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Such creative leaders often inspire their workforces and create circumstances that foster innovation--they learn and adapt from others and then implement their knowledge to inspire their workforces and create environments that foster continued innovation.

We all have someone in our lives who inspires us. Whether it's a mother who pushed baseball practice and piano lessons at a young age, or an actual company that delivers exemplary service, people and organizations that have the ability to inspire are iconic.

Some of the 2010 1to1 Customer Champions, people who evangelize the customer strategy within their organizations, shared their icons of inspiration--the people and companies that inspire them to make the tough decisions that affect their customer base.

Gloria Berndl, Sr. Director Market & Business Intelligence, CDW:
"My coworkers inspire me. I look at the tools we have had and the systems and processes that we've had and the success we've had and it is remarkable to me. We've grown up by our bootstraps. I commend the people who have made that happen."

Fred Taylor, Senior Manager, Proactive Customer Service Communications, Southwest Airlines:
"There are several people who inspire me. First of all, my leaders at al levels, both past and present, have definitely been influential in my tenure with Southwest Airlines. And where would I be without [Southwest President Emeritus] Colleen Barrett? Had it not been for her idea and her trust and confidence in me, as well as her encouragement to continue to develop out the proactive concept for Southwest Airlines, I can't image where I would be as a leader with this company.

Also, my team members inspire me. They keep me honest. They keep our product honest. They keep us moving in the right direction. Our customers inspire me, both internal and external. The great feedback we receive, as well as the candid feedback we get from time to time, also keeps us on our toes.

And then our business partners, as well. We can't do it all by ourselves so we have to call on third parties to help us deliver that type of proactive service. They inspire us to achieve great things and to help us uphold our goals and objectives."

Esther van Zeggeren, Director of Marketing Strategy and Innovation, KPN:
"Besides Nelson Mandela, I will give you a more practical example: Tony Hsieh from Zappos.com, because he is an extremely customer-centric businessperson. He has proven to the world that business can be huge by choosing the customer perspective. It's an impressive example, and he really created a win-win situation. It made Zappos grow from really nothing to $1 billion in sales within 10 years."

Kimberly Benaquista, Customer Relations Specialist, Panasonic Computer Solutions Company:
"My family really does, in particular my parents. Growing up, I saw their work ethic and how they were always interested in doing the best for the companies they worked for in an ethical way. That really pushes me to do the best I can at Panasonic and share it with our customers, as well."

Barry Mainz, Chief Operating Officer, Wind River, a wholly owned subsidiary of Intel Corporation:
"Apple. They have this DNA that has been injected everywhere [so] they have this tenacity for connecting with customers in a way that customers love them. They are among the highest companies in the world for loyalty."

Kathleen Cattrall, Vice President, Branded Customer Experience, Time Warner Cable:
"The book Clued In: How to Keep Customers Coming Back Again and Again, by Lewis Carbone, really help me grasp how I was going to shape our strategy. The book is about how we consciously and unconsciously shaped our opinions about a company that we do business with based on the clues that they embed in the relationship.

"For example, when I go to Whole Foods, I enter the store in the fresh produce area. The clue there is that I'm going to be healthy today; I am going to eat healthily and that's consistent with Whole Foods values. They have three different types of baskets that I can grab, depending on how much I'm going to purchase that day. That's a clue.

"Think about Zappos.com, which is a great example. Who would have thought that women would use an online retailer to purchase their shoes? There are many reasons why I do that, but when they embed the clues in their relationship with their customer is when the box arrives at your house. One of their [company] values is printed on the box. And every box is different. I love that because I share the value and you feel like you're doing business with a company that is outstanding, that will have good people working for it, and that will treat you fairly."

Desirree Madison-Biggs, Director, Customer Insight & Measurement, Symantec Corporation:
"I haven't been asked this question in a long time. I'd like to share a few.

"President Obama because of his life story and his courage and approach to problem-solving; irrespective of what you may think of his politics, I think he's just an amazing leader. I'm inspired by his vision of improving the American experience.
"There are two women who inspire me, and my daughter has taught me about them: Dr. Laurie Marker and Dr. Jane Goodall. They've dedicated their lives to saving entire species (cheetahs and chimpanzees, respectively).

"Our CEO, Enrique Salem, inspires me. He's never once wavered in his commitment to making customers the center of our company and has supported us every step in the way."