Ops Cast Leading With Heart in a Systems World: Accountability, Empathy, and the Human Side of Ops with Kimi Corrigan
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In this episode of Ops Cast, we explore a side of operations leadership that rarely appears in roadmaps or system diagrams but determines whether teams thrive or burn out.
Kimi Corrigan, Vice President of Marketing Operations at Huntress, joins Michael Hartmann on our latest Ops Cast episode. Kimi shares her perspective on servant leadership, psychological safety, and the emotional intelligence required to lead effectively inside fast-growing, complex organizations.
The conversation goes beyond tools and processes to focus on the human side of operations. Kimi discusses how to lead with empathy without lowering standards, how to navigate difficult conversations with honesty and accountability, and how to create sustainable team rhythms in environments that often default to constant firefighting.
They also examine how ops leaders can enter new organizations thoughtfully, read culture before pushing change, and decide where to invest their energy early.
Kimi shares where AI can genuinely support leadership development, not as a replacement for judgment, but as a tool for reflection, communication, and clarity.
What you will learn:
• How to balance servant leadership with high performance expectations
• Why psychological safety is essential in ops teams
• How to lead through growth and organizational transition
• Ways to build sustainable team trust outside of crisis moments
• The non-technical skills that prepare operators for leadership roles
• Where AI can strengthen communication and self-awareness
If you are leading a Marketing Ops team or aspiring to step into leadership, this episode highlights the interpersonal skills that often matter more than technical mastery.
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