_{In this episode of Do Good to Lead Well, Craig Dowden sits down with Kendra MacDonald, CEO of Canada’s Ocean Supercluster and one of Canada’s top sustainability leaders. We explore how to make bold career pivots, set real boundaries without guilt, lead as an introvert, and navigate AI, climate, and geopolitical disruption with purpose driven leadership. If you have ever struggled with imposter syndrome, burnout, or wondering whether you are the kind of person who should lead, this conversation is for you.}

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TL;DL Leading with Purpose in a Changing World

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Q: How can I start leading with more purpose if I feel stuck in the day to day?

A: Begin by asking three questions: who am I serving, what problem am I really solving, and why does it matter. Use those answers to choose one small decision this week that better aligns with your real priorities.

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Q: What is one practical step to set better boundaries as a leader?

A: Identify one non negotiable in your life and protect it in your calendar for the next month. Treat that commitment with the same respect you give to your most important meeting.

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Q: Can introverts really thrive in visible leadership roles?

A: Yes. Introverted leaders can succeed by preparing deeply, playing to their strengths in listening and reflection, and building in recovery time after high interaction moments, instead of forcing themselves to perform like extroverts.

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Leading with Purpose in an Age of Geopolitics, AI, and Climate Disruption

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The world leaders are navigating right now is not simple. We are facing a rare convergence of geopolitical instability, rapid technological disruption, and accelerating climate change, all at the same time. It is no wonder so many leaders are tired, second guessing themselves, or quietly wondering if they are still the right person for the role.

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That is exactly why Kendra MacDonald’s story is so powerful. As CEO of Canada’s Ocean Supercluster, she is responsible for driving the sustainable growth of Canada’s ocean economy while stewarding innovation, climate impact, and economic opportunity. Before that, she spent a long and successful career at Deloitte, including serving as chief audit executive of Deloitte Global, with international assignments in Ottawa, Montreal, Sydney, Moscow, and Hong Kong.

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In this episode, Kendra shares how she made the leap from a 275,000 person global firm to becoming the first full time employee of a brand new organization. She opens up about setting boundaries as a single mother, leading as an introvert, and finding the courage to try something radically new even when the stakes feel high. 

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Why Purpose Driven Leadership Matters More Than Ever

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One of the biggest themes in Kendra’s journey is how purpose acts as an anchor when everything around you is changing. She describes this unique moment as a collision of three forces, geopolitical change, technological change, and climate change. For leaders, that can feel overwhelming. For purpose driven leaders, it can also feel like a call to step up.

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Purpose, in Kendra’s world, is not a slogan on a wall. It is a clear answer to three deceptively simple questions: Who are we serving, what problem are we really trying to solve, and why does it matter over the long term. When she moved into the ocean economy, she had to quickly connect the dots between technology, biodiversity, supply chains, coastal communities, and global climate goals. Without a grounded sense of purpose, that complexity could easily become paralyzing.

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Instead, purpose becomes a filter for decisions. It gives you the courage to innovate with intention, not just chase shiny technology. It helps you resist the urge to implement AI for the sake of AI, and instead ask the more important question, what problem are we trying to solve, and is this the best tool for that job. Purpose also fuels resilience. When setbacks happen, when experiments fail, or when the criticism gets loud, you can reconnect with why you started and what is at stake for your team, your community, or even your country.

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For Kendra, purpose is also deeply personal. She talks about adopting her daughter from Kazakhstan and asking herself what kind of country she was bringing her into. That perspective shift pushed her to get involved in innovation and productivity work in Canada and ultimately to take on the challenge of growing the ocean economy. When your work is tied to something bigger than your own success, it becomes much easier to stay the course when the path gets hard.

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Courage, Boundaries, and Saying Yes to the Right Things

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Courage is often glamorized as big dramatic moves. In reality, Kendra shows that courageous leadership usually looks like a series of thoughtful, uncomfortable decisions made over time. When she was considering leaving Deloitte for a brand new, experimental program in the ocean sector, she sat down and asked herself how far wrong can this go. If it fails, does that mean I am unemployable, or does it just mean I will have to course correct again.

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That kind of grounded risk framing is incredibly useful for leaders who feel frozen. Instead of treating every decision like a cliff edge, you can walk through the worst case with clear eyes. When you pull the fear apart logically, most risks become experiments you can live with rather than existential threats.

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Courage for Kendra is also tightly connected to boundaries. She describes realizing that her tendency to say yes to everything was a problem. After taking a personal boundaries course, she saw that the challenge was not just the job, it was her pattern of overcommitting because she loves to help, try new things, and keep people happy. That self awareness let her define what really matters, from being present for key moments with her daughter to protecting time to think.

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If you are a purpose driven leader, this is where things get tricky. You could work on your mission twenty four seven. There is always one more stakeholder to reassure, one more initiative to launch, one more email to answer. Real boundaries start when you decide what you will not sacrifice, and then protect it consistently, even when other people do not immediately understand. As Kendra points out, that comes with uncomfortable moments. You will sometimes disappoint people. You will not be at every event, every meeting, or every concert. The work is learning to live with that and trust that you are playing the long game.

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Here are a few practical ways to start tightening your own courage and boundary muscles:

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• List the three things in your life that are non-negotiable, then design your calendar around them instead of squeezing them in at the end of the week.
• Before big decisions, ask how far wrong this could realistically go and what you would learn even if it did not work.
• Notice where you are saying yes from guilt or fear of disappointing someone, and experiment with one small no this week.
• Talk with your team about their personal boundaries so you are not accidentally rewarding unsustainable behaviour.

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Leading as an Introvert in an Extroverted World

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Kendra also brings a refreshing honesty to what it means to lead as an introvert. She jokes that her original vision of being an accountant was sitting alone in a room surrounded by piles of paper, speaking to no one. Instead, her career required constant client interaction, international assignments, big stage presentations, and now public leadership in a national role.

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Being introverted has never meant she cannot lead in those spaces. It does mean she needs to approach them differently. For example, she does not love speaking off the cuff. So she invests heavily in preparation, grounding herself in the message, and making sure she knows exactly what she wants to say. After a big talk or a crowded event, she does not head to another reception. She looks for what psychologist Brian Little would call a restorative niche, time alone to recharge so she can keep showing up at her best.

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She also talks openly about imposter syndrome. Taking on the CEO role in a complex, science heavy ocean ecosystem meant working alongside ocean scientists and industry veterans who had deep technical knowledge she did not yet have. Rather than pretending or shutting down, she leaned into curiosity, asked a lot of questions, and even went back to school to complete a masters at the Marine Institute. That combination, deep humility and deliberate learning, is a powerful antidote to the inner voice that says you do not belong.

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If you are an introvert or someone who struggles with imposter syndrome, Kendra’s approach offers a practical playbook:

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1. Prepare on purpose Do not expect yourself to wing it. Take the time to clarify your message, practice aloud, and decide on one thing you absolutely want to contribute in a meeting or on stage.

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2. Build in recovery time. Treat your energy like a strategic resource. After high stakes conversations, presentations, or networking, block time to decompress instead of jumping straight into the next demand.

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3. Lead with your strengths Introverts often excel at deep listening, thoughtful questions, and connecting dots. Design your leadership around those strengths instead of trying to copy an extroverted style that feels unnatural.

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4. Remember what only you can see in every room, there is something you know that others do not, whether it is your cross sector experience, your understanding of stakeholders, or your lived experience. Reminding yourself of that unique value helps quiet the imposter voice.

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You do not have to change who you are to be a leader. You have to know who you are, and then build your leadership around that. _{-Kendra MacDonald}

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Designing a Leadership Path That Actually Fits You

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The through line in Kendra MacDonald’s story is simple but challenging: the most sustainable path to impact is the one that fits how you are wired. That means getting clear on your purpose, being honest about your temperament, and then making intentional choices about how you lead, rather than trying to squeeze yourself into someone else’s template of a successful leader.

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In practice, that might look like choosing a purpose driven pivot even when others think you are crazy to leave a safe role. It might mean saying no to one more project so you can be fully present for your family. It might mean admitting that you are an introvert who needs time to think before responding and designing your meetings and workflows around that reality.

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Most of all, it means recognizing that leadership today is not about having all the answers. It is about asking better questions, staying curious in the face of change, and being willing to experiment, learn, and adjust. When you combine that mindset with a clear sense of purpose and healthy boundaries, you create the conditions not only for your own growth, but for your team and organization to thrive as well.

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Ready to take purpose driven innovation to the next level?

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• To get practical tools and actionable tips that will jumpstart your journey, download the Purpose Driven Innovation Kick Starter Booklet here.
  
  
• Join the newsletter to be notified when a new episode is ready for you to listen and get every Kick Starter Booklet for all future episodes.
  
  
• And if you’re looking to elevate your entire C-Suite leadership team, learn how Craig Dowden can help your leaders perform at their highest-level visit https://www.craigdowden.com/executive-mastermind
  
  
• For a deeper dive, listen to the full-length episode of the Do Good to Lead Well podcast featuring Kendra MacDonald:
  
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