Frontline customer service associates are the public face of any company. In the eyes of the customer, they are the ones who deliver on the promises made by the organization. Whether you’re dealing with a bank that guarantees a “5-minute” online account opening or an airline promising on time service, it’s the Frontline Associate who ends up in the spotlight—especially when those promises aren’t met.

I learned this lesson the hard way when I first stepped into a higher-level leadership position. I sought out and hired creative people, yet once we were in meetings, I treated problem-solving like a race. I loved the thrill of beating everyone else to the best solution. However, let's be honest, it wasn’t really a fair competition. My ideas tended to “win” not because they were always superior, but because I was "the boss". Sometimes my team members would just go along with me due to acquiescence bias—also known as “yea-saying”—where people agree with a solution because it's easier than challenging an alternative. 

When I was in my mid-thirties, sitting in a doctor’s waiting room with one of my kids, I stumbled across a children’s book called I Am Loveable and Capable by Sidney B. Simon. The whimsical illustrations caught my eye, but it was the story of Randy and his invisible sign that stayed with me.

In the world of customer experience (CX), associates manage emotionally charged interactions with professionalism and poise. However, this effort often comes at a hidden cost—emotional labor. Emotional labor refers to the process of managing and regulating emotions to meet job expectations, particularly in roles that demand maintaining a positive demeanor under stress.

The foundation of successful teamwork goes beyond task alignment and shared vision—it hinges on the emotional intelligence (EI) of team members.