Meeting/Event Information
April 28, 2026 HR Toolbox Series Webinar
The Leaders We Remember: How Small Moments Shape Careers, Cultures & Confidence
Presented by:
Ryan McCrea
Who was the best leader you ever had?
Who was the worst?
Most people can answer both questions instantly because leadership leaves a lasting mark.
In this thought provoking and practical keynote, Ryan McCrea explores how everyday leadership behaviors create ripple effects far beyond the moment. From vague feedback and avoidance to trust, clarity, and small acts of inclusion, leaders shape how people feel, perform, grow, and remember their work.
Blending research, real world leadership insight, and practical takeaways from Quick Bites of Insight, this keynote challenges leaders to rethink the moments they often overlook: the quick conversation, the missed check in, the unclear expectation, and the stretch opportunity not offered.
Because the leaders we remember are rarely defined by grand gestures. They are remembered for the small moments that changed how we saw ourselves.
Attendees will leave with a fresh perspective on leadership impact and simple, actionable ways to lead with more clarity, courage, and intention.
By the end of this keynote, participants will be able to:
- Recognize how small, everyday leadership behaviors shape employee trust, engagement, and retention
- Identify the lasting impact of leadership moments, both positive and negative, on confidence, culture, and performance
- Apply practical strategies to lead with greater clarity, especially in expectations, feedback, and communication
- Understand why psychological safety is a business imperative, not just a nice to have
- Spot the micro behaviors that build or erode culture in meetings, conversations, and day to day interactions
- Discuss the challenges of moving learning from ideas to action
- Commit to one immediate leadership behavior change they can apply in the next week
Ryan McCrea is a senior talent and leadership development executive known for building practical, high-impact strategies that help organizations grow stronger leaders, better teams, and healthier cultures. With more than two decades of experience across talent management, leadership development, organizational effectiveness, mentoring, and culture transformation, Ryan brings a science-practitioner approach to helping people and businesses perform at their best. He is also the author of Quick Bites of Insight, a book that offers practical, real-world leadership lessons for managers and professionals looking to grow in the flow of work.
Most recently, Ryan served as Head of Learning and Leadership Development at Ameren, where he led enterprise-wide learning and leadership development strategy and oversaw a team responsible for building scalable solutions that supported leaders and employees across the organization. He currently serves as President of the Saint Louis Organization Development Network (STL-ODN), reflecting his continued commitment to advancing the field of organizational development and leadership practice.
Previously, Ryan served as Vice President, Talent Development at Commerce Bank, where he launched a company-wide professional development program and led strategic initiatives to strengthen leadership capability, employee growth, and organizational effectiveness.
Ryan is certified in Situational Leadership®, The 4 Stages of Psychological Safety™, DiSC®, and MBTI®, and is also a certified Social and Emotional Intelligence Coach. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Southern Indiana and a Master of Arts in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.
Based in St. Louis, Ryan lives with his wife, Susan, and their two cats, Zooey and Coco. Outside of work, he is passionate about music, movies, fashion, pop culture, and art, and is always up for a lively conversation about any of them.
Thank You to Our Presenting Sponsor!
Tickets
$0.00 SHRM St. Louis Chapter Member
$25.00 Non-Chapter Member
