How to Step Up as an Empowering Leader with Kelly Meerbott

These challenging times demands so much more from leaders. It has become increasingly crucial to close the gaps and acknowledge every individual’s contribution. 

In seeing and recognizing the value each one brings, collaboration becomes a practical path that ensures an organization’s growth.    

Kelly Meerbott is a passionate advocate, ally and activist for diversity, equity and inclusion. 

In 2009, at the height of the recession, Kelly found herself caught up in a round of 30,000 layoffs-a defining moment in her career. As Kelly explored what was next, she hired a coach who subsequently changed her life. The support and guidance of the personal coach helped her realize her passion for helping others and desire to make it a career. More importantly, she recognized how impactful and life-changing a great coach can be. This is what inspires and motivates her to share her talents to make a difference in the world. 

In this episode, Kelly shares how, at one point, she wasn’t included, and felt like she didn’t belong. That’s why she’s standing up for what she advocates for, - helping leaders to step up in their leadership game where diversity, equity, and inclusion strongly matter.  

In her words, it’s about getting out from your head and dropping to your heart and soul to open up conversations and to just listen. A great solution is best achieved when there is a participatory atmosphere where everyone feels they belong and they matter.

What you will learn from this episode: 

Learn how to get past the fear of mistakes and just show up as a true leader Discover what a soul line versus a goal line of leadership is about to make you a truly empowered leader Find out the compounding power of appreciation in ways that impacts your people’s morale and shoots up your profit in magnitude you would never imagine

“The best thing you can do right now as a leader is open the conversation. You don't have to come up with these long, complicated plans. You don't have to do that. Just start the conversation and listen. And that's it.”  

- Kelly Meerbott

Topics Covered:

02:19 - What makes her a staunch advocate of diversity and equity inclusion? 

04:19 - Why is there gold in mistakes? 

06:58 - What you should know about ‘false evidence appearing real’  

09:50 - Actionable tip to foster the spirit of inclusion: Listen, ask questions, get feedback, and take action. 

12:31 - The soul line versus the goal line 

16:54 - Get your FREE anti-racist resource list. Click here: www.kellymeerbott.com/resources/ 

18:00 - Why out of everything Kelly could have done with her life, why be a coach, especially now when it's a challenge to be an entrepreneur? 

20:23 - What it entails to be an empowered leader

Key Takeaways:

“I was so unclear for so long that when it hits you, it hits you like a ton of bricks.” 

“When all of that George Floyd murder went down, it just reaffirmed the fragility of human life. I thought, there's no time like the present to tell you who I am and what I stand for.” 

“I think there's gold in mistakes. If you look for the lessons and the blessings, and you have people around you that are willing to honor your apologies when you make those mistakes, and you made those mistakes, you apologize for them, and then they lift you up and help you heal from it.”    

Resources:

Get your FREE anti-racist resource list. Click here: www.kellymeerbott.com/resources/ 

Connect with Kelly Meerbott:

Website: https://kellymeerbott.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Youloudandclear/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellyameerbott/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kellymeerbott/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ph/kmeerbott/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/KellyAMeerbott/