Many leaders still believe emotions don’t belong in business. That limiting belief creates workplaces where employees remain quiet when problems appear, avoid taking ownership of customer outcomes, and follow directions even when they see flaws that will affect customers.
Fear is data. It signals when people feel unprepared, unsupported, or uncertain about priorities. When leaders ignore those signals, communication erodes, decision quality declines, and customers experience preventable mistakes and service failures.
In this episode of Doing CX Right, Stacy Sherman talks to Kristen Kavanaugh, a former U.S. Marine Corps officer and Tesla culture executive, about how courageous leadership turns fear into insight and action. Kristen shares what she learned from leading Marines in high-stakes missions and from developing leaders inside Tesla’s fast-moving production environment. She explains how confronting fear directly, whether in military operations or corporate transformation, builds discipline, transparency, and faster, more confident decisions that protect both employees and customers.
From listening to this episode, you will learn how to:
- Identify behaviors that show fear is influencing team performance
- Use emotional data to uncover leadership and operational risks before they reach customers
- Practice courageous leadership that encourages honesty and customer accountability
- Replace avoidance with structured communication that drives faster resolution
- Apply proven methods from Tesla and the military to enhance results under pressure
Listen now to hear why emotions are not a side effect of business; they are the business and shape every decision, every interaction, and every outcome.
As Stacy Sherman says:
“Emotions are the experience, and matters FAR more than you think.™”
Customer Experience and Tech Topics Discussed:
- Fear-based leadership: How fear blocks innovation, collaboration, and customer empathy.
- Balancing empathy with accountability: Leading teams through honesty, not avoidance.
- AI and automation: Preventing human connection from being replaced by process.
- Re-skilling for the future: Preparing people for changing roles while keeping culture intact.
- Psychological safety: Why it’s the foundation for customer experience consistency and trust.
Actionable Customer Experience Takeaways:
- Invest in re-skilling early. Identify future-ready skills and coach employees toward them.
- Don’t automate empathy. Keep human judgment where connection matters across the employee and customer journey.
- Model vulnerability. Show it’s safe to be real as authenticity builds loyalty.
- Audit for fear triggers. Review policies, meetings, and leadership habits that silence voices.
- Build micro-moments of safety. Begin meetings with honest check-ins and a feedback space.
- Balance care with clarity. Pair empathy with consistent accountability.
- Protect energy. Encourage breaks and reflection to prevent burnout-driven mistakes.
- Anchor trust in action. Follow through consistently. “Trust is easy to break and hard to regain.”
- Lead where you have control. Use the “agency loop”: act within your sphere of influence to model courage.
Leadership Advice:
Include trust as a measurable leadership metric. Build environments where people feel safe to question, fail, and recover, because those same conditions drive customer loyalty.
Looking Ahead:
AI and automation will accelerate, but the future of CX depends on leaders who can protect humanity in the process. The companies that thrive will treat emotional intelligence and courage as core business skills.
Final Thoughts:
Enjoy the journey. Follow where your passion is taking you, and you’re gonna be okay.
Start today by removing one fear trigger in your team. Watch how courage ripples outward: to culture, customers, and results.
Press Play To WATCH On Youtube
About Kristen Kavanaugh:
Kristen is the cofounder and CEO of The Agency Initiative, an Austin, Texas–based organizational effectiveness and leadership development consulting firm dedicated to creating a world with more leaders and organizations choosing courage in their most critical moments. She served as the vice chair of the Department of Defense’s inaugural Defense Advisory Committee on Diversity and Inclusion until it was disbanded by the Trump administration in 2024. Previously, she served as the senior director of inclusion, talent, and learning at Tesla, where she led the diversity, equity, and inclusion, talent management, and learning and development functions for the global organization, formulating many of the ideas around courage and leadership during her nearly six-year tenure. Kristen holds a master’s degree in social work from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, California, and a bachelor’s degree from the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.
Connect on LinkedIn and check out new book “Courage over Fear.“
About Stacy Sherman:
Stacy Sherman is a professional speaker, advisor, and founder of Doing CX Right® consultancy, helping companies build unbreakable loyalty across customers, employees, and partners for lasting retention and growth. With 25 years at top companies, a Marketing MBA, and certifications in Journey Mapping and UX, she provides a proven, research-backed framework that drives real business impact. A trusted, award-winning CX leader, Stacy is recognized as a Top Global CX Guru and ICMI Top 25 Influencer (2021-2025). She continues to shape the future of CX through LinkedIn Learning courses, workshops, best-selling books, and her award-winning podcast, equipping professionals with the strategies to deliver measurable results, competitive advantage, and enriched experiences.
