Back from Vacation (and Straight into Reality)
Employee Experience and Ambassadorship with Michael Lowenstein
Back From Vacation (And Straight Into Reality)
Hi ExDers and Experience Designers,
I’m back from vacation with my kids in Lake Placid, New York. As any parent knows, a vacation with kids isn’t exactly a vacation—it’s more like relocating your daily life to a different zip code, usually with more spending and a constant effort to keep everyone entertained.
That said, we had a great time. Unfortunately, instead of easing back into normal life, I returned home to discover one of our dogs had developed Lyme disease. A trip to the vet and a couple hundred dollars later, I’m happy to report he’s responding well to treatment.
I’m also having a hard time processing the fact that August is almost here. Somehow, we’re already past the halfway point of the year.
For me, the arrival of August signals more than another page on the calendar. It marks the transition to a new phase of work. I’ve spent much of the summer making strong progress on the UN-WOW manuscript, and now I’m preparing to balance that writing with the start of another academic year and the work of (hopefully) educating young minds.
The more I think about it, the more I realize I don’t organize my life by months—I organize it by work cycles. Maybe you do too. We think in quarters, project timelines, reporting periods, semesters, deadlines, and launches. Work shapes how we experience time, which says a lot about the role it plays in our lives beyond simply earning a paycheck.
That idea connects directly to this week’s podcast guest.
This Week on the Podcast: Dr. Michael Lowenstein
Dr. Michael Lowenstein has spent his career exploring the relationship between employee experience and customer experience. His work centers on a simple but powerful idea: organizations that want to deliver exceptional experiences to customers must first create exceptional experiences for employees.
In fact, in my Employee Experience course, I use Michael’s book, Employee Ambassadorship, which examines how organizations can build cultures that transform employees into genuine brand advocates. Put another way: Would your employees recommend your company to others?
Michael is currently working with Tamar Cohen on a new book and course framework that further investigates the critical links between employee and customer experience. Their work reinforces the notion that sustainable customer success starts from within.
In our conversation, we discuss:
Why stakeholder integration should come before strategic action
The importance of creating organizational alignment before execution
How employee experience influences customer outcomes
Lessons from organizations such as MBNA America, Costco, and Market Basket
Culture transformations at companies including Virgin, Baptist Healthcare, and Ritz-Carlton
The evolution from employee satisfaction to engagement, commitment, and ultimately customer advocacy
How public companies, private companies, and B Corporations differ in fostering employee-customer alignment
Michael also shares practical insights from decades of consulting and research, making a compelling case for why employee experience is not just an HR issue—it’s a business strategy issue.
I’ve known Michael for many years and have had the opportunity to present alongside him at various events. It was great to reconnect, hear about his latest work, and capture some of his wisdom for the podcast.
Resources
Listen here
🔗 Michael Lowenstein on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaellowenstein/
📘 Employee Ambassadorship
https://www.amazon.com/dp/163157664X
Thanks for listening, and as always, I appreciate you being part of the community.
Talk soon,
Gary
