40 Leaders in 40 Days

March 26th, 2025 by Kelly Kienzle

As a leader, when you are in chaotic and fast-changing times, what do you most crave?  I wondered about this question during the darkness of late winter this year.  So I set out to discover the answer to that question and a few more.

The Interviews

Over the course of the next 40 business days, I interviewed over 40 leaders.  I asked them questions, such as:

• What is the biggest challenge you are facing right now, as a leader?
• What is your ideal state for you and your team?
• If you achieved this ideal state, what would it mean for you personally?

And I even asked them to complete a Mad Lib statement, in regards to their leadership:

“I want to go from ______ to _______ so that ______.”

The Top Themes

By the end of the interviews, five clear themes emerged.  The number one theme?  Leaders want to enjoy the freedom to focus on strategic thinking.  And this goal is as important as it is elusive to achieve.

As the pace of change accelerates and the span of responsibilities expand, leaders most want to slow down and be still.  They want to spend time on expansive, blue-sky thinking to drive meaningful, strategic change in their organizations.

The Greater Meaning

What’s the value of this freedom to think?  I heard several reasons:

If I had more freedom to think, I would…

• Feel more confident about my decision-making
• Regain some control on how my time is spent
• Be a more thoughtful mentor to my team
• Once again, feel that I am the primary driving force on my team

After listening to their stories, I developed the Impact Leadership Method^©, which is a coaching approach designed specifically to address these goals.  I based this method on decades of the best coaching practices, organizational development frameworks, and, as always in my work, the mindsets of positive psychology.

The Offer

I’m so excited about these findings and this coaching approach.  So, I am offering 3 complimentary sessions for the next month.

It has been well over a decade (think, premiere of the first Hunger Games movie) since I last made such an offer.

These volatile times call for a steady, strategic hand at the helm.  I would be honored to help you find that stance.

Follow this link to schedule a complimentary 45-minute coaching discussion.