Stop walking on eggshells

There’s a common phrase in business and in life: You can’t make an omelet without breaking some eggs. It’s a nod to the idea that progress often requires disruption, even if it’s a little messy. But what I’ve observed in many organizations is the exact opposite. Instead of taking initiative, people are conditioned to walk on eggshells, afraid to act, afraid to deviate from the script, afraid to simply help.  I was reminded of this recently, not during a board meeting or strategy session, but while trying to get breakfast.

At a hotel buffet, the only eggs available were ham and egg omelets. I don’t eat pork, so I politely asked if I could have plain scrambled eggs. When that didn’t land, I tried again: even hard-boiled eggs would do. Cold ones, even. They’d been on the buffet the day before, so I knew the kitchen had them.

What I got in return wasn’t a yes or a no. It was a quiet shutdown, a list of reasons why not, why that wasn’t available today, and why nothing could be done. Everything from it takes 30 minutes to prepare, our buffet closes soon, to we just don’t carry eggs for that purpose.  Not once did anyone stop to consider what might be possible. There was no effort, no curiosity, no follow-up. Just a return to routine.

And that’s the problem.

This wasn’t about eggs. It was about effort. About ownership. About human experience.

In that moment, the person in front of me wasn’t empowered to help, or perhaps didn’t believe they were. Even when they called the manager, they too followed that script, with zero flexibility.  There was no sense of agency, no reflex to try. And that’s exactly how bad culture is exposed: not in the crisis moments, but in the quiet ones. When someone has a chance to turn a small ask into a meaningful moment, and doesn’t.

We talk a lot about customer experience, employee experience, human experience. But too often, we design systems that prioritize efficiency over empathy, policy over people. We coach to process instead of purpose. We reward compliance and forget to nurture care.

This is why the CX Virtues matter. They’re not fluff. They’re fundamentals.

Taking ownership. Listening like it matters. Doing the small thing that turns into the big thing. Making things easier than expected. Following up because it’s the right thing to do. These aren’t soft skills, they’re leadership traits, and they’re often the missing layer in failed service models.

When these virtues are absent, the CX Sins creep in. The robotic scripts. The deflection. The “not my department” mindset. The lack of visibility, accountability, or warmth. And eventually, even the best technology and branding can’t cover up the loss of trust.

That’s why I believe we need to stop walking on eggshells, and start breaking a few.

Not recklessly. But boldly. Courageously. With purpose.

Empower your people to act. To notice. To care. Give them the permission and the tools to say, “Let me see what I can do,” instead of, “Sorry, that’s not available.” Human experience lives in those words, or it dies in their absence.

And for those in leadership roles: never forget that your culture is built in the micro-moments. The little things aren’t little. They’re the proof. The legacy. The difference between a loyal customer and a lost one, between a team that thrives and one that disengages.

It may have started with eggs. But it’s never about the eggs.

It’s about effort, empathy, and the everyday choice to lead.