Leading with Listening, Story, and Vision
Katie McCleary catalyzes leaders and teams to fulfill their shared purpose through listening intelligence, strategic storytelling, and by having critical conversations that moves work forward. Katie equips professionals to be agile in their authenticity, speak with confidence and clarity, and create profound and sustainable impact.
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. As a seasoned leader, Katie knows what it takes to be 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, an NPR-affiliate leadership podcast host of The Drive in partnership with the American Leadership Forum, and a 3x TEDx speaker with over 4 million views.
Katie teaches people to convey a clear vision and be authentic in how they connect, listen, and speak to activate their purpose and make ideas come alive and thrive.
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 dismantles common myths about 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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