. 

As Daniel progressed in retail CX, he observed that his true passion lay in more than managing teams or processes efficiently—he enjoyed lighting the spark of leadership in others. The joy and fulfillment he found in seeing managers, especially those early in their roles or those facing challenges, develop and succeed under his guidance became his driving force. He devoted himself to empowering these managers, helping them bridge knowledge gaps and improve their ability to lead effectively. 

Daniel believes this commitment to nurturing leadership skills among managers is crucial in any business environment. Such devotion significantly impacts how teams perform and, more importantly, how customers experience services. By focusing on developing strong, capable leaders, Daniel has contributed to creating cultures where continuous improvement is valued and customer service excellence is a natural outcome. This approach enriches team dynamics and elevates the overall customer experience, making it a strategic priority for any organization aiming for long-term success.

The Evolution From Manager to CX Leader

Throughout his career, Daniel experienced a pivotal shift from managing teams directly to leading managers. This transition involved moving away from day-to-day operations to focusing on developing leadership skills in others. It was in this phase that Daniel discovered his true passion for developing effective leaders—boosting their ability to build and inspire their teams. 

He sheds light on a common challenge in the professional sphere: understanding the nuanced differences between managing and leading. According to Daniel, management primarily involves overseeing processes and achieving key performance indicators (KPIs) expected by an organization. Leadership, however, is fundamentally about guiding and nurturing people, requiring a different set of skills and approaches. 

Daniel believes that some organizations tend to promote individuals based on their current job performance, assuming these skills will naturally extend to managing teams. This practice can lead to what he describes as “promoting to failure.” In many cases, while new managers excelled in their previous roles, some struggle as managers because they are unprepared for the demands of leadership that often require them to motivate and develop their teams rather than focus solely on their tasks. 

A particular issue Daniel identifies is that many managers do not fully understand what “winning” looks like beyond their personal accomplishments. Without a clear definition of success from a leadership perspective, managers may end up either adhering rigidly to existing protocols—which may not always be effective—or overextending themselves by attempting to perform multiple roles within the team.  

Daniel suggests managers take the time to reflect on their new roles and what these roles entail. Understanding and articulating what success looks like in their managerial capacity, both for themselves and for their teams, is essential. Translating organizational goals into a clear and inspiring vision for team members connects management and true leadership.

Unpacking the Five Key Pillars of Leadership

After exploring the common challenges that new managers often encounter, Daniel Burks developed a structured approach to overcome them and drive leadership effectiveness. He has distilled his extensive experience into five key pillars of leadership, each designed to address specific aspects of leadership and team development.  

These pillars serve as a fundamental framework for managers at all levels to cultivate the skills necessary for leading with confidence and integrity.  

1. Defining and Communicating Expectations: Clear communication is crucial in leadership. Daniel stresses the importance of defining what success looks like and ensuring that these expectations are communicated clearly to the team. This clarity helps in setting a clear direction and creates accountability among team members. 

2. Distinguishing Management from Leadership: Daniel makes an important distinction between managing processes and leading people. He explains that while management involves overseeing and optimizing processes, leadership requires connecting with people at a human level, inspiring and motivating them toward achieving shared goals. 

3. Performance Management: Effective performance management is about recognizing good performance and addressing areas where team members can improve. Daniel advocates for immediate and constructive feedback, which helps individuals realign with the team’s goals and ensures consistent performance. 

4. Training and Development: Continuous learning and development, like iQor’s active learning approach for frontline agents, are key to maintaining a competitive edge. Daniel encourages creating a culture where team members feel comfortable admitting their shortcomings and seeking help, which fosters a supportive learning environment. 

5. Morale and Recognition: Recognizing and celebrating achievements within the team can significantly boost morale and encourage a culture of performance excellence. Daniel highlights the importance of timely and specific recognition that makes team members feel valued for their contributions, a practice that harkens back to his time in the U.S. Army. 

“What gets measured gets done, and what gets recognized gets repeated.” – Daniel Burks

Harnessing Technology to Transform Customer Experience

Having transitioned from an IT director to a leader in CX, Daniel brings a unique perspective on the transformative power of technology in the customer service industry. For many years, Daniel attended tech-heavy conferences and witnessed the evolving role of technology in CX. He noticed that while his organization was employing advanced tech stacks, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, the full potential of these technologies was not always clear to his team.  

To address this, Daniel clearly articulated the purpose and benefits of technological advancements. He describes technology as an “accelerator,” a tool that boosts the capabilities of employees rather than replacing them. By doing so, he ensures that team members see technology as an ally in their efforts to deliver superior customer service. 

Moreover, Daniel points out the critical need for leaders to stay abreast of technological trends and their implications for the brand. He spends a significant portion of his time educating himself and his team about the latest developments, ensuring that everyone understands how these innovations can affect their ability to deliver excellent customer experience. This enables his team to maximize technology’s potential to make their jobs more efficient and strengthen the overall customer experience. 

A commitment to clear communication and technological empowerment is reflective of Daniel’s broader leadership strategy, encapsulated in his five key pillars of leadership. Each pillar, ranging from defining clear expectations to nurturing morale and recognition, is imperative in a culture where technology and human ingenuity combine to foster outstanding customer experiences.

“You lead with your mind; you manage with your heart.” – Daniel Burks

What Daniel Likes to Do for Fun

Daniel is on a journey to grow pumpkins that he plans to sell within his local community in the fall of 2024. He is dedicated to cultivating a successful pumpkin patch, studying germination, growth time, seasonal calendars, and planting zones to provide sufficient care. 

To learn more about Daniel, connect with him on LinkedIn.