The IBR Interviews of Highly Effective People: Karen Manthey

What makes Karen Manthey a highly effective person? If it had to be summed up in one word, it could probably be passion.

Manthey, the founder and communication specialist of the Motivational Leadership Center, has a passion for helping others. Whether it’s helping people to build confidence or finding the ways to be the best version of themselves, she becomes animated when talking about working with others to reach those goals. Especially through the use of humor and improvisation.

Along with running her own business, Manthey is the artistic director for ComedySportz Boise and vice president of the nonprofit’s board. She discovered improv in high school, living in Sequim, Washington. She would sneak over to the Emerald City for Seattle Theatresports. Later, she answered a newspaper ad in Spokane, and joined an improv company there, first taking classes and then performing with the group.

Improv in high school. Sequim, Washington. I discovered theater sports in Seattle. Used to sneak across the water on a ferry by herself. Answered a newspaper ad for free professional improv classes in Spokane. Joined the company and started performing with them.

Manthey has been in Idaho for nine years, where she became a part of the ComedySportz Boise team, coaching and performing improv regularly.

The following interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Idaho Business Review: What inspired you to pursue the career you are in?

Karen Manthey: I think it’s just been a long, winding road. Honestly, it wasn’t like this is what I planned to do. “I’m going to be a communication coach and public speaking expert.” I kind of fell into it, and part of it is because I’ve always been kind of a natural helper with people, and I love helping people. Then, with my improv background, it segued into that. I found my way along. People had reached out and said, “Do you train in confidence or public speaking?” Then I just kind of found my niche. It wasn’t like this is what inspired me. It’s inspiring doing now, but it was something that I naturally fell into, which I’m grateful for.

IBR: What are some of the challenges you’ve experienced during your career and what have they taught you?

KM: I think sometimes my challenge is pricing myself correctly, and part of that is because I love what I do, and if somebody comes to me and wants help, I am going to try and make it work; sometimes at the detriment of my own salary. That’s been a challenge ― trying to make sure that I treat it as a business and not just as a gift to give to everybody.

I think sometimes as well, because I don’t have a whole bunch of credentials behind my name, it’s hard for people to see the value or to prove that I am credible. So having people give me a chance and then realize, “Wow, this is actually really helpful and beneficial,” is that the challenge is getting people interested at the beginning. Usually it’s always word of mouth, or it’s always after a group has seen me do it with another group, and then they want to bring me in.

IBR: When you encounter a roadblock on the path to reaching your goals, how do you circumvent it?

KM: So often, what I teach is how to pivot and how to have that “Yes, And …” mindset. I apply that daily, where if I’m hitting roadblocks, or I feel like I’m in a rut, I work through my own pivot and figure out what change needs to happen in order to keep my attitude great and to keep myself stepping forward. So often, it’s just stepping forward into the scary and leaning into that awkward or uncomfortable situation. I find I’m not in a rut very often, even if a roadblock comes, or I have a cancelation or I’m not getting anywhere with an organization that I thought was going to hire me. I can quickly just move to the next to the next thing and it doesn’t really affect me a whole lot. So because I can use that Yes, And … mindset, I just feel like if it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be, and if it’s not, then just move on.

IBR: Talk about a time when you felt less than highly effective and what you did to overcome that feeling.

KM: I feel like there have been times that I felt like I had imposter syndrome, but I would just [be vulnerable with people] and say, “Hey, I don’t know everything, but I can tell you what I know and I can show you what I know.” And then as I move along, I realize I know more than I think. And then the confidence just grew, and I realized, wow, I actually do know more than I give myself credit for.

I’ve never been intimidated by high status. I’ve never [thought that a] person, just because they’re this huge CEO of a company, I’ve never been intimidated by that because I’ve always felt that people are just people. And I can see the humanity behind everybody. I think the imposter syndrome was, “Can I walk the walk and talk the talk?” For me, it was never I don’t know that I belong at the table, because I think everybody belongs at the table.”

IBR: Talk about your most recent accomplishments, the significance of those accomplishments, and how you got there.

KM: I am currently working on my master’s, and I’ll have it in just a few months in strategic communication. And I got there partly because I did not graduate high school, and I wish that I had. I missed a bunch of school from sickness, and I never really caught up. I never felt like the smartest person. We didn’t have like my kids always have. You know, they’ve got counselors, and we have power school and all the things that we can check in on. I didn’t have anybody checking in on me, and I just fell through the cracks, and I regretted it immediately. So I ended up getting my GED, and then I ended up getting my bachelor’s degree online, and it wasn’t in a degree that I was thrilled with because I had started school, but in person. Then, when I was married, we moved and I didn’t get to finish my degree. So there was an opening to finish a degree online, but it was in university studies and just general, and again, I just felt like it’s not that great. Getting a master’s has been to prove it to myself that I can do it. That’s something I’m proud of. And I’m currently working on a book as well, and it’s kind of a humorous leadership book. I’m having fun with that right now. As far as other accomplishments, I don’t know. I just like helping people. I just feel like that’s an accomplishment in itself.

IBR: How would you define your leadership style?

KM: I feel like a good leader brings out the best in their people. My style is trying to make everybody else look good. I think that’s the job of a leader: To make their people be the best that they possibly can. One of my rules of improv is make each other look good. That is really what it’s about, is making sure that the team is working together to uplift one another, rather than trying to stand out as the best.

IBR: Do you mentor others? If so, what do you look for in a mentee?

KM: I can’t say that I’ve officially mentored others. I’ve had people reach out for small help, so I don’t know that I can say that I’ve been a mentor to people. I’ve worked with a lot of teenagers. I worked with a lot of new entrepreneurs. And I don’t know that I look for anything in a mentee, just somebody who I’m happy to spread knowledge wherever. If somebody reaches out for help, I’ll help them, for sure.

IBR: Have you ever been mentored?

KM: Not officially, no. I look to people, and I glean as much as I can from other leaders. But I can’t say that there’s been somebody that has taken me under their wing, which if there’s a mentor out there that wants to, I would love that, because I love learning as much as I possibly can.

IBR: How do you plan each day to be successful?

KM: I think it starts with attitude. I always try to have a good attitude going into the day and with an open mind, so making sure that I am I’m open and ready to jump in. And my day looks very different every single day. Some days it’s just answering emails, or sometimes it’s following up or invoicing, or I do a lot of volunteer work in the area. I’m wearing different hats every single day, and that actually helps me keep, keep my attitude great, because it’s going to be different every day, and it’s going to bring a new challenge and a new opportunity every day.

IBR: What will you accomplish this year?

KM: This year? Well, I’ll get my master’s, and hopefully have my book finished. I don’t want to claim that for sure is going to happen, but I’ll at least have as part of my master’s thesis. I have my professor who’s overseeing my project and it’s going to be this book. I have a few chapters, and I’ll have a full book proposal written, which will be fun. And as far as accomplishing this year, I think, lots of speaking opportunities. I’ve been given some keynotes and some different speaking opportunities, which I’m always excited about. And I always love doing that kind of thing and helping people laugh and connect. That’s my natural passion.

IBR: If you had to retire tomorrow, how would you describe the entirety of your career, and what would you do in retirement?

KM: The entirety of my career would be helping people feel connected and confident and become better communicators with each other. And what would I do in retirement? Probably the exact same thing. I don’t know that I will ever retire from this. I mean, if money was never an issue, I would be doing the exact same thing and just not charging for it, because it’s what I love.