Get out of CX Autopilot: 10 Leadership questions to reignite your strategy

Wow. Just wow.

Last week I hosted three CX Story webinars, and let me tell you – what an experience. CX leaders from around the globe tuned in, ready to sharpen their stories and step up their game. If you were one of them: thank you. Your energy, your openness, your curiosity… it was electric. ✨

And yet – I have to be honest.

As I read through the draft stories that participants shared, something stood out.

They were good. Thoughtful. Structured.
But also? A little safe.

I saw strategies that explained more than they excited. Leaders who danced around urgency instead of owning it. And it hit me again – just how easy it is to slip into CX autopilot.

That’s exactly why I do this work.
To be your friendly CX Kick-in-the-Butt.
To remind you (and myself!) that playing small isn’t the goal.

We’re here to inspire. To challenge. To make real change happen.
And that means leading differently.

So here’s a little gift for you: 10 bold questions that might just shake things up.
They take about 10 minutes to reflect on – but don’t say I didn’t warn you…

⚠️ Side effects may include: sudden breakthroughs, big insights, and reignited CX mojo.

Five CX questions to reignite the magic

1. If I were a customer of my own company today… would I come back tomorrow?
   → Walk through your own journey with fresh eyes and be brutally honest.
2. Have I spoken to a real customer this month? Or am I stuck in a meeting bubble?
   → Step away from the dashboards. Real stories matter more than slides.
3. Which part of our customer journey makes me cringe a little? What am I doing about it?
   → Don’t look away, look closer. That’s where your next win is waiting.
4. Are we collecting feedback… or are we actually listening?
   → Ask yourself if insights are leading to real action or just sitting in a report.
5. What’s my CX dream for this year and am I telling that story boldly enough?
   → Inspire others by sharing your vision, even if it’s still a little messy.

Five questions to elevate your inner CX superhero

1. How am I making CX the business priority, not just a business priority?
   → Influence starts when you can articulate why CX now in every room.
2. If I had to draw our CX strategy on a napkin, could I? Would it make sense to others?
   → Simplicity is power. If it’s clear to you, it’ll be clear to others.
3. What’s one decision I’m avoiding that could boost momentum if I just dared to be bold?
   → Don’t wait for perfect. Progress comes from bold, even imperfect moves.
4. Am I strategic when it comes to my stakeholder engagement or am I shying away from the senior leadership ones?
   → Be honest. Are you building real influence at the right level or staying safely in your comfort zone?
5. Am I learning and growing as a CX leader or am I stuck in repeat mode?
   → Growth isn’t a luxury. It’s the fuel that keeps your CX engine running. (yes, I would love to explore my CX Leadership Masterminds with you)

Here’s the thing:
CX leadership isn’t about doing more.
It’s about doing things differently. More intentionally. More strategically. And yep – more boldly.

Honestly? Life gets easier when you lead this way.
More impact, less noise.

That’s exactly what we’ll do in my Dutch CX Leadership Masterminds program. We kick off again in May, and I cannot wait. It’s eight months of deep reflection, strategic growth, and sparring with a group of brilliant peers.

A few spots are still open – want to know if it’s for you?
Send me an email. I’d love to help you spice up your CX leadership too.

Get out of autopilot. Aim higher. ACT.

Until next time, keep spicing up your Customer Experience leadership.

*****

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 voor 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 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.