FROM RECEPTIONIST TO MULTI-TIME CEO, Nicole Noye | Relentless Customer Leader

Relentless Customer Leader Podcast

Summary

Nicole Noye is a seasoned executive with over 25 years of experience across diverse sectors, including retail, hospitality, leisure, entertainment, fitness, car sharing, and franchising. Her career has been marked by a relentless commitment to driving organizational success, leadership, team empowerment, and customer satisfaction. She has held board and executive positions, spearheading transformational initiatives that have redefined businesses and propelled them toward profitability and sustainability. Nicole Noye discusses the importance of leadership and surrounding oneself with good people. She shares examples of leaders who have supported her in her career, such as Graham Oakes and Bob Critchley. Noye emphasizes the significance of creating a positive organizational culture and caring for the well-being of team members. She also talks about the challenges of leading through change and the importance of belief and resilience. Noye highlights the value of customer obsession and how it can drive business success. She also shares personal habits for managing stress and staying focused. Finally, she encourages up-and-coming leaders to prioritize their teams and create a supportive and united environment.

Key Takeaways

Nicole's early experiences in tennis and Girl Guides taught her the importance of throwing her heart and mind into what she enjoys doing.
Her career in retail, starting as a receptionist at David Jones, taught her the importance of staying in stock of best sellers, understanding what customers want, and not patronizing them.
Nicole's leadership philosophy is centered around focusing on the customer and looking after them, ultimately leading to profitability.
She believes in employing people who are different from her, playing to their strengths, and regularly being on the shop floor to understand the business and engage with the team.
Nicole has focused on transformation and change management in her CEO roles, creating strategies and visions to improve business performance.
During her time at Dreamworld, Nicole prioritized listening to and supporting the team and customers, instilling confidence and belief in them.
She also demonstrated her confidence in the team by personally experiencing the rides and involving her children in the park's activities. Surround yourself with good people and leaders who support and believe in you.
Create a positive organizational culture that values teamwork and respects individual challenges.
Leadership requires belief, resilience, and overcoming resistance to change.
Customer obsession is key to driving business success and improving customer experience.
Manage stress through exercise, mindfulness, and setting boundaries.
Prioritize your team and create a supportive and united environment.

Sound Bites

"If you focus on the NPS or how we look after the customer, then everything else will flow and profitability will come out at the end of that."
"Don't patronize a customer. Actually look after them and don't agree to having a script in how you sell because I think everybody's different."
"You want somebody in the role that actually cares about the business, wants to drive the business, wants to be part of a team and comfortable to be able to challenge not only myself but the rest of the team on areas we need to improve."
"Surround yourself with good people."
"Culture is about how you look after and treat your team with respect."
"Engagement scores significantly improve when you understand and listen to your team."