Leadership Coach

Kelly Meerbott represents the new age in leadership, one that is no longer dominated by theories, models, and the aging white men who developed them. Kelly stands for a style of leadership that is authentic and governed by the heart and soul, one that is reliant on traits such as empathy, compassion, and love for humanity

Someone wise once said to me, “Jen, don’t wait for a life changing moment to change your life,” a sentiment which remained with me for many years before I had the strength and self-awareness to do anything about it.

“The more tranquil we become, the greater is our success, our influence, our power for good. Calmness of mind is one of the beautiful jewels of wisdom.”
I love this quote from James Allen: a good reminder for everyone.

You go from one success to the other thinking ‘you’ll be happy when….’ And as soon as you’ve reached that next goal, you’re on the lookout for the next one. So that success becomes something you tick off your list.

Leadership is much greater than influencing people, setting goals, taking action and achieving them. Leadership is multi-layered. It is about the person you are, the trust you can build, the empathy you show, the way you nurture and develop and give opportunity to others. It’s a trait that you acquire over time.

From our earliest days, we are told what a happy life looks like. We are told what paths we can take to reach this desirable destination, and once we reach it, we will have earned the desirable accolade of “successful.”

The number of women in leadership has seen unprecedented growth in recent years. Not just in number but also in the high levels of leaderships in organizations and government. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2020, women held 40% of manager positions and 28% of senior management positions across all organizations.

The pandemic presented a multitude of radical changes in a relatively short period of time. Changes that would have taken months or years to implement happened in a matter of days for many organizations. Of all of the changes set in motion over the past 18 months, I hope we’ll see a continued focus on Diversity & Inclusion, along with meaningful change in how we think about, implement and measure Diversity & Inclusion these efforts.

Joanna Howes is the founder and CEO of The Change Creators. She is an award-winning international coach, behavioural expert, and No 1 best-selling international author, specialising in leadership and team performance coaching.