Meet Kari Granger | CEO of Leadership Development & Consulting Firm

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kari Granger and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kari, Let’s talk about principles and values – what matters to you most?
An important value for me—especially as of late—is acceptance. My whole business is about catalyzing individual and organizational transformation, breaking through limitations, dreaming up new futures and materializing them. And what I’ve learned in the course of my career is that nothing new can be created without accepting what is already so. Lots of folks are struggling with this right now. There’s so much resistance to what’s so: The virus. The state of the economy. The ways in which society is changing at breakneck speed. So much is uncertain. The irony is that resisting that uncertainty only compounds the uncertainty. The quicksand metaphor is apt here: the more we struggle to extricate ourselves, the more stuck we get. When we accept the uncertainty and move into a state of peace, a state of wonder—that is when we find the capacity to design new futures.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I could tell you about our unique methodologies, or our diverse talent, or the way we leverage technology to create enterprise-wide leadership development solutions… But none of that is at the heart of it all. I think what sets Granger Network apart—and part of why I started this business in the first place—is the idea of partnership. We committed from the very beginning never to see ourselves as vendors, but rather, as partners. We’re so invested in the outcomes of our clients, it’s a little crazy! Their bottom line is our bottom line. Their mission is our mission. Their culture is our culture. And because of that way of looking, I think we do things differently. We go the extra mile in our delivery. We say the thing that needs to be said in the moment—even when it’s awkward or uncomfortable. We walk away from a potential contract—even if it would be lucrative for us—if it’s not the exact right thing for them. All of that stems from partnership. And it’s what makes this work incredibly meaningful, every single day.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Oh, it’s such a great area! For food (because of course we have to start with food), I would recommend Linger in Denver. I love how they provide little tastes from around the world in the form of distinctive tapas. When The Granger Network celebrates some milestone, we’ll sometimes go there together. Now, for a bit of culture, I always recommend checking out the Denver Center for the Performing Arts—there are some world-class productions that they put on there, so see what’s coming up on the program. Finally, if you make it out to the Evergreen area where I live, there are some wonderful hiking trails up in the foothills and some breathtaking scenery. Skating on Evergreen Lake is a family favorite.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d like to shout out Coaches Rising. They’re an amazing organization that supports professional coaches in a variety of ways. They provide certified trainings, publish articles and podcasts, and keep me informed on the latest tools and practices in my industry. But what I appreciate most about Coaches Rising is that they serve as a constant reminder about the importance of continuous learning. You know, I’ve been doing this work for a while now. Sometimes you slip into thinking, “I’ve learned what there is to learn. I know what I’m doing here. I’ve got this thing figured out.” And while it’s certainly possible to achieve a level of mastery in one’s craft, organizations like Coaches rising remind you that there is never and end-point when it comes to mastery. There’s always a deeper level of mastery to be achieved. In that way, they’ve been invaluable in staving off complacency.

Website: grangernetwork.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kari-granger/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXwF-k8-yr4uXlNrba5EDhQ