#61 Thin Slicing: How small moments reveal BIG truths in CX and leadership

In this episode of CX Leadership Talks, Nienke Bloem CCXP MBA explores the fascinating concept of thin slicing,  the psychological phenomenon that shows how just a few seconds of behavior can reveal the bigger truth.

From leaders canceling contact center visits to technicians arriving late, from the reviews customers leave online to the culture that lives inside organizations, thin slices are everywhere. And they matter.

Drawing on research by Nalini Ambady, Malcolm Gladwell’s Blink, and her own stories from corporate life, Nienke shows how thin slicing can be used in two powerful ways:

1. Driving culture change and leadership interventions, making behavior visible and discussable.
2. Understanding customer feedback and VOC data, treating reviews and complaints as slices of the bigger customer experience.

You’ll learn:

• Why behavior is the real evidence of your strategy.
• How small slices of action build or break trust.
• Practical tips for using thin slicing as a CX leader.

Because in the end, behavior is the evidence. Every thin slice reveals what’s really important, far louder than any strategy document or polished story.

🎧 Tune in for stories, science, and practical actions you can take to grow your CX leadership.

Timestamped overview:

00:00 Thin slicing and tech issues

05:51 Accuracy of thin-slice judgments

09:25 Unseen importance: Plankton effect

11:38 Thin slicing: Judging whole from parts

13:50 Customers are evaluating companies

18:24 Aligning internal culture with CX

21:02 Leadership by example in CX

25:13 Cultural reflection in Customer feedback

27:06 Distrust and control realization

31:03 Strategy webinar dates correction

Free learning opportunity: Join one of Nienke’s upcoming Strategy on a Page webinars:

• English: Friday, October 3 at 10:00 AM (Amsterdam time)
• Dutch: Monday, October 6 at 12:00 noon (Amsterdam time)

Both sessions will be recorded, but attending live gives you the chance to ask your own questions and interact. Plus, if you attend live, you’ll get a practical AI prompt so you can start building your SOAP right away.

Register here

About Nienke: 

Nienke Bloem is often called the Customer Experience speaker in the blue dress.  

She's a global CX thought leader, educator and a global keynote speaker who inspires audiences with best practices and proven methodologies. She leads a speaking practice, a CX game company and a training business; she breathes Customer Experiences and is author of two CX books. 

Her two-day Customer Experience Masterclass is known as the best program to prepare for your CCXP and she is the go-to person for CX leaders who want to advance their leadership and bring direct results from their Customer Experience transformation programs. Since 2020, she hosts a CX Leadership Masterminds program and helps leaders spice up their leadership and deliver an engaging CX Story including a solid CX Strategy. Besides, she is a modern-day pilgrim and found the parallel with leading customer centric transformations.  

With her over 20 years of corporate experience, she speaks the business language. Her keynotes and education programs in Customer Experience are inspiring and hands-on. She is one of the few Recognized Training Partners of the CXPA and it is her mission to Make Customer Experience Work and help you deliver business results. Subscribe to her weekly CX Greetz to stay tuned.