Leading with Listening, Story, and Vision
trusted by top leaders and organizations
About Katie
Listen, Speak, and Work with Purpose
Katie McCleary is a pioneering voice in transforming how executives and organizations lead with impact and vision. As seasoned leader, Katie knows what it takes to be successful, purposeful, and prosperous.
She’s the co-owner of LQ: Listening Intelligence, which revolutionizes how people listen, the founder of 916 Ink- a wildly successful and innovative nonprofit, a graduate school leadership professor, an award-winning author, and NPR-affiliate leadership podcast host. Katie makes ideas thrive and come alive.
She has dedicated her life to inspiring people to embrace their journey and become authors of their unfolding story.
Katie teaches people to convey a clear vision and be authentic in how they connect, listen, speak, and activate their purpose.
Katie's Keynote:
Listen & Activate
The Science and Soul of Human Connection in a Noisy World
In a world overloaded with noise, the most powerful tool we have is the ability to truly listen. Not just to words—but to needs, ideas, emotions, and the stories that drive us.
Katie has listened to more than 10,000 people—from Fortune 500 leaders to entrepreneurs, creatives, and changemakers—and she’s uncovered what people are really seeking, what holds them back, and what moves them to action. Backed by cutting-edge neuroscience and decades of experience, Katie reveals the untapped leadership superpowers of listening and storytelling.
This keynote isn’t just inspiring—it’s activating. Through LQ: Listening Intelligence, Katie helps audiences rethink how they connect, lead, and collaborate. She dismantles the myths of communication, debunks active listening, and offers a new lens through which to hear—and be heard.
In this electrifying experience, audiences will:
- Discover their personal listening profile—and how to use it as a strength
- Learn how to adapt their storytelling style to engage and move others
- Navigate high-stakes conversations with more clarity, confidence, and emotional intelligence
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Build cultures of trust, creativity, and momentum—one powerful conversation at a time
Whether you lead a team, run a company, or are building your next big idea, this keynote will challenge how you communicate—and leave you with the tools to connect like never before.
This isn’t just a keynote. It’s a call to listen boldly, speak with purpose, and activate what’s possible.
client experiences
“Katie brings a heart-centered, humble poise earned from a lifetime of courageous choices, a demonstrable confidence found from consistently living into her own potential, and a magnetism born solely of her commitment to helping others live into theirs.”
Marssie Versola, Founder and CEO of The Impact Table
“We take education seriously—and our time with Katie McCleary was truly impactful. Even in the virtual environment, they made the material come alive by intentionally engaging us in a conversation and equipping us with ways to have better conversations internally and externally.”
Dr. Michael Marion, Jr., Director U.S. Department of Education | Federal Student Aid
“Katie is a brilliant mind and when you choose to work with her your output will blossom. After enlisting her support for strategic thought leadership I had better direction and motivation. We co-created a clear path that I’ve been able to put into action and see immediate results with speaking engagements and an uptick in marketing efforts.”
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