Spend any amount of time in an organization and you’ll quickly realize that authority and influence are not the same thing. This is actually a great opportunity for the majority of us who need to influence a change in our departments, teams, or organizations. Creating influence - regardless of where you are in an organization - is a hallmark of successful leaders and something that can be learned and developed as you define your unique leadership style. This session will cover strategies and practical tips for building your authentic leadership style and influencing positive change no matter where you sit in your organization.
Learning objectives include:
- Understand how to get the greatest return on your effort when leading a team, project, or organization
- Be able to identify the fundamentals of building confidence to execute your personal goals
- Understand basic change management principles that help create influence regardless of position or authority
Presented by Kate Leese. Kate is an energetic speaker and active champion for women leaders represented at all levels within organizations. Passionate about seeing other ambitious women succeed, Kate has served as the vice chair for the women’s advisory panel of a Fortune 500 company, created a mentorship group for dozens of professional women, and regularly advises women department heads and business owners on developing their own leadership style. Kate currently runs a Women Owned Small Business, that provides emergency management consulting services and resources for hundreds of electric and gas utilities each year. Kate has been invited to speak at events across the country including Chicago’s NPR station, the National Hurricane Conference, and a TEDx Talk titled “How to Succeed When You’re Underestimated.” Previously Kate served as Public Safety Director and Emergency Manager for the 4th largest combination gas and electric utility in the US, overseeing emergency preparedness, business continuity, crisis management, and emergency official coordination for the utility serving nearly 7 million residents. Currently, Kate is Managing Partner of the Kinetics Company, an Emergency Management firm that helps utilities improve their operations by enabling their teams to act confidently and strategically when responding to storms and incidents. Kate is certified in Change Management, holds a Master of Public Health Degree and MBA focused in Disaster Management, a Bachelors Degree in Biotechnology, and has a basset hound named Frank.