CX Leadership Talks

Nienke Bloem CCXP
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This is THE podcast for you as a Customer Experience Leader. To learn where to spice up your CX leadership. Listen to CX colleague’s, thoughtleaders and of course your host Nienke Bloem. She has educated and spoken with CX Leaders all around the globe, is a Recognized Training provider with the CXPA and knows how to make CX work! Honest, fun and always with a practical twist to help you become an even better CX leader.

  1. FEB 9

    #71 The CX Leader as message architect

    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.

    27 min

  2. JAN 26

    #70 Making CX technology work: Insights from James O'Connor on strategy and leadership

    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.

    50 min

  3. JAN 12

    #69 CX leadership in 2026. Are you ready for the next level?

    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.

    40 min

  4. 12/29/2025

    #68 Envisioning your brilliant 2026: Your guided strategic CX planning session

    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.

    39 min

  5. 12/15/2025

    #67 Reflection guide for CX leaders: Lessons, wins, and growth from 2025

    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.

    52 min

  6. 12/01/2025

    #66 The future of relationships: Redesigning Customer Experience for lasting impact

    Welcome to a new episode of CX Leadership Talks! The podcast for CX leaders who want to spice up their leadership.  In this episode, your host Nienke Bloem CCXP connects with Cairo Marsh, founder of Relativ, an experience agency based in Tokyo. Together, they explore why branding alone isn’t enough in today’s world and introduce the powerful concept of “brand being”: how a brand shows up in every experience, online and offline.  Cairo Marsh shares practical strategies for aligning different departments around shared customer goals, the importance of employee incentives and culture, and how CX leaders can leverage moments of belonging to drive loyalty and connection. You’ll also hear insights on balancing quantitative and qualitative research, the necessity of customer experience strategy, and lessons from global and Japanese brands.  Grab your favorite drink and get ready for inspiration and actionable tips to elevate your CX leadership!  Timestamped overview:  00:00 Brand being and belonging  05:33 Branding agencies and broken promises  06:57 Marketing for today and tomorrow  10:57 Thin slicing customer experience  13:47 Overcoming Fragmentation in Teams  18:37 Unified customer engagement platform design  21:58 Prioritizing customers to align goals  25:47 Balancing data and insight  30:00 Defining strategy to stand out  33:47 Authentic leadership and expectations  36:16 Japan's experience design challenge  39:08 Belonging over basic needs  40:50 Building belonging through connection  45:38 Unreasonable hospitality insights  Extra information:   Connect with Cairo on LinkedIn   You can find the information about relativ* here    You can find Cairo's book recommendation 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.

    49 min

  7. 11/17/2025

    #65 Are leaders really as Customer Centric as they think?

    Welcome to a new episode of CX Leadership Talks! In this episode, Nienke Bloem CCXP takes you to the International CX Awards in London, where she hosted an evening with more than 450 CX professionals from over 50 countries. Across all those conversations, one theme stood out: the real challenge in CX is leadership engagement. Not tools. Not dashboards. But leadership behavior. Nienke shares why so many leaders believe they are customer centric while their behavior tells a different story, explains the confronting Bain 80–20 gap, and shows how the Aha moment becomes the starting point for real transformation. She also shares a powerful example of a Dutch energy company where leaders personally solve customer complaints and what happens when leaders actually meet customers. In this episode you’ll learn: • Why leadership behavior is the true engine of customer centricity • How the Dunning Kruger effect and the 80–20 gap show blind spots in leadership • What happens when leaders step in, meet customers, and make customer centricity a habit Nienke closes with insights from her new keynote We only win when everyone is in, where customer centric leadership becomes a real team sport.   Timestamped overview: 00:00 Leadership Drives Customer Experience Success 03:56 Customer Centricity: Challenging Perceptions 09:45 Customer-Centric Leadership Insights 12:19 Leaders Solving Complaints Personally 14:49 Leadership Growth Through Story Sharing 19:50 "True Customer-Centric Leadership" 24:07 "Leadership Behavior Shapes Impact" 25:26 "Greetings from CX Awards"   Explore working together: If you want to find out whether Nienke’s new keynote We only win when everyone is in is the right fit for your leadership event or 2026 plans, send an email to nienke@nienkebloem.nl to plan an exploration call. Or look her up at nienkebloem.com About Nienke: Nienke Bloem CSP CCXP is known as the Customer Experience speaker in the blue dress. She is a global CX thought leader, keynote speaker and educator with over 20 years of corporate experience. She is author of two CX books, creator of the CX Game and a Recognized Training Partner of the CXPA. Nienke is on a mission to make Customer Experience work through strategy, behavior and leadership. And helping you spice up your CX 😊

    26 min

  8. 11/03/2025

    #64 Lead your leaders: From judging to joining in CX

    Welcome to a brand new episode of CX Leadership Talks!  In this episode, Nienke Bloem CCXP shares a personal story from her time at KPN that completely changed how she looked at leadership. A Valentine’s Day blog, a bold email to the CEO, and one big aha moment led her to realise that real CX leadership starts when we stop judging and start joining.  Too often, CX leaders complain that management “doesn’t get it.” But our job isn’t to criticize leaders, it’s to help them lead. Nienke talks about how to bridge that leadership gap and become a trusted partner instead of a frustrated observer.  You’ll learn three practical ways to lead your leaders:  • Help them make decisions by bringing options, not just problems  • Help them connect with customers by organising and guiding their first experiences  • Help them as humans by showing care and curiosity  Timestamped overview:  00:00 Valentine's Day customer service story  04:13 Leaders ignoring customer stories  10:03 Mindset shift for better leadership  11:50 Elevating CX leadership mindset  14:56 Facilitating decisions through preparation  18:48 Practical planning for board visits  22:53 Connecting leaders with customers  25:19 CX Leadership masterminds 2026  Listen now and discover how to lead your leaders, build bridges instead of walls, and make Customer Experience work through true collaboration.  Don’t just manage CX. Lead it.  About Nienke:     If this episode hits home, there are two ways to go further.  Book Nienke’s new keynote We only win when everyone is in for your next leadership event.  Or, if you’re Dutch and ready to grow as a CX leader, join the CX Leadership Masterminds 2026, the eight-month journey to strengthen your CX strategy, story, and impact.  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.     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.

    27 min
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About

This is THE podcast for you as a Customer Experience Leader. To learn where to spice up your CX leadership. Listen to CX colleague’s, thoughtleaders and of course your host Nienke Bloem. She has educated and spoken with CX Leaders all around the globe, is a Recognized Training provider with the CXPA and knows how to make CX work! Honest, fun and always with a practical twist to help you become an even better CX leader.

Information

  • Creator
    Nienke Bloem CCXP
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    71
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 All Rights Reserved
  • Show Website
    CX Leadership Talks