Kaylee Keil, HR professional, leadership coach, and board member, joins Melinda Lee in this episode of the Speak In Flow podcast to unpack why communication is the most critical and often overlooked skill for leaders. From her experience curating HR events at The Nimble Group, Kaylee reveals how failing to "own" communication drives turnover, while intentional leadership fuels psychological safety and profitability.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

The Crisis Point

Why 70% of employees leave jobs due to poor leadership, and how companies that prioritize communication training see 150x higher profitability.

The Power of Proactive Connection

“If you see something, say something.”

Kaylee's golden rule for leaders to prevent miscommunication and build trust is to ask simple questions that transform teams. Questions like “How do you prefer to receive support?” and “What do you value in a leader?” can avert crises before they begin.

The Micro-Moments That Matter

“The future of work is human, and it starts with leaders who communicate with courage, clarity, and care.”

Leadership isn’t about grand gestures but daily acts of ownership: recognition, check-ins, and vulnerability. Every situation, even a tough conversation, can be reframed as an opportunity for connection.

How to Support Your Employees

“Find where you can get that support from… If you feel like you can’t find support in any avenue, you’re probably not in the right place.”

Name your challenge openly (“I have a challenge I need help with”), seek allies, and leverage internal resources, but recognize when a culture won’t change.

Connect with Kaylee Keil

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kayleekeil17/ 

Website: https://nimblegroup.co/ 

About the Guest: 

Kaylee Keil is an HR innovator and leadership catalyst who has spent years turning workplaces into people-first ecosystems. As the Attendee Engagement Specialist and Partnerships Coordinator for Nimble Group, she architects events that transform careers.

Fun Facts:

• 🔮 First-Day Fire Drill: Once led a new hire orientation… on her own first day at a job. (Talk about baptism by fire.)
• 🎨 Beads & Hustle: Runs K&KMaine, crafting jewelry that’s as bold and intentional as her leadership philosophy.
• 📜 Degree-Free Disruptor: Built her career through hands-on hustle- proof that titles don’t define talent.

About Melinda:

Melinda Lee is a Presentation Skills Expert, Speaking Coach, and nationally renowned Motivational Speaker. She holds an M.A. in Organizational Psychology, is an Insights Practitioner, and is a Certified Professional in Talent Development as well as Certified in Conflict Resolution. For over a decade, Melinda has researched and studied the state of “flow” and used it as a proven technique to help corporate leaders and business owners amplify their voices, access flow, and present their mission in a more powerful way to achieve results.

She has been the TEDx Berkeley Speaker Coach and has worked with hundreds of executives and teams from Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Caltrans, Bay Area Rapid Transit System, and more. Currently, she lives in San Francisco, California, and is breaking the ancestral lineage of silence.

Website: https://speakinflow.com/

Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/speakinflow

Instagram: https://instagram.com/speakinflow

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mpowerall

Thanks for listening!

Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.

Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!

Subscribe to the podcast

If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app.

Leave us an Apple Podcast review.

Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.