I am just back from being at Customer Contact Week in Nashville, where I was lucky enough to be a keynote speaker. In one of those moments that I’ll likely never repeat, I was on the Country Music Hall of Fame stage. I even got to use the Vince Gill waiting room before going on stage. It was all very cool, and a lot of fun to be where many famous artists have been before me. I hope I did them proud in my own performance. I was told the talk went well by people who saw it. It’s hard to tell from the stage, at least for me it is. I also think I could have done better, and usually focus on what I should have done rather than how well I executed what I did.

Overall the event was really interesting, and I learned a lot about what’s happening in the industry. One of the key takeaways was the focus on customer service and experience, including its connection to employee experience. There was a lot of conversation around how to integrate technology, especially AI, to deliver better experiences for everyone involved in the contact center interaction. People still matter, and human moments need humans in them! That’s the good news. Perhaps the bad news is that companies still don’t know how to leverage this technology, buying into the hype rather than focusing on their core strategy. This means that even vendors have to educate clients on how to best implement the technology.

Sorting all of this out is going to require some leadership. And more specifically, servant leadership that focuses on providing benefits to others rather than just enriching ourselves.

This is why I am fortunate to have Arthur Adams on Experience by Design.

Arthur and I share roots in Detroit, Michigan, which already tells you the high quality person that he is. Beyond that, he grew up with a father who was a minister. Both of these foundations led to his emphasis on serving others and embracing a resilient attitude in life. His own journey started out in supply chain, working with CSX in roles that included VP of Sales and Customer Engagement, as well as Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing. Now he is extending his service through his book, “Servant Leaders Finish First,” which provides a “yearlong journey of purpose, presence, and resilience.”

We talk about how modern leaders are faced with a myriad of inputs that they have to manage and make sense of. As a result, the modern leader is fatigued with higher rates of burnout and turnover. To become better leaders, we need to constantly revisit service as the core of our calling. This requires periods of self reflection, self awareness, and engagement in meaningful work. Additionally, we need to be able to take care of ourselves given the cost that can come with service to others.

Arthur Adams Website: https://arthurlead.com/

Arthur Adam LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arthurladamsjr/

“Servant Leaders Finish First”: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H8B8TVQH