Leadership in Action

Self-awareness is our super power

Kathryn met up with the ACE Team at the 2022 US Open in Queens, New York. They stopped in front of the Althea Gibson statue at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center after watching Iga Swiatek defeat Ons Jabeur in the Women’s Final.

What can a love for tennis, an entrepreneurial spirit and a compassionate heart serve up? ACES! Long-time friend and supporter of ACE, Kathryn Mayer, who is the CEO and Founder of K.C. Mayer Consulting, sat down with us to discuss how she is serving up executive coaching to benefit ACE on and off the tennis court.

Kathryn grew up in the suburbs of Baltimore as an avid tennis player, eventually becoming an instructor and running tennis centers from the age of 17 until she completed graduate school. The freedom and creativity she experienced running these centers motivated her to one day found her own business. Kathryn developed a love for coaching, which has led her to become the executive leader she is today. With a background in psychology and an extensive career in consulting, human resources/talent management, and education, Kathryn developed a successful leadership-development business focused on teaching and coaching.

From Kathryn’s perspective, the most important power we can harness is our own self-awareness.

It’s not about changing who you are. Coaching is never about changing who you are. What it is about is adding new awareness and adding new tools to manage.

We all have natural skills and abilities, so it’s important to identify potential growth areas and build up strategies to conquer perceived shortcomings. Kathryn reminds us that it is important to do what feels natural. Know your strengths and be open and willing to build a community to support areas of growth. You don’t have to be an expert at everything. Your network can help fill in the gaps for you.

Learn more about Kathryn’s leadership style and success by visiting her website: kcmayer.com

It’s not that your backhand is weaker – it’s that your forehand will always be stronger. It’s understanding that you work on your footwork to get around to hit more forehands or you learn a slice backhand. You find ways around it. It’s about learning to accept it and find workarounds.

Now Kathryn is using her coaching skills to work with ACE’s Co-Founder and Executive Director, Susan Klumpner, to scale the organization’s reach and partnerships across the country. Kathryn was particularly moved by ACE’s mission because of our deep community involvement. After learning about the organization from her friend, Nicole Clopton, who serves on ACE’s Board of Directors, Kathryn researched our programs and felt called to contribute. She loves that ACE uses tennis to build confidence and skills for youth, as well as economic empowerment for families. ACE helps children in her hometown of Baltimore, where she still visits family a few times a year, plus it emphasizes bringing the whole community together.

One of the bigger problems [we are facing today in society] is feeling part of a community. Many of us are self-employed or working from home, so being part of something like ACE helps make you feel more connected.

Kathryn urges us to think about what moves us and find ways to combine our interests and skills. Giving extends beyond just signing a check. Kathryn uses her skills to make a broader impact. To share your interest in volunteering with ACE, fill out this Contact Form today. We can all benefit from Kathryn’s example of bringing passion and profession together to support a good cause!