Val Niehaus on Why Leadership Starts from Within
Val Niehaus
Global Director at Adobe and keynote speaker at Women In Automotive 2025
This is the first in our Q3 speaker spotlight series featuring keynote presenters at the Women In Automotive 2025 annual conference, August 3-6 in Nashville, TN.
Picture this: You’re sitting in a boardroom, surrounded by executives discussing a multi-million dollar strategy. An idea strikes you—one that could change everything—but doubt creeps in. Should I speak up? Am I ready for this responsibility? Your heart races as you weigh the risk of being dismissed against the possibility of making real impact.
If you’ve ever felt this way, you’re not alone. This moment—the one where opportunity meets uncertainty—defines countless women’s careers in automotive. And according to Val Niehaus, Global Director of Customer Success at Adobe and upcoming keynote speaker at Women In Automotive 2025, that moment of discomfort might be exactly where your leadership journey begins.
Val knows this feeling intimately. After 23+ years transforming digital strategy for automotive giants like GM and Bridgestone, she’s learned that the most successful women aren’t those who wait until they feel perfectly prepared—they’re the ones who act despite the butterflies.
“Saying yes before you feel ready is a good thing!” Val shares with infectious enthusiasm. “Translate that discomfort to reassurance that you are in the right direction.”
It’s a radical reframe that challenges everything we’ve been taught about professional readiness. While men often apply for jobs when they meet 60% of the qualifications, women typically wait until they check every single box. This simple truth I have reencountered time and again when hiring new employees and coaching women through career changes. Val’s approach flips this script entirely.
Think about your own career journey. How many opportunities have you let pass because you thought you needed more experience, more credentials, or more certainty? Val’s 23+ years transforming digital strategy for automotive giants like GM and Bridgestone have taught her something crucial: the biggest barriers to women’s leadership often aren’t external—they’re the stories we tell ourselves about what we’re “ready” for.
Here’s the truth that might surprise you: Every successful leader, regardless of gender, has felt unprepared at crucial moments. The difference is in how they respond to that feeling.
The Reality Check Every Woman Needs to Hear
Let’s be honest about something: perfectionism isn’t serving us. While our male colleagues often dive into new roles with 60% of the required qualifications, many of us wait until we’ve mastered every skill on the job description. Sound familiar?
Val calls this out directly: “The right time for you to lead is now. No one is ever fully prepared for a new role, but the difference between successful people and others is action. Act, don’t hesitate, and trust your ability to learn in seat.”
This hits differently when you consider the automotive industry’s current transformation. Electric vehicles, autonomous systems, connected car technologies—the entire sector is learning as it goes. Waiting for “complete readiness” means waiting for a moving target that may never materialize.
Your unique perspective isn’t a disadvantage—it’s exactly what the industry needs. As consumer preferences shift and technology disrupts traditional approaches, automotive companies desperately need leaders who think differently. Your outsider’s eye, your attention to details others miss, your collaborative leadership style—these aren’t weaknesses to overcome. They’re strengths to leverage.
Standing Strong in Male-Dominated Spaces
Working in automotive means becoming comfortable being the only woman in many rooms. Val’s approach to this reality is both practical and powerful.
“When you feel like an ‘other’ in the room, it’s easy to talk yourself into feeling like you don’t belong,” she explains. “Shut down any instinct to think like that or to make yourself smaller. Recognize the value you are bringing to the room and use that to drive contribution and influence.”
But here’s where her advice gets really practical: She doesn’t just tell you to be confident—she gives you the tools to back it up. Lead with credibility, reason, and confidence. When you speak, make sure you’re prepared with facts and data. Your expertise should be undeniable.
I think about the women I know in automotive—the sales staff setting new records, the designers shaping the cars of tomorrow, the executives navigating multi-billion dollar acquisitions. What sets them apart isn’t that they never doubted themselves—it’s that they learned to act despite those doubts.
Remember this: Your technical knowledge, your problem-solving approach, your collaborative leadership style—these aren’t “soft skills” in a rapidly changing industry. They’re essential competitive advantages.
When You Have to Fight for Your Voice
Val’s advice here isn’t theoretical—it comes from lived experience, including moments that would test anyone’s resolve. She’s been literally asked to leave meetings, a stark reminder that even accomplished professionals face blatant discrimination.
Here’s what she learned from those moments: “Don’t allow anyone to kick you out of the room, literally or figuratively. You were invited into that room for a reason, and you challenging an idea is a way to make it better.”
I want you to sit with that for a moment. How many times have you held back a valuable contribution because you were worried about pushback? How many meetings have you left thinking, “I should have said something”?
Val’s approach is clear: preparation meets courage. “If you are being professional in your delivery, being an advocate for a contradictory idea is not a negative. Your mission should be to deliver the facts and the rational.”
The key insight here: Your role isn’t to be agreeable—it’s to be valuable. Stop and think on that for a moment, your role isn’t to be agreeable, it’s to be valuable. When you bring a different perspective to the table, you’re not being difficult. You’re doing your job. The automotive industry is built on challenging assumptions and pushing boundaries. Your questioning, your alternative solutions, your attention to overlooked details—these contributions make the final product better.
The Invisible Barrier Holding Us All Back
While structural barriers in automotive are well-documented, Val points to one that often flies under the radar—and it’s one that affects everyone, regardless of gender: unintentional bias.
“It exists. It’s our job to recognize and acknowledge it’s there for all of us,” she explains. “It does not make us a bad person and it’s not a judgement on our character. But once we acknowledge it, we can then practice objectively looking for patterns where this unintentional bias is causing us to build teams that may not be the best we can offer.”
This perspective is revolutionary because it removes shame from the equation. Instead of pointing fingers or creating defensive reactions, Val advocates for curiosity and pattern recognition. Are your teams consistently lacking diversity? Are certain voices being heard more than others? Are similar backgrounds being prioritized over complementary skills?
Here’s what this looks like in practice: Maybe you notice that your engineering teams consistently hire from the same three universities. Or that women are frequently interrupted in meetings while men are allowed to finish their thoughts. Or that certain leadership qualities are valued over others—perhaps aggressive decision-making over collaborative problem-solving.
The solution isn’t to overcorrect—it’s to become intentionally aware. “We need to commit to identifying patterns where this is showing up and being a voice for change,” Val adds.
Action Step: Start paying attention to patterns in your own workplace. Who gets credit for ideas? Who gets invited to high-visibility projects? Who gets asked to take meeting notes? Sometimes the most powerful change starts with simply noticing what’s happening around us.
The Game-Changer: From Mentorship to Sponsorship
Ask any successful woman about career advice, and mentorship inevitably comes up. But Val makes a crucial distinction that could transform how you think about professional relationships—and it’s a distinction that hits particularly hard in automotive.
“Mentorship is providing advice, but sponsorship is providing advocacy,” she clarifies. “One is about support, and one is about action.”
Let’s break this down with a real-world scenario: A mentor might tell you how to prepare for a promotion conversation. A sponsor actively recommends you for the promotion when you’re not in the room. A mentor helps you navigate challenges. A sponsor ensures you get the challenging assignments that lead to advancement. We dove into this very topic in a recent article The Power of Sponsorship.
This difference matters enormously in automotive, where relationships and recommendations often determine career trajectories. Think about the last promotion or high-visibility project you heard about—chances are, someone advocated behind the scenes for that person to get the opportunity.
Val’s approach to sponsorship is refreshingly proactive: “Make it a continued practice. Consistently and purposefully sponsor women and introduce them/sign them up for new opportunities.”
Here’s what intentional sponsorship looks like in action:
- When you hear about an open leadership role, immediately think of qualified women who should be considered
- In project meetings, actively suggest female colleagues for leadership positions
- When senior leaders ask for recommendations, include women’s names
- Call out when teams lack female representation: “Be aware when a project or team is missing female leadership and don’t hesitate to point out that having women on leadership teams creates more productive teams”
As Val emphasizes: “It’s not just about fairness; it’s about good business.” The data backs this up—diverse teams consistently outperform homogeneous ones, especially in complex problem-solving scenarios like those common in automotive.
Your Action Plan: Identify three women you could sponsor this quarter. Then identify three people who could potentially sponsor you. The key is making these relationships intentional rather than hoping they happen naturally.
Why Automotive Needs Your Leadership Now
There’s something special about women in automotive—and Val sees it clearly. “I have worked with some amazing women throughout my career in the automotive industry. These are some of the toughest and smartest women out there!”
Here’s the truth: The automotive industry is experiencing its most significant transformation in over a century. Electric powertrains, autonomous driving, connected services, shared mobility—everything that defined automotive success for the past 100 years is being reinvented. This isn’t just change; it’s complete reimagining.
And guess what thrives in environments of radical change? Diverse thinking. Collaborative leadership. The ability to see around corners and ask the questions others miss. Sound like anyone you know?
“Automotive is an industry built on being innovative and challenging the status quo,” Val reflects. This isn’t just about being different for the sake of it—it’s about bringing perspectives that drive better outcomes.
Consider these industry realities:
- Women make 85% of car-buying decisions, yet they’ve been historically underrepresented in automotive leadership
- The shift to electric vehicles requires completely new approaches to marketing, customer experience, and service models
- Autonomous vehicles must serve diverse user needs, requiring input from diverse development teams
- Sustainability initiatives demand the kind of long-term, stakeholder-focused thinking that women often bring to leadership
Your perspective isn’t just welcome—it’s essential. The companies that figure this out first will have significant competitive advantages.
Creating Your Personal Board of Directors
Val’s success didn’t happen in isolation, and her approach to building support networks is both strategic and inclusive. “I would encourage woman leaders in the space to ensure they have mentors and sponsors from all genders. Having advocates with both similar and varying experiences from your own will help ensure you can both validate and challenge your thoughts.”
Think of it this way: You wouldn’t make major financial decisions without consulting experts. Why would you navigate your career alone?
Here’s how to build what I like to call your “Personal Board of Directors”—a diverse group of people invested in your success:
The Industry Veteran: Someone who’s navigated automotive’s complexities for years and can help you avoid common pitfalls. They might be the former VP who mentors women in engineering or the supply chain director who’s seen three industry transformations.
The Cross-Functional Ally: A peer from a different department who can offer insights into how other parts of the business operate. Maybe it’s the marketing director who helps you understand customer perspectives, or the finance lead who explains how budgets really get allocated.
The Rising Star: Someone slightly ahead of you in their career journey who remembers what it’s like to face the challenges you’re facing now. They can offer fresh perspectives and energy while you provide them with strategic thinking.
The Outside Observer: Someone from a different industry entirely who can challenge your assumptions and offer unexpected insights. Perhaps it’s a tech executive who’s navigated similar transformations or a healthcare leader who understands complex regulatory environments.
The Authentic Self Advocate: This might be the most important role—someone who reminds you to stay true to your values while advancing your career. Often, this is another woman who’s fought similar battles and can remind you that success doesn’t require compromising who you are.
Action Step: Map out your current network. Where are the gaps? Then be intentional about building relationships that fill those spaces. Remember, networking isn’t transactional—it’s about building genuine relationships where you can offer value as well as receive it.
The Mindset That Changes Everything
Perhaps the most striking aspect of Val’s approach is her commitment to continuous challenge. Her advice to her younger self captures this philosophy perfectly: “If you feel at the top of your game, raise the bar and enter a new game.”
This mindset shift is revolutionary. Instead of seeking comfort and mastery, Val advocates for perpetual growth and challenge. It’s particularly powerful in automotive, where technological disruption means yesterday’s expertise might not be tomorrow’s solution.
Think about it: Electric vehicles, autonomous systems, connectivity, shared mobility—the industry is reinventing itself constantly. The leaders who will thrive aren’t those who’ve mastered the old playbook. They’re the ones who embrace uncertainty and use it as fuel for growth.
Here’s how this plays out in real careers: The quality engineer who takes on a role in customer experience. The supply chain manager who moves into digital transformation. The financial analyst who becomes a product manager. Each transition requires learning new skills, building new relationships, and yes—feeling uncomfortable again.
Your Career Acceleration Strategy: Instead of waiting until you’ve fully mastered your current role, start preparing for your next challenge. Identify the skills you’ll need, the relationships that will matter, and the experiences that will set you apart. Then start building them while you’re still succeeding in your current position.
This approach serves another crucial purpose: it prevents career stagnation. How many talented women do you know who’ve gotten “comfortable” in roles that no longer challenge them? Val’s philosophy ensures you’re always growing, always visible, and always ready for the next opportunity.
Your Leadership Action Plan: From Monday Morning to Career Transformation
Val’s insights are inspiring, but let’s get practical. How do you actually implement this advice starting right now?
Transform your daily work life: Before your next meeting, remind yourself that you belong there. Prepare one substantive contribution—a question, an insight, a suggestion—and commit to sharing it. Your voice matters. Instead of just completing assignments, think strategically about how each project could showcase your leadership potential. Volunteer for the challenging pieces. Offer to present findings to senior leadership. Suggest process improvements.
Stop waiting for permission: That project you’ve been considering? That leadership role that seems slightly out of reach? The right time is now. Your discomfort is proof you’re growing. Document your wins—keep a running list of accomplishments, big and small. You need to be ready to articulate your value when opportunities arise.
Build intentional relationships: Audit your professional connections. Who could sponsor you? Who are you sponsoring? If the answers are “no one” and “no one,” it’s time to be more strategic. Identify who could advocate for you in rooms where decisions are made. Equally important: identify who you can sponsor. This reciprocal approach accelerates progress for everyone.
Challenge yourself consistently: Every Monday, identify one thing that will push you out of your comfort zone that week. Maybe it’s speaking up in a meeting where you usually stay quiet. Perhaps it’s volunteering for a cross-functional project. Or reaching out to someone you’d like to learn from. Embrace every new challenge as an opportunity to prove your adaptability—a crucial skill in automotive’s rapidly evolving landscape.
Become an agent of change: Notice who gets credit, who gets invited to important meetings, who gets considered for stretch assignments. When you see bias patterns, speak up constructively. Frame it as a business opportunity rather than a social justice issue. When you have valuable input, deliver it with facts and rationale. If someone tries to dismiss your contribution, reinforce your credibility and continue contributing value.
The WIA Connection
Val’s decision to keynote at Women In Automotive 2025 stems from her deep connection to the industry and its evolving culture. “As a female with a deep background in this industry, I have seen the evolution of more women in leadership positions, and it’s groups like WIA that provide the network and encouragement to ensure that trend continues; and hopefully accelerates.”
Her goal for attendees reflects her action-oriented philosophy: “The best outcome would be if even a few of them feel more empowered to take action to advocate for themselves. I hope the insights and data that I plan to share will help them push any natural instincts to hesitate or thoughts of doubt aside and empower them to sign up before they feel ready.”
Your Leadership Journey Starts Now
Val’s message is ultimately about agency—recognizing that you have more power than you think to shape your career trajectory. The automotive industry needs diverse leadership to navigate its transformation. You don’t need to wait for an invitation to be part of that future.
Whether you’re just starting your automotive career or looking to advance to executive levels, Val’s insights offer a roadmap: embrace discomfort, advocate professionally, build diverse networks, and most importantly, act before you feel ready.
The industry is changing rapidly, and those changes need voices like yours to guide them. The question isn’t whether you’re ready to lead—it’s whether you’re ready to step into the leadership role that’s waiting for you.
Ready to elevate your automotive career and connect with leaders like Val Niehaus? The Women In Automotive 2025 conference happens August 3-6 in Nashville, TN, bringing together industry pioneers, emerging leaders, and change-makers who are redefining what’s possible in automotive. This isn’t just another conference—it’s your opportunity to build the sponsorship relationships that will accelerate your career, learn from women who’ve navigated the challenges you’re facing, and connect with a community that truly understands your journey.
Whether you’re an engineer designing the next generation of electric vehicles, a marketing professional reaching new customer segments, or an executive navigating industry transformation, you’ll find your tribe at WIA 2025. Val’s keynote is just one of many sessions designed to give you practical tools, inspiring stories, and actionable strategies for career advancement.
Explore our resources at Women In Automotive and join a community that’s here to support your journey from wherever you are to wherever you want to go. Your seat at the leadership table is waiting—are you ready to claim it?
Remember Val’s words: “The right time for you to lead is now.” Your industry needs your perspective, your skills, and your leadership. The only question is: are you ready to say yes before you feel ready?
Join us in Nashville this August and discover what happens when talented women come together to shape the future of automotive. Registration is open now.