What if being the calmest person in the room is actually your best leadership move?

In this episode of Leadership Rules, we sit down with longtime friend, educator, and strategic change whisperer Kellie Ady—and it's a mic-drop masterclass in leading with empathy, clarity, and (real talk) patience.

From disastrous tech rollouts to unexpected mentorship wins, Kellie shares what she's learned about navigating change without losing your humanity—or your team’s trust. We dive into adaptive leadership, why communication is often an illusion, and how to influence culture even when you don’t have a title.

🎯 Highlights include:

• Why people don’t resist change—they fear loss
• The "CPR" leadership sticker you’ll want for your laptop
• How to lead even when you’re not on the org chart
• Why trust breaks when communication assumes too much
• What it means to be the cheerleader of people, not change

Whether you're a district leader, startup founder, middle manager, or just trying to steer your own life with more intention, Kellie’s wisdom will help you stop forcing it and start facilitating it.

📌 Bonus: You’ll learn why whiteboards, chalk, and “not the drink I ordered” are all part of this story.

🎧 Listen. Reflect. Then go be the calmest person in your room.

Connect with Kellie here: www.linkedin.com​