Skiing to Success: How Nicole Wieberneit Became a Microsoft Leader

Dr. Nicole (Schmid) Wieberneit is the Managing Director of Sales Strategy and Business Architecture Cross Solutions at Microsoft and a former competitive downhill skier. Nicole shares perspective from her multicultural background and passion for experiences, both in her personal life and in driving great employee and customer experiences in her work. Nicole talks about her upbringing in the German Alps, her love for skiing, and how that shaped her. She highlights the importance of the obsession with customer experience in driving sales and brand loyalty. We reflect on her career in consulting, business, and technology, particularly in CRM, and the valuable lessons she learned from successful projects and challenging experiences. Nicole discusses the importance of clarity and communication in leadership roles in this conversation. She emphasizes the need to understand the vision and bridge communication gaps between different teams while highlighting the value of building team morale and creating a sense of belonging. She shares her insights on taking risks and the importance of knowing oneself and one's values. Nicole encourages people to be open, listen to learn, and celebrate success. She also expresses excitement about the potential of AI and CRM systems to disrupt and improve go-to-market strategies.
Connect with Nicole: / nwieberneit
🎯 Takeaways:
🔹 Obsession with customer experience drives sales and brand loyalty
🔹 Multicultural experiences and a passion for experiences shape personal and professional growth
🔹 Lessons learned from successful projects and challenging experiences contribute to career development
🔹 Balancing family and career priorities is essential for personal fulfillment. Clarity and communication are crucial in leadership roles, and it is important to understand the vision and bridge communication gaps between teams.
🔹 Building team morale and creating a sense of belonging are essential for success.
🔹 Taking risks requires knowing oneself and one's values.
🔹 Women in leadership can inspire others and should share their experiences and successes.
🔹 Being open, listening to learn, and celebrating success are important practices for personal and professional growth.
🔹 AI and CRM systems have the potential to disrupt and improve go-to-market strategies.
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction and Background
06:11 Becoming an Expert in CRM and Embracing Ambiguity
42:12 Navigating a Complex and Overwhelming Environment
52:01 The Thrill of Chasing and Creating
59:15 Leadership Styles and Approaches
01:05:42 Supporting Women in Leadership
01:14:53 The Future of Business: AI and CRM Systems

[@sybilcarterlove1909]

@Dr Nicole Wieberneit and her France and Canada skiing experience. I really enjoyed and appreciated this interview with her. Thanks so much, Klara Jagosova and your Grand Slam podcast!

[@grandslamjourney]

Thank you so much for the kind words. I'm glad to hear you enjoyed the listen! Yes, some of Nicole's ski trips are definitely on my bucket list.