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

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, Richard and I talk about something I think is absolutely foundational for any leader navigating transformation: understanding their context. And I don't just mean knowing your stakeholders or your org chart. I mean genuinely understanding the world through the eyes of the people around you — their pressures, their competing tensions, and the invisible forces pulling them away from the change you're trying to create together.

Richard brings such a rich perspective here — from the neuroscience of fight-or-flight to the three levels of adult development to the art of holding polarities. What strikes me most is how he connects the inner work of leadership to the outer results. You can't truly understand someone else's context if you haven't learned to manage your own.

Some things we cover:

• Why empathy isn't about putting yourself in someone else's shoes — and what to do instead
• How imposter syndrome in new CEOs can actually be a leadership asset
• The danger of overconfidence — and how to stay humble as your results improve
• Polarities: why the best leaders hold "both/and" instead of "either/or"
• Why stress and fight-or-flight make you a smaller version of yourself
• The three levels of adult development — and the leap every transformation leader must make
• Viktor Frankl and the power of the pause: choosing your response under pressure
• One practical tip to become more present, starting tomorrow

What I love most about this conversation is how Richard connects self-regulation to empathy. You simply cannot understand someone else's context if you're running on autopilot. The leaders who've done the inner work — who've processed their own adversity, who've learned to notice their triggers — are the ones who create genuine psychological safety around them. Not through a workshop. Through their presence.

Whether you're a CEO navigating a major transformation or a leader who just wants to show up more fully for the people around you, I hope this gives you one small thing to try — and a reminder that slowing down is often the most powerful move you can make.

Timestamps (00:00) – Introduction: Understanding Their Context (01:43) – Why empathy ≠ putting yourself in someone else's

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

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, Joanna and I talk about something that I think is genuinely changing the way the best organisations approach change: adaptive transformation. And I know what you might be thinking — we already have a roadmap, we already have a plan. But here's the thing: do you want to lead transformation based on a fixed plan, or based on what's actually happening?

We explore why the traditional three-year roadmap so often runs out of steam, and what it looks like to transform in a way that can actually keep up with the world. Joanna brings such a rich perspective here — from her work on adaptive thinking to her research on divergent and convergent problem solving.

Some things we cover:

• Why there's no cookie-cutter model for transformation — and why that's actually a good thing
• The three things adaptive organisations do differently: sense, respond, and redesign
• How to build a genuine sensing capability (hint: it's not just about data)
• The yin and yang of divergent and convergent thinking — and how to use both at the right moment
• Why a certain percentage of failure is actually a sign your organisation is healthy
• Practical first steps for leaders who want to become more adaptive tomorrow

What I love most about this conversation is the honesty around the hard parts. The mindset shift. The pressure of quarterly results. The leadership changes that can unravel years of progress. We don't skip over those — because that's where transformation either lives or dies.

Whether you're a CEO trying to get your organisation unstuck, or a transformation lead looking for a smarter way to drive change, I hope this gives you something concrete to take into next week.

Timestamps
(00:00) – Introduction: Why Adaptive Transformation?
(01:39) – The Problem With the Three-Year Roadmap
(05:46) – What Adaptive Transformation Actually Means
(09:18) – Sensing Change: Data, Human Signals, and AI
(14:52) – Divergent and Convergent Thinking: The Yin and Yang of Problem Solving
(16:23) – The USAA Example: Making Adaptive Thinking Everyone's Job
(19:45) – Codiwomp: Traveling Purposefully Toward a Vague Destination
(22:18) – Concentric Circles: How Real Transf

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