147: Caroline Ouwerkerk: Saying Yes to Opportunities and Leading With Purpose

Overview

Many of us want to make a positive impact and gain fulfillment with the work we do. In some cases, pursuing that ambition may require a significant shift in our career and our lives.

Today’s guest pivoted in her career in order to seek more sustainability and more fulfillment in her work and life. Caroline Ouwerkerk is a career and leadership coach who works with people in the social impact space to help them find their purpose and pursue it sustainably. 

Making the world a better place isn’t a short-term goal. It’s vital that social impact leaders take measures to make the work more sustainable over the long term.

Caroline shares the structures she has put in place for herself to help her disconnect from work, how she models sustainable leadership, how to think about right-sizing our efforts, and the importance of connecting with community.

More About Our Guest

Caroline Ouwerkerk is a strengths-based leadership and career coach who works with mission-driven professionals and organizations to grow and support social impact leaders on five continents at a range of leadership and career crossroads.

Caroline also runs the Impact Leaders Incubator, a leadership development program and community for women in social impact, and partners with companies and universities to offer interactive workshops on topics including strengths-based leadership, career confidence, and mitigating burnout. She offers one-to-one leadership and career coaching for social impact professionals. 

She holds an AB in History from the University of Chicago, and her Master’s in Higher Education Administration from the University of Pennsylvania. She was previously an adjunct professor of leadership at Johns Hopkins University.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

  • Why Caroline made the leap into social entrepreneurship and coaching

  • Discerning when to say “yes” to opportunities and when to let go

  • Determining how and where you are best-suited to contribute

  • Modeling sustainable leadership

  • The tools Caroline uses to right-size efforts into a more sustainable intensity

  • How Caroline draws on her authentic self to build community in the social impact space

Learn more about Caroline Ouwerkerk:

Resources Mentioned

Thanks for Listening!

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2024Kathy OnetoRight Ambition, Right Time, Right Effort