A Leadership Masterclass with Kate Williams | Episode 169

Introduction

This episode is a genuine leadership masterclass.

Join me and Kate Williams, CEO of 1% for the Planet, as we explore many of the obvious, and not so obvious, foundational aspects of leadership.

If you consistently apply just a few of the tools and tactics we discuss, I guarantee it will have a dramatic effect on your leadership capability.

Kate Williams is CEO of 1% for the Planet, a global organisation that inspires action and commitment so that our planet and future generations thrive. 1% for the Planet’s global network of thousands of businesses and individuals have donated hundreds of millions of dollars to vetted environmental partners to date.

And as for me, I’m a leadership trainer, keynote speaker and executive coach, 11 years into my third career. The first was ten years in the British Army with multiple deployments to Iraq. My second career was working for some of Europe’s largest organisations in senior HR and L&D roles, before founding Ben Morton Leadership back in 2013.

So, between me and my guests, you are in great hands if you want to be a great leader.

 

Episode Highlights

1. Leadership: It’s Absolutely Not About You. Kate shares a powerful story that will inspire you to focus on the team that you lead, get comfortable with the fact that you don’t need to have all of the answers yourself, and help you to look at the person, not just their role.
2. The Best Example of a Company Purpose, Ever. If you’ve ever wondered if there is any real value in having a company purpose, this podcast will give you the answer. And I’m 99% sure you will be convinced of the value after listening.
3. The Motivational Tool CEOs and Senior Leaders Have Been Searching For. Could philanthropy – and 1% for the Planet – be the missing tool in the motivational toolbox? Quite possibly.
4. How To Create a High-Performance Culture: Learn how to create a culture that allows the organisation and every person within it to be wildly successful through self-awareness and a feedback-rich environment.
5. Why Your Personal Experience May Make Your Team More Stressed. Learn why your prior experience creates the risk of you failing to realise that your team are stressed or not appreciating how they are being impacted. This part of the podcast will help you uncover this potential blind spot and know what to do about it.  

 

Chapter Makers

(04:22)Lessons from Kate’s first leadership experience

(07:45) Proof that leaders don’t need to have all the answers

(13:36) The risk of leading by example

(15:41) The history and future of 1% for the Planet

(20:17) The best example of a ‘company purpose’ in practice

(23:26) Using philanthropy as a lever for performance and profitability

(33:11) The risk and cure for burnout in purpose-driven organisations

(38:00) Balancing long and short-term goals as a leader

(40:44) Changing your leadership approach as the organisations grows

(42:14) Creating a self-aware, feedback-rich culture

(44:36) Managing stress and why your experience means you may not notice how stress is affecting your team

Book Ben to Speak at Your Next Event

What does it take to become the type of leader that people would do anything for? Why would two soldiers risk their lives in the most heinous way imaginable without hesitation when asked to do so? Book Ben to speak at your next event on ‘Why Connection Is the True Currency of Leadership’ and learn the answer to both of these questions, plus lots more. Find out more here.

Hire Ben to Help You and Your Team Optimize Your Strengths

Learn more about the StrengthscopeProfiling tool here, and then contact Ben to explore how you and your team can use this to achieve your personal and commercial goals.

Further Resources

Join Ben and Kate as a member of the ‘1% for the Planet’ movement here.

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More About Kate Williams

Kate has driven significant organizational scale —implementing high-impact giving strategies, growing a global brand, and leading an incredible and dedicated team around the world.

Outside of her tenure at 1% for the Planet, Kate earned a BA at Princeton University and an MS at the MIT Sloan School of Management and has served on a variety of Boards.

At home, Kate is Mom to two amazing young adults, a partner to her husband of 30+ years, and is outside on trails as much as possible.