#77 Leading from the middle: Sally Foley-Lewis on empowering CX Leaders to drive change

Welcome to a new episode of CX Leadership Talks! The podcast for CX leaders who want to spice up their leadership.

In this inspiring episode, your host Nienke Bloem dives into an incredibly valuable conversation with global keynote speaker, educator, and "burger lady" Sally Foley-Lewis. Together, they explore the true power - and challenges - of leading from the middle.

Discover why the best is in the middle, how to influence without formal authority, and how to proceed until apprehended.  Get ready for practical tips, fresh insights, and a healthy dose of CX leadership inspiration!

Timestamped overview:

00:00 Introducing Sally Foley-Lewis 06:15 Food as a universal concept 09:46 Discussing AI impact on organizations 14:16 Empowering middle managers 18:01 Importance of creating CX strategy 19:45 Navigating stakeholder management and authority 23:09 Importance of clear communication 26:15 Leading from the middle 30:15 Thinking strategically as a leader 32:32 Building strong internal networks 37:26 Importance of receiving feedback 40:20 Building professional networks 44:52 Connecting and collaborating with others 45:35 Show closing and contact info

Extra information: Connect with Sally on LinkedIn or visit her website. Sally's book recommendations:

The Best is in the Middle by Sally Foley-Lewis

Managing oneself by Peter F. Drucker

Here you can find the survey Sally invites you to fill in.

About Nienke: Nienke Bloem is a global Customer Experience (CX) thought leader, keynote speaker, and educator.

She helps CX leaders move from doing customer experience to leading it by building strong CX strategies, crafting compelling CX Stories, and driving measurable business impact. Spicing up CX Leadership

Nienke is a Certified Customer Experience Professional (CCXP), Certified Speaking Professional (CSP), and a Recognized Training Provider of the Customer Experience Professionals Association (CXPA).