Creating Inclusiveness and Happiness from Trauma with Maryann Kerr
“Courage is just fear walking.”
BE GRATEFUL FOR THE SHADOWS, IT IS ONLY THROUGH THEM THAT YOU CAN RECOGNIZE THE LIGHT.
Chief Happiness Officer & CEO of the Medalist Group, author, & social sector expert Maryann Kerr joined me this week on the Flourish or Fold podcast to chat about the power of gratitude, her formative challenges, and defining moments.
Maryann is no stranger to immense loss & complex trauma, though it's difficult to imagine such a light, joyful spirit facing that level of darkness. This is why I believe it is so important to talk about the messy parts of our journey with as much gusto as we discuss the highlights. These untold stories of resilience, like Maryann’s, are where we find the strength, vulnerability, and lessons we need to get to that place of success.
So where does gratitude come in? Maryann shared with me how she has been told many times to be grateful for the bullies she's faced, the dragons she's slain, and the challenges she's endured because, in the end, they’re what set her on the path to find meaning in her work and joy in her life.
You see, it’s only when we have witnessed the darkest shadows that we can truly appreciate the golden rays of the sun. Enjoy this incredible episode. ⇣
On the episode, we talk about:
What Maryann learned from her relationship with her father and sister (7:31)
How managing bullying in the workplace helped her mission of inclusiveness (14:20)
Why discovering ADHD can help create feelings of “enoughness” (20:39)
How we can disown the hurt from others, especially through social media (25:42)
How she managed general transmission in her family (30:47)
How understanding privilege helps in understanding trauma (35:38)
How to journey from tremendous trauma to “chief happiness officer” (41:20)
Why understanding we are connected can help us all (47:21)
About Maryann Kerr
Maryann Kerr is Chief Happiness Officer, and CEO with the Medalist Group. Maryann has worked in the social profit sector for 34 years and helped raise over $110M for small to mid-sized organizations. She has led at the local, provincial, national and international level and is passionate about her family, feminism, and continuous learning.
As a governance, leadership and culture specialist, Maryann knows successful organizations create and nurture a climate where everyone understands their role; politics are minimal; engagement is high and turnover low. Environments where employees co-create the roadmap to mission delivery. Compassion, kindness, and a deep commitment to collaborative and productive workplaces are core to her work.
Maryann has participated on many social profit boards and committees and her first book Tarnished: Let’s rethink, reimagine and co-create a new social impact sector was published by Civil Sector Press in 2021.
Maryann earned her master’s in organizational leadership.
Links & Resources referenced in this podcast episode:
Tarnished book
Find Our Guest hanging out on these platforms:
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