Polly Meyer Executive Consulting

Still taking this one in.

Last week I had the chance to speak at Mayo Clinic with a room full of leaders, and I left feeling energized, grateful, and thinking about so many of the conversations that happened afterward.

We spent time talking about executive presence - but somewhere along the way I found myself calling it leadership presence instead.

Because presence is not really about sounding polished or having all the right words.

It is about showing up fully.

Not shrinking when things get uncomfortable.
Not overcompensating when pressure rises.
Not feeling like you have to prove you belong in the room.

Just bringing your ideas, your steadiness, your humanity, and your voice.

One of the messages that seemed to land was this:

“When people trust the person carrying the idea, the idea has a much better chance of moving forward.”

I loved the energy in that room and feel incredibly grateful to do work I care so deeply about.

(And this photo was my pre-keynote moment outside the ballroom before stepping in.) 🤳🏻

Behind the scenes of media training in St. Paul.

This is where I spend time working with leaders inside the Minnesota Senate Building - preparing for press interviews, tough questions, and moments where there’s no room for rambling, hedging, or getting it wrong.

Media training isn’t about spin. It’s about knowing what you stand for, saying it clearly, and holding your ground when the pressure is on.

The stakes are real. The questions aren’t always friendly. And Minnesota winter is not for the faint of heart 🥶

Still…this is the work. And I love it.

Embody Leadership is an eight-week leadership experience for high-performing leaders who are ready to lead with greater clarity, confidence, and presence.

When responsibility increases, visibility expands, and expectations rise, leadership requires a different level of intention. Not more effort, but more alignment.

Over eight weeks, we focus on how you think, communicate, and show up when the stakes are real. You’ll refine your presence, sharpen your decision-making, and reconnect with the kind of leadership that feels grounded, steady, and true to you.

This is a structured container for leaders in motion, those stepping into bigger roles, navigating transition, or preparing for what’s next.

If that’s you, I invite you to take a closer look.

Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/gg9qYBUR

Here’s to your success in 2026!

Polly

You slide into the coffee shop carrying the weight of a long week, the kind that fills your head with half-finished thoughts and your shoulders tight with tension. A table opens at the sleek bar. Natural light spills across the marble. You exhale without meaning to.

Iliana Rossell is already there, laptop open, the first sketches of the logo shimmering on the screen. It mirrors the outline I shared with her a week ago, only now it has more depth, more breath, more movement…less of a sketch, and more like something becoming.

A matcha latte arrives, bright green and steaming, and you catch yourself smiling. The barista has drawn a sweeping feathered shape in the foam… and it mirrors the very logo you’ve been refining. A small coincidence, maybe. But it lands like a sign. A little nod from the universe that you’re on the right path.

Conversations start. Ideas unfold. Colors shift on the screen. The brand sharpens. And somewhere between the second cup of tea and the fine-tuning of a curve in the symbol, you feel it: the beginning of a new chapter taking shape.

This brand isn’t ready for its full introduction yet. But something meaningful is emerging here… something I’ve been quietly building for leaders who are ready for depth, presence, and transformation.

Today was one of those creative sessions that reminds you how good collaboration can feel.

Iliana, your artistry and intuition brought the vision into focus. I’m grateful.

More soon.

Polly

Across industries and across states, one truth remains:

Leadership presence isn’t just a skill—it’s a signal.

A signal of clarity. Confidence. Strategic influence.

And when that presence is ignited, teams shift. Culture sharpens. Progress accelerates.

If you’re investing in your people—if you’re ready to see what’s possible when leaders show up differently—I’d love to talk.

Polly

[email protected]

Last week with John Deere in Moline, we went deep; not just into strategy, but into what it feels like to lead through complexity.

Together, we crafted strategic initiatives designed to strengthen partnerships and create traction where things often stall.

What struck me most was how fully this group showed up. They coached each other, challenged ideas, and built insights that reached far beyond the page.

You could feel the shift! From transactions to transformation, from coordination to collaboration.

It was a reminder that leadership isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about creating the space where better ones can emerge.

What an extraordinary group of leaders!

What a powerful morning ✨

I had the privilege of leading a workshop with leaders at Donaldson on Executive Presence.

In that room, and across the large online audience - I saw something powerful: people not waiting for permission. They stepped fully into their voice, their confidence, and their leadership presence.

We explored how presence isn’t performance. It’s practice.

We explored three dials: Strength, Warmth, Presence - and how dialing them intentionally changes how you lead and how you’re experienced.

We practiced rewriting old leadership scripts, crafting personal Empowerment Anchors, and using simple physical resets that change how your nervous system shows up under pressure.

The feedback was incredible: how grounded the energy was, how many people left with real tools they could use in very next conversations or meetings.

Thank you to the Donaldson team for your partnership, meticulous care, and the trust you gave me to lead this work. The professionalism, the engagement, the energy you brought made my job easy - and deeply fulfilling.

May your presence speak louder than your words — and your leadership be felt before you say a thing.

Spent a couple eye-opening days with the 2025-26 Leadership Minnesota Chamber cohort touring the high-precision world of manufacturing with Clow Stamping and Marvin Windows & Doors in Northern Minnesota.

From ear protection to neon vests, we got inside the lines seeing craftsmanship, innovation, and quality in action. Then an unexpected detour into Bob Marvin's “The Shed” in Warroad. His passion for cars began in 1981, and the collection has grown into a storied legacy over decades.

Super grateful to Clow Stamping and Marvin for the access, the stories, and the reminder of not only how great the State of Minnesota is, but that leadership is built on the floor, not just in theory.

Last week, I had the privilege of speaking at the Minnovation Leadership Summit for the Minnesota Department of Health.

What stood out?
The honesty. The heart. The hunger to lead well—especially when the pressure is high.

From my keynote to the closing remarks, one message echoed again and again:
Leadership in crisis doesn’t mean having all the answers. It means staying grounded, staying clear, and staying human.

Grateful to be part of a room full of 250+ leaders who are doing just that.

If you’re leading through uncertainty right now—you’re not alone.
I see you. I work with people like you every day. And I’d love to support you.