
Episode 86 | Spreading Sunshine with Kindness
From Lead with HOPE by Dr. Brandi Kelly
March 7, 2026 · 8 min · Episode 86
About this episode
Dr. Brandi Kelly discusses the leadership lessons from her children's book 'Spreading Sunshine with Kindness' and the importance of kindness in building culture and resilience.
What can a children’s book teach us about leadership, culture, and hope? In this episode, host Dr. Brandi Kelly shares the inspiration behind her new children’s book Spreading Sunshine with Kindness and explores the powerful leadership truths hidden in its message. Through the story of two boys learning kindness from their grandparents, Brandi unpacks three essential leadership principles that apply to classrooms, homes, organizations, and communities. In this episode, you’ll discover why kindness is a powerful leadership strategy , how small repeated actions transform culture, and why consistent acts of encouragement and service build connection, trust, and resilience. Brandi also shares a deeply personal story about the loss of her brother Brandon , and how the small acts of kindness from their community became a lifeline during one of the most difficult seasons of her life. If you are a leader, educator, parent, or someone who wants to build a culture of hope , this episode will challenge you to take one small action this week to spread some sunshine . Episode Chapters 00:00 – Introduction Brandi introduces the leadership message behind her new children’s book Spreading…
People in this episode
Host: Dr. Brandi Kelly
Topics covered
- leadership
- kindness
- education
- community
- hope
Keywords
- leadership
- kindness
- children's book
- community support
- resilience
- education
- hope
Mentioned in this episode
Books & works: Spreading Sunshine with Kindness
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- Episode 97 | Authentic Leadership Starts with Identity | Dr. Eric Moyer · May 23, 2026 · 41 min
- Episode 96 | Changing the Table: Leadership, Purpose, and Courage · May 16, 2026 · 10 min
- Episode 95 | Purpose-Driven Leadership with Michelle Sloan · May 9, 2026 · 42 min
- Episode 94 | The Self-Awareness Gap in Leadership (and How to Fix It) · May 2, 2026 · 9 min
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