Mike Kelly is one of those people who, whenever you talk with him, you walk away wanting some extra time to reflect on what he said. Mike might be soft-spoken, but the man has made global impact through his work. In addition to being a leader and entrepreneur, Mike has dedicated much of his life to charity organizations like Habitat for Humanity, Rotary, and more. Mike Kelly is the gold standard for how to live well in relationships, work, community, and life.
- Mike Kelly’s story begins in South Carolina. He shares how his parents were the heart and soul of who he is. Despite the fact that neither of them finished high school, his mother encouraged him to read and understand math. His story of triumph and higher education is a prime example of how the right attitude and work ethic can take you far beyond where you started.
- Mike believes that business and community are inseparable. He shares his belief about the responsibility business leaders have to their communities. He shares what he’s learned about making that a reality, and one of the greatest factors you have to consider: time versus money.
- Michelin was an amazing learning experience for Mike. They did things differently, and he shares some of the biggest ways working at the company changed his way of thinking. Mike was eventually recruited away from Michelin to work at Macy’s, and he brought his lessons with him.
- We all can think people in our lives who have impacted our lives in many ways. For Mike, it began with his parents, and he shares the different people who changed him. From thinking big to helping him make connections with people in industries he was interested in. This led to his first work in charity, and it also taught Mike that growth might not be easy, but it’s necessary. And we have to do and take on things that will cause us to grow.
- Mike has been deeply involved in Rotary, which focuses on building relationship and community. In truth, Mike had no idea what Rotary was besides a possible ‘secret society.’ He couldn’t have been more wrong. He talks about how he was introduced and how he decided he would dedicate himself to it. From eliminating polio to building communities, Mike found a new home in Rotary.
- There are some key trends in learning and development you need to be aware of, including getting and keeping great talent, and developing leaders. There are challenges businesses face in both areas, and Mike shares some surprising statistics about what it really takes to help your managers and leaders grow. He also reveals how to ensure they retain what they’ve learned.
- One of the surprising ways your organization can be a ‘talent magnet’ is its involvement in the community. It’s something Mike Sipple, Jr, has noticed, and he and Mike Kelly talk about the ways they’ve both seen it in action. In fact, many top talent consider this to be a huge factor in their own career paths. They also enjoy community building through the arts. Mike has served on the May Festival Board. He reveals how music is an amazing way to get involved in the community and his experiences going to the concerts and getting his company involved.
- Something all leaders deal with is divisiveness among their employees, and it doesn’t help anyone. Mike has some interesting things to say as a man who, in his early years, saw signs that said, ‘No Blacks Allowed.’ It comes down to conditioning, he believes, and the first step to breaking through divisiveness is for people to be aware of their own conditioning.
- To wrap up, Mike leaves us with some actions we can take on our own to be better leaders, employees, and community builders, and it all begins with a personal mission statement. He shares how he works with his own clients and teams to create one for themselves.
Find Mike Kelly:
Three important quotes in Mike’s life:
“It isn’t where you came from, it’s where you’re going that counts.” — Ella Fitzgerald, Singer
“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.” – Leo Tolstoy
“He that would govern others, first should be Master of himself.” – Philip Massinger