In this episode of Experience by Design, we reflect on the end of the 2026 Winter Olympics and what the Games reveal about how we define success. Despite high expectations for U.S. cross‑country skiers—especially Jessie Diggins in her final season—the team fell short of winning gold. Yet their performances raise important questions about the limits of traditional metrics and the value of effort, representation, and resilience. To explore this theme further, we’re joined by Dr. James Killian, Industrial/Organizational Psychologist and author of the forthcoming book Obsessed: Cultivating the Customer‑Driven Leader. James discusses how organizations can rethink metrics, build employee‑centric cultures, and create stronger connections between employee and customer experience. He also shares his path into I/O psychology, his industry background, and his work with Michigan State University’s Customer Experience Management program. The episode highlights why measuring what truly matters—whether in sports or in organizations—can reshape culture, leadership, and outcomes.
The 2026 Winter Olympics are now over, and it was great to watch. As always, there are a lot of compelling stories that happened. There are stories of triumph and disappointment, as it goes with sports. It is hard to imagine putting so many years of your life into something to have it all turn on minutes or seconds.
There were a lot of athletes that were projected to win gold, including Jessie Diggins who is the greatest US cross-country skier ever. However, no US woman or man has ever won a cross-country skiing gold, so there were a lot of hopes that this would be the year. But that didn’t come to pass. The men were able to secure two silver medals, and Jessie Diggins won a bronze. To add to this, Jessie Diggins is retiring at the end of this season, marking the end of a remarkable career.
So was it a disappointment? Depends on how you measure it. By one metric of success, she failed to achieve the top goal of winning a race and taking home the gold. But other measures, according to Jessie, she did all she could, left it all out there, and represented herself, her friends and family, and her country well. The same could be said for a lot of athletes who ‘failed’ to live up to expectations, but nonetheless did what they could to succeed.
In a culture where second place might be referred to as “first loser,” coming back with less than complete victory is a high standard. And maybe it is time for that standard to change, and the culture around metrics to shift.
To talk about the impact of measuring what matters, and more broadly the need for changes in organizational culture and employee experience, I welcome Dr. James Killian to Experience by Design podcast. This is the second Industrial/Organizational Psychologist in two weeks, so that might be a record for any podcast.
James has a new book coming out titled “Obsessed: Cultivating the Customer-Driven Leader.” The book describes how to develop customer-focused leadership habits, establish employee-centric cultures, create linkages between employee and customer experience, and establish metrics that really matter to your strategy.
James explains his entry into the field after discovering it during an introductory psychology class at Texas A&M, describing his interest in combining business and psychology. We also talk about his experiences in industry as well as working in the Michigan State University Customer Experience Management Masters program. Finally, there is the familiar theme about needing to create better connections between industry and academia.
Dr. James Killian: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-killian-ph-d-859182/
“Obsessed:Cultivating the Customer-Driven Leader”: https://the-customer-driven-leader.com/
Pre-order now!: https://books.manuscripts.com/product/obsessed/