There are four serious working months left in 2026. Your first instinct might be to look at the roadmap, the KPIs and everything that still needs to get done.
But what if, before going straight into execution mode, you did something completely different?
In this episode of CX Leadership Talks, Nienke Bloem explores the power of dreaming out loud — not only about the future of Customer Experience in your organization, but also about the CX leader you want to become.
Drawing on her own dreams, from walking a pilgrimage and speaking on the main stage of the Global Speaker Summit to her ambition of taking the CX Leadership Masterminds around the world, Nienke challenges you to look beyond the end of 2026. Go three years ahead. Imagine it is August 2029. What has changed because you were there?
Because dreaming isn't the opposite of leadership. Dreaming is leadership work. You can't lead people towards a future you haven't dared to imagine.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
Dream about the impact, not the projects
Forget your current roadmap for a moment. Nienke challenges you to imagine the future state of CX in your organization: what are customers experiencing differently, what has changed for employees and what measurable impact have you and your team created?
Define the CX leader you want to become
Your organizational CX dream is only half of the story. Who do you want to be as a CX leader three years from now? What are you known for, which rooms are you invited into, what authority have you built and what work are you no longer doing?
Why saying your dream out loud matters
A dream that stays in your head is easy to edit, shrink or forget. Once you give it words and share it with others, people can see opportunities, make connections and sometimes even help make it happen.
Turn dreaming into movement
Positive thinking alone is not enough. Nienke introduces the idea of mental contrasting: first imagine the future you really want, then ask what is standing between you and that future — and decide what you are going to do about it.
Choose one move before the end of 2026
You don't need a giant three-year action plan. Choose one action for your organizational CX dream and one for your own leadership dream that will move you a little closer to August 2029.
Timestamped overview:
00:00 Encouraging long-term dreaming
05:53 Dreaming as leadership in CX
08:31 CX leader's future impact vision
13:05 Dreaming big and building authority
15:34 Pursuing dreams and taking action
19:39 Planning international expansion
22:35 Deciding when to say yes or no
Extra information:
In the episode, Nienke refers to research on vision in leadership and the work of psychologist Gabriele Oettingen on mental contrasting: dreaming about a desired future, then identifying the obstacles standing between you and that future and translating those into action.
Nienke also shares one of her own dreams out loud: taking the CX Leadership Masterminds Bootcamp on a global roadshow, bringing CX leaders together in several international locations.
Want to explore your own next step as a CX leader with Nienke? You can book a half hour call here.
Your challenge after listening:
Take a piece of paper and answer these two questions:
- What do you dream to have an impact on as a CX leader? What is the future state you want to create?
- Who do you dream of becoming as a CX leader? What is your personal leadership future state?
Then ask yourself: What is one thing I can do before the end of 2026 that moves each dream closer?
And most importantly: say it out loud.
About Nienke:
Nienke Bloem is often called the Customer Experience speaker in the blue dress. She’s a global CX thought leader, educator and keynote speaker who helps CX leaders strengthen their leadership, create more impact and make Customer Experience work.
With over 20 years of corporate experience, she speaks the business language. She is an author, host of CX Leadership Talks, a Recognized Training Partner of the CXPA and creator of CX leadership programs including the CX Masterclass and CX Leadership Masterminds.
For more info: go to www.nienkebloem.com or send her an email at nienke@nienkebloem.nl to spice up your CX Leadership.
