YOU are a STAR! And STELLAR Success is in your future! Check out my newest article in Aspire Magazine to learn more here: https://aspiremag.net/3-keys-to-stellar-success/

I’M DELIGHTED that my 2023 podcast with Beth Lawrence was named the Top Episode of the Year on The Type A+ Podcast! Thank you Beth, for the invitation. And thank you to anyone who listened and/or shared it with others. You can find that podcast episode here: On Getting Off the Seesaw of Perfectionism to Find Joy with Karen Lemke – The Type A+ Podcast | Podcast on Spotify

I’M EXCITED to be speaking in 2024 at: A-Mazing Events (January); Fox Valley SHRM Expo and Conference (February); EA 13 (March); Women at Foth (March); Immel Construction (March); FEI DIG (May); WLC Ambassador’s Networking Event (August); Fox Communities Credit Union (October); ChangeMakers Collective Year-End Celebration (December). Contact me today about opportunities to speak with YOUR team!

THANK YOU to the Wisconsin retailers who are selling my recently published journal. (Please see the Books and Journals page for more info.) WELCOME Hometown Pharmacy, which will be selling my journal in 15 of their stores beginning in September 2024.

SPECIALTIES (Each topic may be customized for inspirational speaking engagements, training/consulting and coaching.)

  • Mental Fitness / Positive Intelligence (The Power of Positivity)
  • 3 Keys to STELLAR Success: Shine Like the Star You Are (Find Your Fit, Dim Your Dark, Show How You SHINE)
  • Recalibrate Your Resilience (6-Step Process that helps you to THRIVE, not just survive)
  • 4 Powerful Steps to Expand Your Influence and Impact (It’s Your Time to Shine)
  • STARS for Sustained Success; STARS for Students
  • Imposter Syndrome: Honoring the Magnificence behind the Mask
  • Adapting to a Changed and Changing World
  • How to Handle Feedback Without Losing Your Head and Your Heart
  • Powerful Executive Presence
  • Holistic Leadership: Leading from the Head, Gut and Heart
  • Coaching for High Performance
  • Collaborative Leadership (includes DISC assessment and team development)
  • Defining YOUR Leadership Style
  • Leadership Foundations:  Communications / EQ / Conflict Resolution
  • Leading and Managing the Poor Performer
  • The Power of Words
  • Creating Sustainable and Motivating Culture
  • Strategic Visioning for Organizations and Individuals
  • Executive coaching / Leadership coaching / Personal Development coaching
  • Customized consulting, speaking, workshops and retreats

Personal Biography

Karen Lemke is a popular and respected coach, consultant, speaker and author with specialties in leadership, mental fitness, energy mastery and quantum success.  Additionally, her focus includes strategic cultural growth for individuals and organizations.  She is co-author of the book, “101 Ways to Enrich Your Life,” which is published internationally.  She is the creator of “STARS” programs and the “Show How You Shine” journal.  She is a contributor to Aspire Magazine, and she speaks on a wide range of inspirational topics.

Karen is President of Lemke Leadership, Inc., and a frequent presenter at leadership development programs and conferences. She was a coach/instructor/leader at the Center for Exceptional Leadership at St. Norbert College for the program’s entirety.  She has also served as Chairman of two Executive Agenda (EA) professional peer groups in Northeast Wisconsin.  She brings over 30 years of executive-level experience in Human Resources leadership for manufacturing and service organizations, with additional expertise in Organizational Development and Marketing. Although she can be a tough-minded business executive at the C-Suite level, she also recognizes that culture and relationships rule, in all aspects of life.

Karen is a Master Certified Coach by the QSCA with emphasis in energy mastery and quantum success.  She is licensed to provide Positive Intelligence instruction/coaching. She is certified in “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” and multiple assessment types (including Hogan, DISC, Hogan 360 and CEL 360). She integrates professional coaching practices with her custom-crafted programs and tools.

Karen lives with her husband, Bob, in Appleton, Wisconsin.  She is the mother of two adult daughters, the step-mother of three daughters, and the step-grandmother of seven grandchildren.  She enjoys life-long learning, connecting with family and friends, shopping, fishing and motorcycle riding. She is joyfully pursuing her mission to enrich, encourage and inspire.

Current Leadership Roles and Honors

President and Owner of Lemke Leadership, Inc.
Providing executive coaching, consulting, speaking and training. Specializing in Mental Fitness (PQ) coaching, Quantum Success coaching, energy mastery, customized leadership development, and Strategic Cultural Development. Karen’s 2023 podcast interview was named the Top Episode of the Year on The Type A+ Podcast.  She was a top-rated featured speaker at the Women’s Leadership Conference in both 2021 and 2023.  She is honored to be nominated as a Woman of Influence in the New North Region for 2022.

Former Coach, Instructor and Cohort Lead at the Center for Exceptional Leadership, in the Schneider School of Business at St. Norbert College.
Worked with leaders at all levels, to enhance their skills and provide a holistic behavioral approach for personal/professional development.

Retired Group Chair of two Executive Agenda (EA) professional peer groups in Northeast Wisconsin.

September 30, 2021

I have known Karen in multiple roles over the last several years - as Leader of my Executive Agenda Group, Guest Lecturer in my classes at UWGB and as a trusted mentor and most importantly a dear friend.  Karen challenged me to follow my talent and pursue my passions in life.  Through her Holistic Communications she has taught my students to effectively connect with others through their Head, Heart and Gut.  Her teaching style is professional, thoughtful and empathic.  She has given me the gift of invaluable leadership and enriched my communications while becoming a trusted and very special friend.  

July 10, 2024

After 25 years of growth and development, this past year I experienced the greatest amount of personal and professional development to-date. Karen’s coaching is a perfect combination of head, heart and gut. After sessions with Karen, my energy level is high and I feel ready to do what is needed to be a better version of me. Karen is open and creates the environment needed to feel safe being vulnerable, values what it takes to become a better leader and acknowledges your personal leadership goals. Together, we met and exceeded the desired coaching outcomes.

September 19, 2023

"Working with Karen was a life changing experience. Her guidance has been amazing. She is trustworthy and encouraging. I am at a loss of words as I come to the end of my year long journey, as to how much Karen has impacted my life, career, and relationships. After our sessions I would feel as though I had just been through the best therapeutic massage. Just knowing we had a session coming up would help me calm, and get the SABOTEURS to stop, and get the SAGE in and help me relax. I so would look forward to our conversations Karen, that I am having a hard time saying good-bye.  However, I do know that this was just the start of a deep and meaningful relationship."

November 10, 2021

I recently graduated from St. Norbert College’s Center for Exceptional Leadership.  The lead facilitator for my program was Karen Lemke.  The program challenges the participants on a leadership level that is unlike any other.  The success of that level of leadership depth in my cohort was largely due to Karen.  Karen is a humble leader, so she would tell you that it was the cohort as a whole; but what is also true is that it was her compassion, drive, and expertise that made it possible. Karen creates an environment that is safe.  Safe seems like such a simple word, but her ability to create that safe space allowed the participants to show their authentic selves, to challenge the process, and to break through as exceptional leaders. It was Karen’s experience, guidance, and leadership that ushered the participants through the program to graduation. It is her continued support and commitment to each one of us that will truly allow us to continue on the path to exceptional leadership. 

August 26, 2019

In the Holistic Leadership program, I got a great start on my dream plan. Having something that is actionable is invaluable. The dream exercise was powerful and something actionable that we can take away from today’s session. I am genuinely excited to share the content with my family and team. We are going to create a family dream plan (all members) and review it regularly for progress. Doing this will help us encourage each other and give ideas on adjusting our own plans to help each other achieve theirs. Karen was awesome presenting this program content. She demonstrated vulnerability and let us inside her personal world, which helped us learn the concepts of holistic leadership. Way to be courageous!

January 15, 2024

I wanted to express my sincere gratitude for your invaluable contribution to our strategy meeting last week. Your presentation, "It's Your Time to Shine," was an absolute highlight, and I speak for everyone when I say that it truly resonated with many of us.  Once again, thank you for your time, dedication, and the wealth of knowledge you shared with us. We are grateful to have had you as our guest speaker, and your impact will undoubtedly have a positive ripple effect on our future endeavors.  Looking forward to the possibility of collaborating again in the future.

May 29, 2024

Additional Testimonials from FEI DIG Workshop on May 14, 2024:

  • Great speaker and great content. I enjoyed the breakout sessions because I was able to discuss and get feedback with others at my table which was very valuable to me.
  • Excellent and always relevant.
  • I thought it was a great event!
  • The key takeaways from the workshop were practical and impactful. They provided clear steps that could be easily implemented into my daily routine to bring more joy into my life.
  • I always enjoy listening to Karen's presentations.
  • Great event.
  • Excellent and always relevant.
  • Karen's presentation was fantastic - a great use of my time. I enjoyed the topic and the networking.
  • I thought it was very good, now the trick is remembering to act on what we learned.
  • Great event. Thankful to have been able to participate in this session.
  • Loved the Foth location, beautiful building and room setup was great.
  • Karen is an excellent motivational speaker. Enjoyed the session very much!
  • Karen is an amazing speaker and kept the audience engaged the entire time. Venue was beautiful! Thank you.
  • This was a wonderful event. Thank you for allowing me to attend.
November 21, 2023

During the past year, I had opportunity to participate in a CEL Senior Leadership cohort that was led by Karen Lemke.  Karen’s warm and caring nature was on full display in all cohort activities throughout the entire program.   While leading our cohort—which was quite unique, energetic and often-times eccentric—Karen consistently allowed cohort members to openly communicate their thoughts and opinions on the topics at hand, always in non-judgmental fashion.  Karen’s ability to ask thought-provoking and challenging questions ultimately led to cohort members’ important self-reflection, learning and leadership development.  It was a pleasure to work with and learn from Karen during my journey though the CEL.

March 27, 2024

Karen stands out as the most exceptional executive coach I've had the privilege of knowing and learning from. I'm overjoyed that our paths have crossed. To me, she transcends the role of "just" an executive coach; she is so much more than that. She's simply extraordinary. Karen has provided me with insights I couldn't have gained alone. She's been my strongest supporter while also offering constructive criticism to help me reach my full potential. That's Karen's essence – she strives for your best and spares no effort in aiding you to achieve it. Isn't that remarkable? I am forever thankful for her guidance, time, companionship, and unwavering support. I wholeheartedly endorse Karen to anyone seeking transformative coaching.

May 16, 2024

FEI Eastern Wisconsin has had the honor to work with and feature Karen Lemke at two of our Diversity & Inclusion Group (DIG) Events over the past two years. She has spoken on the topic of positive intelligence (November 2022) and leadership (May 2024), and feedback from everyone in attendance has been glowing. Karen has the unique ability to inspire, educate, and motivate everyone she encounters and is truly magnetic. We’re pleased to share some anonymous survey comments from her presentation at our most recent DIG Workshop:

 

“I found the “It’s Your Time to Shine Leadership Workshop” to be an outstanding experience. The content was well-structured, and the delivery was engaging, making it easy to stay focused throughout the workshop. The key takeaways from the workshop were practical and impactful. They provided clear steps that could be easily implemented into my daily routine to bring more joy into my life.”

 

“I liked that Karen had us do discussion time with our table groups, it was helpful to get to know others in the room and understand other people's challenges. Karen was very motivational and provided tools for us to take it back to "real life".

 

"After this workshop, I left feeling uplifted and energized to be more kind to me and my team. A reminder of this sort is always welcome and helpful to get you back on track!! Thank you!”

 

“Great session - multiple takeaways. Good use of my time to attend! Thank you!”

 

“I really enjoyed Karen's presentation - useful in both my personal and professional life.”

 

“I have been to presentations by Karen in the past and absolutely love them!”

 

September 29, 2021

I have had the privilege to work with Karen over the past year in the Center for Exceptional Leadership (CEL) at St. Norbert College. Karen is blessed with strengths and skillsets that contribute to her ability to build relationships and provide a genuine desire to enrich, encourage and inspire leaders. I learned a great deal from Karen.  The gifts of leadership she gave me, will be gifted to others for years to come. Karen is someone who comes into your life to help you complete a program (CEL) and in the end, you hope she stays in your life even when the program is done.

March 12, 2019

A good mentor is hard to find.  When I first started Executive Agenda, I wasn’t sure of many things as a young leader.  It wasn’t long before Karen and I were sitting down talking about leadership over coffee.  She was always willing to make herself available to support and advise me.  She made me feel that I was not alone in this crazy, fast-paced world of business and that she genuinely cared about my own professional development.  She would ask tough questions that made me dig deeper.  Her advice was focused and motivating.  Karen always gave more than I asked for and for that she was a trusted advisor.

November 21, 2022

Leadership coaching is not Karen’s job, it is her life’s calling. She truly puts her whole self into the individuals she is mentoring bringing forth love, empathy, guidance and perspective to any situation. Leadership challenges us with twists and turns on our journey, but with Karen’s mentorship I felt prepared to take on these hurdles with confidence and resiliency. My most meaningful lessons from Karen were to “meet people where they are” and that “leadership is about being vulnerable”, both which have had a transformational shift in my leadership effectiveness.

July 19, 2024

Karen provides individual coaching services to MPTC leaders and these leaders have described personal transformation resulting in more effective conflict resolution, increased team and employee engagement, and growth in their personal and professional leadership.  Additionally, the leaders have shared that they were able to connect, build trust and find success working with Karen.  Karen also provided training to our leaders, receiving very positive reviews outlining that Karen shared impactful stories, easy to implement tools and useful strategies for leadership. 

 

January 5, 2024

I participated in the Center for Exceptional Leadership – Senior Cohort, with Karen serving as our cohort facilitator.  I can say that this is the most beneficial leadership group I’ve ever been a part of, and Karen was a main contributor to the impact it had on me.  Karen is a wealth of knowledge on many leadership topics and concepts, and has a tremendous ability to initiate and guide healthy discussion.  Karen helped me consider different and unique perspectives on how I show up as a leader at work and a family member at home.  I have felt more confidence and less anxiety in many situations since Karen has helped me on my leadership journey.  I look forward to any opportunity to work with Karen again and would highly recommend anyone to reach out to her.

March 12, 2019

Karen is an amazing coach who is extremely knowledgeable on a vast array of leadership topics. She easily combines her formal training with her real world work experience which allows her to present her influence in an authentic, easy to understand and applicable manner. Karen has the ability to connect with others on a very personal level making her a very effective coach. She challenges those she coaches to think about situations differently and gently pushes each of us to become the best version of ourselves.

I have had the pleasure of working with Karen as my coach for nearly a year and I can say that I’ve not only learned a great deal from Karen but she has positively influenced both my professional and personal life.

August 26, 2019

Karen’s Dream Exercise was an assignment for our corporate retreat. Seriously, it felt like an intrusion on my privacy to share dreams in a group setting. Felt like a trap to label an idea as “this is my dream.” After vacillating for a week, I decided to trust the exercise. After all I trusted Karen! Once the mental barriers were removed, jotting down inner-most wishes and passions was easy. Fast forward one month later, this exercise has catapulted me into a different sphere of energy, motivation and bliss. Putting action to two of the dreams immediately, has been anything but a trap. It’s been genuinely fun and liberating. Karen’s facilitation with our group flowed naturally and felt safe.

August 5, 2019

I participated in a group "I Have a Dream" exercise with Karen. The pre-work and process of developing our "dreams" were thought and emotion-provoking. Putting my dreams on paper and then sharing my dreams with others, who shared their dreams with me was stirring. Karen's facilitation -- including her reading her dreams first was awesome and inspiring. This was a very important experience for me and I believe the rest of my life. The transparency and openness that seems to naturally happen during the facilitated session I believe will improve our group dynamic because we could experience how much we had in common. The values alignment with our group was astonishing and was revealed throughout the day. Thank you, Karen.

November 28, 2023

I was fortunate enough to meet and work with Karen Lemke through the CEL Senior Leadership cohort. Karen has an incredible ability to bring the entire team together to participate in thought provoking discussions allowing all opinions and observations to be brought to light. She was able to draw from experiences and learnings on her own leadership journey which gave her authentic credibility. Her open and honest approach to all the topics covered allowed me to let my guard down and to grow in my personal leadership journey. I truly appreciate the opportunity to work with Karen for over a year throughout the program.

April 19, 2023

When I reached out to Karen with an opportunity to serve as the keynote speaker at our women’s leadership workshop, I was coming with a challenging ask: Can you come in as an external speaker to close out an event that will otherwise feature and celebrate internal talent? Can you help us pivot from highlighting our uniquely shared past and present successes and give us a new and renewed commitment to innovate our future impact? It wasn’t a situation that would work with any recycled presentation. Karen’s “Yes!” led to a collaboration in which she proved herself to be the caring and talented professional the testimonials on her website say she is. Her 90-minute keynote was thoughtfully tailored for our event and our audience. Her expertise and engaging presentation style brought it all together, inspired our audience, and helped ensure the success of our event. I would work with Karen again in any capacity at any time.

Moraine Park Technical College
February 7, 2022

Karen is inspirational, intelligent, refreshing, energetic and humorous.  Karen provides leadership coaching at Moraine Park Technical College, individually and as a collective leadership group.  In both capacities she greatly invests in her audience and in turn captivates them, encouraging people to apply her message to their life and leadership.  Her message centers around the head, heart and gut, and she challenges leaders to listen to all three.  Each time you meet with Karen you walk away with a feeling of gratitude and an understanding of how to make each day better than the previous day. 

November 21, 2023

I was apprehensive about what it meant to be mentored and coached, but Karen quickly put my concerns to rest. Because of this positive experience, I was able to have thought provoking discussions and personal breakthroughs that I haven’t experienced before.

Through my work with Karen, I’ve identified and improved upon skills I didn’t know I had. I’ve expanded my ability to motivate, influence, and lead for results—all without compromising my high expectations. I will always be appreciative of Karen’s belief in me. Karen has been a great partner in my development.

 

July 22, 2019

While working through a job transition, a business colleague suggested that I connect with Karen for suggestions and advice on my job search. Karen and I met, and she was wonderfully supportive. What stood out to me was her care and compassion for others. Knowing that job transitions are emotional, she gave me a copy of a book that she knew would be helpful for the emotional journey that I have been on. I was very appreciative of that gift, and her willingness to meet with me periodically as I navigate through this life changing experience. Her humanistic qualities set her apart as a leader, and I am happy to call her my friend.

November 17, 2022

The best thing that happened to me in my leadership journey at the Center for Exceptional Leadership is to cross paths with Karen.  If I can use one word to describe Karen is CARE, she truly cares about making us better leaders and gave us meaningful examples to do that.  I was so impressed with Karen’s abilities that we hired her as a consultant to lead a culture initiative that we have at the company I work for.   Karen has a gift for bringing the best out of people and she is not afraid of being vulnerable.  Her advice and her recommendations have put me on my way to become the best version of myself.