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Everything for a smile
It’s 1999. Pieter Zwart is studying business administration in Rotterdam just as online retail is beginning to take off. He discusses the opportunity with two friends, and all three are convinced this is going to be big. They get an idea: “Let’s start selling something online, too!” And so, the adventure begins.
What starts as a side project quickly gains momentum. But as competition intensifies and more players enter the market, Zwart realises that standing out will require a different approach. Instead of competing on price or product range, he chooses to focus on customer experience. This obsession with delighting customers, and delivering the best and most enjoyable service possible, becomes the company’s guiding principle. It is later captured in the slogan ‘Everything for a smile’.
This phrase is far more than a marketing tagline; it expresses Coolblue’s core mission and permeates every aspect of the organisation. You see it on the website, in features like the playful ‘product conga line’ in the shopping cart and ‘waiting therapy’ after checkout. You notice it on the street as well: the word “Klopt” (“That’s right”) displayed on delivery vans catches your attention, and once you get it, it leaves you smiling [author’s notice: this refers to a Dutch wordplay].
Will this make the customer happy?
The slogan also acts as a decision-making compass for everyone in the organisation. When faced with a dilemma, employees simply ask: “Does this make the customer happy?” If the answer is yes, they act. Should they take off their shoes when entering a customer’s home? Of course. Does a customer ask the delivery driver for help installing a newly delivered TV? The answer is always yes, even if it means the delivery takes longer than planned.
Employees are given significant autonomy, as long as their actions are guided by the goal of creating the best possible customer experience. This doesn’t mean they can do whatever they want; it means their decisions must always be grounded in what serves the customer best. They are trained accordingly.
Autonomy ≠ lack of accountability
Many managers struggle to grant autonomy because they fear employees will make poor decisions or misuse their freedom. This reflects a fundamental misunderstanding. Autonomy is not “freedom without limits”; it is freedom within clearly defined boundaries and direction. It gives people a sense of respect and ownership, allowing them to influence their work meaningfully.
Research consistently shows that people perform better when they have the space to make decisions themselves, rather than being tightly controlled. When individuals feel they have influence, they tend to view stress as a challenge rather than a threat. They adapt more easily to change and are more proactive in solving problems.
The risk of learned helplessness
Autonomy builds resilience, but the opposite is also true. When people repeatedly encounter resistance when sharing ideas or are reprimanded for stepping outside the lines, they become cautious and withdrawn. Over time, they may feel they have no real influence, leading to passivity and disengagement.
In the 1960s, psychologist Martin Seligman described this phenomenon as learned helplessness: a state in which individuals believe they have no control over outcomes due to repeated negative experiences. As a result, they stop trying to change their situation, even when opportunities arise.
Interestingly, decades later, Seligman refined this view. With insights from modern neuroscience, he concluded that passivity is actually the brain’s default response to sustained adversity. In other words, helplessness is not learned; hope and optimism are.
When all hope fades
This insight is critical for managers. When teams appear stuck, it is often assumed they lack talent or motivation. In reality, the issue is usually more fundamental: they are not given enough space to act. The mental link that tells people their efforts lead to results, fueling optimism and engagement, has been weakened or broken.
Unfortunately, common managerial responses, such as adding more oversight, bringing in consultants, or increasing control, often make things worse. Instead of pushing harder, leaders should step back. Provide clear direction, define boundaries, and support teams by removing obstacles when needed.
The antidote to passivity and indifference
Especially in times of major change, when existing systems and processes no longer fit reality, employees must continue to think, contribute, and act. But they will only do so if they feel heard and believe their actions matter.
So rather than tightening control in uncertain times, take a lesson from Pieter Zwart: set a clear direction, trust your people, and give them the space to decide what needs to be done.
This article was originally published in Dutch on CHRO.nl – the platform for HR executives.
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