Whitnee Hawthorne on the State of Women in CX Leadership Roles

March ushers in Women’s History Month, a time when businesses of all stripes celebrate the extraordinary contributions of women in the workplace. But while women in CX have significantly influenced their support centers, there’s still ample opportunity to elevate more of their talents to leadership positions.

According to data from the Women in CX report, women make up nearly ¾ of the CX workforce, yet they only account for a little over ¼ of leadership in the industry. This gap is noticeable not just in the data — anyone can try Googling “top CX influencers” and note the gender bias for themselves. The evidence shows there is an enormous amount of work leaders need to do to reverse decades of promotion biases.

This is exactly why we need to be championing more stories like that of Whitnee Hawthorne, Chief Experience Officer at The Savvy Working Mom. Her journey is the perfect case study on how support improves when the right people take the lead, proving that a more diverse C-suite creates a more effective environment for problem-solving. Ecommerce businesses can learn from Hawthorne and make a more concerted effort to develop innovative minds in the support center.

Whitnee Hawthorne Brings Thoughtful Leadership to CX

The C-suite is evolving — albeit slowly — to better incorporate women in ways that leverage their skills, particularly in areas revolving around the customer experience.

Hawthorne has risen the ranks across customer care teams, working in executive roles for companies like HBO, JetBlue, and Navan, before focusing on her own business, The Savvy Working Mom. Gladly sat down with her to discuss how she reached this milestone role, and what personal development and analytic skills made her a competitive candidate who stood out among other CX leaders.

1. What does being a challenger in the CX industry mean to you?

It means constantly pushing boundaries, questioning conventional wisdom, and advocating for innovative and new approaches to enhance customer experiences. Being a CX Challenger means striving to embody authenticity and resilience, challenging conventions by embracing change, driving transformation and showing up as myself.

Growing up, I didn’t often encounter women in executive roles, which underscores the importance of representation and breaking down barriers. By challenging traditional notions of leadership and advocating for inclusivity, I aim to redefine who belongs in the C-suite and pave the way for future generations of diverse leaders.

I see my position not only as an opportunity to propel customer experience initiatives forward but also as a platform to inspire and empower individuals who may identify with me.

As a woman in the C-suite, I see my role not only as an opportunity to propel customer experience initiatives forward but also as a platform to inspire and empower other people who look like me, to know that this is possible for them.

“Being a CX Challenger means striving to embody authenticity and resilience, challenging conventions by embracing change, driving transformation and showing up as myself.”

Whitnee Hawthorne

CEO, The Savvy Working Mom

2. Research suggests that women often have a different approach to problem-solving and decision-making. How do you see these differences manifesting in how we understand and address customer needs and challenges, and how do these differences contribute to a more holistic customer experience strategy?

I think it’s important to understand that everyone comes to problem-solving bringing their own past, bringing their own experience, and also bringing the experience that society has put on them. Men and women have had the opportunity to approach problems in different ways.

I know research has shown that women tend to focus more on the risks — I’ve found that true in my personal and professional life. When I’m under stress — and maybe this is the mom in me — the first thing I think about is, “What are the risks, and how do we mitigate them?” If that is counterbalanced by people in the room thinking about other things, then it’s a healthy way to ensure you have multiple approaches to the problem.

Recommended Reading: The Impact of Leadership on Customer Service Success

Ultimately, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to problem-solving. Embracing diverse viewpoints fosters innovation and creativity, increasing the likelihood of identifying novel solutions that effectively address customer needs and challenges. Cultivating an inclusive environment where diverse voices are heard and valued is essential for developing a holistic customer experience strategy.

“Embracing diverse viewpoints fosters innovation and creativity, increasing the likelihood of identifying novel solutions that effectively address customer needs and challenges.”

Whitnee Hawthorne

CEO, The Savvy Working Mom

3. As brands everywhere strive to build deeper and more meaningful connections with customers, in your past roles, how did you ensure that the companies remained agile and responsive to shifting customer preferences and market dynamics, and what role does diversity in leadership play in driving this agility and adaptability?

In my experience, ensuring agility and responsiveness to shifting customer preferences and market dynamics requires a multifaceted approach. Firstly, it’s crucial to actively engage with customers through various channels such as surveys, focus groups, and one-on-one conversations. This direct feedback provides invaluable insights into their needs and expectations.

However, it’s equally important to complement this qualitative data with quantitative analysis. By closely examining customer interactions and behavior data, we can identify patterns, trends, and areas for improvement. This data-driven approach enables us to proactively anticipate shifts in customer preferences and adapt our strategies accordingly.

Also, staying abreast of technological advancements is essential in today’s dynamic business landscape. Leveraging cutting-edge technology allows us to deliver seamless customer experiences and stay ahead of the curve. By continuously integrating innovative solutions into our operations, we can swiftly respond to evolving customer needs and market trends.

Recommended Reading: The Road to AI — Evolving and Learning With Industry Leaders

In terms of diversity in leadership, the research has proven that companies with more women in leadership have higher returns on equity, higher returns on sales, and are more profitable. The research is there to show that if you have more diversity in leadership in terms of a male-female perspective, you’re going to have a better-performing company.

4. You were featured on the Customer Contact CCWomen podcast in an episode about battling imposter syndrome. You delivered a powerful line: “I’m not an imposter, I’m a trailblazer.” What inspired or prompted you to embrace this mindset, and how has it influenced your approach to leadership?

Long story short, I found myself in a very traditional Wall Street conference room. I’m a black woman, I was younger at the time, and I was presenting to a client. I knew I did all my work and everything I was presenting was correct, but the client continued to belittle me and ignore me, and it made me feel really uncomfortable. When the meeting ended, I thought, “Wow, I really didn’t do a good job, I thought I was prepared and I wasn’t.” But my colleagues told me no, you were totally prepared and did all the right things — it was just the guy. He was purposely trying to make me feel uncomfortable. His behavior was egregious.

Part of it was probably because he hadn’t seen anyone like me in the room before. I realized that by me being there, and showing up, and delivering well, I’m paving the way for other women who look like me to come into the room and present and do well.

It’s really important to see people like you in positions of leadership and when you don’t it can leave feeling like you might not belong. But what I’ve found is that if you’re the first, it means “I’m not an imposter, I’m a trailblazer” — and I’m doing things that people like me have not done before.

That’s been my approach since, an approach that’s allowed me to speak up. …It allows me to approach with more confidence, and push creativity and innovation because I’m not having that self-doubt that would hold me back from putting out the radical or different ideas that I have related to improving the experience or our workforce.

“It’s really important to see people like you in positions of leadership and when you don’t it can leave feeling like you might not belong. But what I’ve found is that if you’re the first, it means ‘I’m not an imposter, I’m a trailblazer.’”

Whitnee Hawthorne

CEO, The Savvy Working Mom

5. Given the importance of mentorship and support networks, what advice would you offer to aspiring female leaders who are navigating their paths to the C-suite?

Mentors are extremely important; they’ve helped me to get to where I am. But I think sometimes people confuse mentorship with coaching. So what I would say to women — to anyone, really — who’s looking for a mentor, when you go to someone, go with a specific question or specific area you need help in. If you show up to someone and you say, “Hey, I really want you to be my mentor and can we meet every other week,” I think that’s something people do a lot, [and] that’s not actually going to lead to any productive outcomes.

The best mentors I’ve had are when I have a specific situation come up and I go to someone and say, “Hey, person more senior than me who has all this experience, have you ever been through XYZ because I’m in the middle of XYZ right now, and I’m trying to figure out how to go, I’m thinking of taking this path or this path, do you have a recommendation?” Get that recommendation, take the action, and get back to them on what the outcome was. Then from there, if you need something else, reach out.

Recommended Reading: Harnessing Feedback, Coaching, and Mentorship for Maximum Impact

There’s also a two-way street when it comes to mentorship — see what you can give to the other person.

One of my biggest mentors was a very senior attorney at a company. He had all kinds of experience that I didn’t have, and he was always willing to lend an ear and help me through situations. What I realized was we both had a love of cocktails, and I know a lot about making cocktails — it’s a passion of mine. So I would regularly share with him cocktail recipes or new spirits that came out, and was able to give back to him in a way that helped develop our relationship.

Hawthorne Inspires Women in CX

Hawthorne’s story combines both a passion for her role and a determination to help women in CX see a real-life example of what’s possible for them. Her success is also a testament to what women in CX are capable of when given the opportunity — and is deserving of a top spot on Google search results.

Despite Hawthorne’s strides, there remains a need for a larger discussion about the underrepresentation of women in CX. That’s where the Gladly Connect Community comes in — to bring diverse ranges of thought and experience together in one collaborative environment to learn from, mentor, and grow some of the greatest minds in our industry.

Be a part of necessary change in the CX space by joining the Gladly Connect Community today, where you can voice your opinion on how leaders can build support centers that are both more inclusive and higher-performing.

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