Kyle Hermans is an influential leader in global business transformation, innovation, and leadership. He is the CEO of Be Courageous, an award-winning transformation and executive coaching agency focused on driving performance improvement and courageous change. Kyle has held senior executive roles within Fortune-level organizations and global consultancies, leading transformation initiatives for hundreds of Fortune 1000 companies and SMEs that generated billions in ROI.
Looking back, what’s a key moment that influenced how you manifest courage in the face of adversity, and why does it still matter to you?
KH: My journey into courage started in my youth in South Africa. Many can relate to not fitting into the norm and being treated differently because of it. I was picked on and bullied for my size, my love for creativity and music in a very physical environment, and my deep thinking in a town that did not care much for those things. Being true to yourself and taking a stand took a lot of courage—and a bunch of bruises.
Later, in my young adult life, I was part of the movement that ended apartheid, fighting for an integrated society and witnessing a hero of mine, Nelson Mandela, step into leadership after prison. It showed me what was possible and that there is always a way to break through if you have the courage to find it. One of his quotes still uels my purpose: “Courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.” I
believe we all have abundant courage within; we just have to learn how to tune into it.
For pallet business owners and managers facing labor shortages, safety demands, and rising costs, what does “courage” look like when the right decision isn’t a popular one with staff and workers?
KH: Courage is about believing and striving for something greater than what we fear. Your industry is facing new demands, and leading into the future will look different than what has been traditional. That means making courageous shifts from what we know into what comes next.
Courage may look like setting higher standards for the industry and customer experience, even when they are unpopular. It can mean being honest with employees, customers, and partners about what is changing and why. Sometimes it is about making trade-offs and saying no to things that no longer serve the future. Ultimately, it comes down to leading with purpose and choosing what is right over what is easy.
Keynote Speaker Interview: Kyle Hermans
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