I once had a mentor whose cubicle walls were covered in certificates and evidence of completion of training and qualification.  People considered him a bit of an egotist and obsessed with certifications.  Credentialism is a thing, after all.  But I asked him once about all his accreditations.  He said, “Some people say, ‘Sure, well you’re just good at taking tests,’ and I say, ‘Yea, I am, I guess.’”  Point being, he was pretty humble and casual about them, but wasn’t kidding himself that lots of folks take them to heart.  In his mind, it didn’t hurt that some people weren’t impressed—he likely wouldn’t lose favor with any of them for being credentialed (he was, it should be said, supremely smart and talented too…that always helps).  But for those who did care, why not jump through a little hoop here and there to get your foot in the door?  I’ll just say, it served him well.

I wrote recently about hiring your CX leaders from outside of your industry.  I understand that that’s quite a plunge to take for some folks:  You mean you want me to go with a complete novice in our industry and trust that person with our Customers?  Our entire CX program?  You must be nuts. (more…)