In this episode, Nienke Bloem takes you behind the scenes of one of the biggest moments in her speaking career. Standing backstage at the Global Speaker Summit, about to deliver the closing keynote. A moment filled with excitement and doubt.

And it led to a powerful realization.

Because that exact same feeling shows up for CX leaders every single day.

Not on a stage.

But in leadership meetings, boardrooms, and stakeholder conversations.

That moment where you think: Should I say something?

In this episode, Nienke combines her personal experience with insights from psychology, including Identity Theory from Peter Burke and Self Efficacy Theory from Albert Bandura, to explain what is really happening in that moment.

This is not just about confidence. This is about identity.

And about how you step into your role as a CX leader before you fully feel ready.

This episode will help you move from doing CX to truly leading CX.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN

• Why the Should I moment is not doubt, but a signal of leadership
• How Identity Theory explains the internal picture you already have of yourself as a CX leader
• Why the gap between your identity and your behavior creates tension and how to use
• How Self Efficacy Theory shows that confidence is built through action, not before it
• Three practical ways to start acting like the CX leader you already know you can be

TIMESTAMPED OVERVIEW

00:00 "From Hesitation to Leadership"

05:49 "Leadership and Doubt Moments"

09:22 "Crafting Your Leadership Identity"

10:37 "ANI Model for Strategic Leadership"

13:49 "Identifying Ideal Self Moments"

19:13 "Transforming Doubts Into Impact"

21:26 "Free CX Strategy Webinar"

24:37 "Global Leadership Greetings"

READY TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP?

Nienke is hosting a series of free webinars in April on CX Story and CX Strategy. Book it HERE:

https://www.nienkebloem.nl/en/cx-educatie/webinar-create-your-best-cx-story-ever/

In these sessions, you will

1. Define your CX Story and what you stand for as a leader
2. Shape your CX Strategy and turn that into direction and action
3. Receive a practical AI prompt to create two draft CX strategies when you join live

ABOUT NIENKE

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

She is a global CX thought leader, educator and keynote speaker who inspires leaders and organizations to spice up their customer experience leadership and create real business impact.

With over 20 years of corporate experience, Nienke speaks the business language of CX transformation. Through her keynotes, education programs and mentoring she helps CX leaders become more strategic, influential and effective in driving customer-centric change.

She is the host of the CX Leadership Talks podcast, creator of the CX Story Blueprint, and a Recognized Training Partner of the Customer Experience Professionals Association (CXPA).

Her programs, including the CX Masterclass, CX Leadership Masterminds, and CX Story Sprint, help CX professionals strengthen their authority, align strategy and turn customer experience into measurable business results.

Feel free to reach out nienke@nienkebloem.nl and more on www.nienkebloem.com

In this new episode of CX Leadership Talks Host Nienke Bloem CCXP introduces the CX Leadership Energy Matrix. A simple quadrant tool that helps you decide where to focus your time and energy as a CX leader.

The model maps your activities based on two dimensions: business impact and personal energy. By looking at your work through this lens, you can make more strategic choices about where your leadership truly makes a difference.

You’ll discover the four zones of the matrix, the Sweet Spot, the Playground, the Strategic Duty Zone, and the Energy Drain, and why managing your energy is just as important as managing your time.

Click here to see the visual of the model

00:00 Welcome to CX Leadership Talks and recording from Sydney02:00 Discovering the value–energy model from Taki Moore04:00 The reality of CX leadership: endless improvement opportunities07:30 Why leadership energy matters more than working longer hours08:00 Research insights from Harvard Business Review on energy management11:00 Introducing the CX Leadership Energy Matrix13:00 The CX Leadership Sweet Spot: high value and high energy16:00 The CX Playground: high energy but limited impact17:00 The Strategic Duty Zone: important but draining work18:30 The CX Energy Drain: low value and low energy activities20:00 How to evaluate your own calendar using the matrix21:30 Three reflection questions for CX leaders23:00 Why your energy fuels CX transformation

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

She is a global CX thought leader, educator and keynote speaker who inspires leaders and organizations to spice up their customer experience leadership and create real business impact.

With over 20 years of corporate experience, Nienke speaks the business language of CX transformation. Through her keynotes, education programs and mentoring she helps CX leaders become more strategic, influential and effective in driving customer-centric change.

She is the host of the CX Leadership Talks podcast, creator of the CX Story Blueprint, and a Recognized Training Partner of the Customer Experience Professionals Association (CXPA).

Her programs, including the CX Masterclass, CX Leadership Masterminds, and CX Story Sprint, help CX professionals strengthen their authority, align strategy and turn customer experience into measurable business results.

Feel free to reach out nienke@nienkebloem.nl and more on www.nienkebloem.com

Imposter syndrome does not destroy your competence. It erodes your authority.

In this episode of CX Leadership Talks, Nienke Bloem dives into the psychology behind imposter syndrome and connects it directly to the three authority dimensions every CX leader needs: Personal, Positional and Relational Authority.

Drawing on research and the widely known model of Dr. Valerie Young, Nienke explores the five competence types – The Perfectionist, The Expert, The Natural Genius, The Soloist and The Superperson – and shows how each of them quietly weakens your leadership influence.

This episode is about understanding your internal competence rules and deliberately strengthening your authority so you can lead with confidence and impact.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. Why imposter syndrome is an authority gap, not a competence gap. You will understand how the five competence types undermine your Personal, Positional and Relational Authority – even when your results are strong.
2. How your specific competence type shows up in your CX leadership behavior. You will recognize how perfectionism delays visibility, how the expert underclaims impact, how the soloist weakens relationships, and how these patterns limit your influence.
3. Three concrete authority actions you can take immediately. You will learn how to stop waiting to feel ready, claim one result publicly and upgrade one strategic relationship – and which action fits best depending on your imposter pattern.

Timestamped overview:

00:00 Imposter syndrome and the authority gap 02:00 Research origins and systemic roots 06:00 Dr. Valerie Young’s five competence types 11:00 CX leadership as a breeding ground for imposter thinking 14:30 Personal Authority and Trusted Influence 24:30 Positional Authority and Formal Influence 33:50 Relational Authority and Credible Power 35:45 Three authority actions to move the needle 42:00 Choosing your authority move

Do you want to receive the CX Authority worksheet? Reach out to nienke@nienkebloem.nl and just ask for it 😊.

Do you want to learn how to be a better CX Storyteller and scaler of your message? We have a new one day CX training: CX Storytelling, the first time will be in Dutch. You can read all about it 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. 

CX leaders are great at content. But CX rarely scales because the message doesn’t.

In this episode of CX Leadership Talks, Nienke Bloem dives into why communication is not a soft skill, but a core CX leadership capability. She explores how CX leaders can move from one-off presentations and workshops to a repeatable, multi-channel communication rhythm that creates real organisational impact.

This episode is about turning your CX story into a movement - not a moment.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• why one great CX presentation is never enough
• the false assumption that “clarity leads to alignment”
• how CX leaders get stuck in one-to-one communication
• what scaling a message really means (and what it doesn’t)
• why repetition creates stability, not boredom
• how communication patterns predict transformation success
• how to design a CX communication drumbeat that sticks

Timestamped overview:

00:00 Scaling leadership communication impact 06:29 Continuous communication drives transformation 10:00 Creative CX communication strategies 11:19 Strategizing CX through content 17:13 CX Storytelling program launch 19:55 Consistency signals stability 24:51 CX Leadership through storytelling 25:32 Scaling your message effectively

Want to learn more about CX stories, this is the link to the episode "From CX Story Blueprint to impact: Crafting your CX leadership change narrative". Do you want to learn how to be a better CX Storyteller and scaler of your message? We have a new one day CX training: CX Storytelling, the first time will be in Dutch. You can read all about it 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.

In this episode of CX Leadership Talks, Nienke Bloem is joined by James O’Connor, one of the early architects of customer experience as a professional discipline.

James brings more than 20 years of experience working at the intersection of customer experience, strategy, operations and technology. He was one of the first CX advisors at Forrester, where he worked closely with CX leaders and executive teams across global organisations. Later, he continued his work in advanced analytics and customer strategy at Bain & Company.

In this conversation, Nienke and James dive deep into a topic many CX leaders struggle with: technology. Not tools for the sake of tools, but how technology can truly accelerate CX leadership, business impact and decision-making.

They talk openly about why CX technology so often disappoints, why imperfect technology sometimes works better than “Ferraris”, and what CX leaders should focus on if they want technology to actually deliver value.

This is a practical, honest and strategic episode for CX leaders who want to move beyond dashboards, vendors and hype, and start using technology as a real leadership accelerator.

Timestamped overview 00:00 Mentorship that transforms CX leadership 05:01 Journey into Customer Experience 07:53 Strategizing CX with accountability 11:26 Progress over perfection 15:02 Why CX leaders need technology 18:10 Misaligned initiatives and technology use 22:04 Good enough tools deliver 23:27 AI catalyst for business insights 29:00 Driving business impact collaboratively 32:32 Understanding tech’s business value 36:50 Importance of an operating model 39:16 Building a strong core 41:55 Prioritize people over tools 46:17 Accelerating impact using existing resources 48:27 Maximizing existing resources effectively

Books mentioned in this episode

• Endurance by Alfred Lansing
• The Martian by Andy Weir

Video’s on the Future of CX Leadership Nienke gave her insights on the future of CX in a video serie: 5 Shifts for CX leaders – the future of CX leadership. You can find them here.

Connect with James You can connect with James on LinkedIn.

If this episode resonated with you, share it with a fellow CX leader and let Nienke know what your biggest takeaway was.

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.

This first episode of 2026 is an invitation for CX leaders to pause, reflect and look ahead.

In this episode, Nienke Bloem CCXP explores why CX leadership is entering a new phase and why 2026 asks something different from those leading customer experience in complex organizations. Instead of jumping to tools or quick fixes, she starts with the real challenges CX leaders face today, from lacking strategic mandate and struggling to scale CX, to feeling constantly pulled into operational firefighting.

From there, Nienke introduces the big CX theme for 2026 and shares a clear, practical model that helps CX leaders reflect on their role at three levels: strategic, tactical and operational. With personal stories, concrete examples and a powerful lighthouse metaphor, she shows how CX leaders can move from being busy to being intentional, from reacting to steering.

This episode is for you if you want to lead CX with more clarity, confidence and impact in 2026, without losing the joy and playfulness of the work.

By the end of this episode, you won’t have a long to-do list. You’ll have one honest question to answer:

Are you ready for the next level?

Timestamped overview: 00:00 2026 Theme for CX leaders 03:09 CX leadership theme unveiled 09:27 Strengthening CX leadership strategy 14:32 Scaling Customer Experience challenges 15:39 Scaling CX for growth 20:22 Intentionality in leadership and action 25:05 Self-assessment for CX improvement 28:20 Scaling methodologies and customer journeys 30:27 Streamlining education and Customer Experience 33:22 Strategic thinking and leadership habits 36:42 Focusing energy on growth levels 39:24 Leading the next CX chapter Extra information:  You can read the blog with additional information 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.

How do you want to lead in 2026?

In this episode of CX Leadership Talks, Nienke Bloem helps CX leaders move from intention to direction. Not by creating a long to-do list, but by making conscious, strategic choices about where to focus.

With 2026 themed as Strategizing CX, this episode is an invitation to slow down, zoom out, and design your year with clarity. Nienke guides you through five must-win battles every CX leader should define for themselves: impact and results, strategy vision and purpose, engagement and cultural change, personal growth and development, and work-life balance and well-being.

This is not a quick listen. It’s a working session. You’ll be encouraged to grab a journal, think bigger than you normally do in CX, and translate ambition into concrete focus. Along the way, Nienke shares personal examples, lessons from CX leaders she mentors, and practical questions to help you decide what truly matters and what can wait.

The episode closes with a powerful exercise: writing a letter to yourself from the end of 2026, already successful.

If you want to lead CX more strategically, align your work with what really matters in your organization, and still protect your energy and joy, this episode is for you.

Press play, take your time, and start shaping your 2026 with intention.

Timestamped overview: 00:00 Strategic success in CX 05:51 Aligning goals and defining success 07:20 Prioritizing CX projects for impact 12:17 Building a strong CX strategy 13:33 Strategy to execution challenges 19:00 Strategizing CX engagement 20:31 Culture shift and behavioral change 25:21 Commit to growth opportunities 29:39 Prioritize strategic time planning 31:28 Habits for wellness and focus 35:23 Future success and CX impact 37:51 Strategizing CX and leadership

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.

Welcome to a brand new episode of the CX Leadership Talks podcast, hosted by Nienke Bloem! In this very special "Reflection edition for 2025”, Nienke Bloem invites you to slow down, look back, and take stock of your year as a CX leader. She guides you through a thoughtful self-audit, encouraging you to pause, journal, and dig deep into five essential areas: impact and results, strategy and vision, engagement and cultural change, personal growth, and work-life balance.

Drawing on her years of experience mentoring and educating hundreds of CX professionals, Nienke Bloem shares her own reflections and the successes (and lessons) of the leaders she’s worked with. This episode is packed with practical questions, inspiring stories, and actionable insights that will help you understand where you’ve thrived, where you can improve, and how to set the stage for an even more impactful 2026.

So grab your headphones, settle into your favorite spot, and get ready for an honest, energizing reflection session designed to elevate your CX leadership journey!

Timestamped overview: 00:00 Self-audit for future growth 05:14 Defining success with metrics 08:19 Ranking results: direct vs. Indirect 11:11 Impact measurement and benefit tracking 15:58 Crafting an effective CX strategy 20:15 Strategic planning and reflection 21:42 Strategic success in CX leadership 25:09 Leadership and collaboration reflections 30:21 Success and personal growth 34:30 CX leadership and growth insights 38:05 Reflecting on stress and balance 41:19 Balancing work, life, and inspiration 45:32 Self-generated energy management 48:06 Finding my leadership sweet spot 50:03 Carrying forward purposeful habits

Extra information:  Download your free PDF with all 44 reflection questions 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.