Where Can I Have More Impact: Lauren McLean on Growth, Hard Conversations, and Knowing When to Lead
How do you know when you can have more impact by stepping into something bigger?
Lauren McLean never planned to live in Boise, let alone become its mayor. But throughout a career spanning conservation, philanthropy, and public service, one question kept pushing her toward the next chapter: Where can I have more impact?
In this episode of Carry As You Climb, Nan Whaley sits down with fellow mayor to talk about following that question all the way to Boise City Hall, and what Lauren has learned since getting there.
From housing and hard public meetings to mentorship and listening across generations, this is a conversation about knowing when to step forward without losing sight of why you started.
Conversation Highlights:
- Follow the impact: how one question guided Lauren from conservation advocacy to City Council, and eventually to challenging an incumbent mayor.
- Listen for what’s underneath the anger: why Lauren reframes heated public comments as people showing how deeply they care about their home.
- Make room for the next generation: what Boise’s youth council, internships, and conversations with young people are teaching Lauren about how leadership is changing.
- Take the small things seriously: what Lauren learned from her mentors about being yourself, responding to the needs in front of you, and never forgetting a thank-you note.
Resources Mentioned:
- Women's and Children's Alliance, Boise
- NewDEAL
- Idaho Conservation League
- U.S. Conference of Mayors
- Athletic Club Boise
- Margo's Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe
- Parks and Recreation
- Ted Lasso
- Welcome to Wrexham
- Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird's 2019 Carry As You Climb episode
About Our Guest: Lauren McLean is the 56th mayor of Boise, Idaho, and the first woman elected to the role. Her public service began with the 2001 Boise Foothills Open Space Levy campaign, followed by eight years on Boise City Council before becoming mayor in 2020. Now serving her second term, her work as mayor has included housing and homelessness, open-space conservation, and climate initiatives.
She is on the Board of Governors at Andrus Center for Public Policy at Boise State University and serves as Vice Chair of Climate Mayors. The Aspen Institute and New Deal Leaders recognized Mayor McLean as one of the nation's most promising young political leaders, and she was selected to participate in the 2020 Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative on Economic Recovery.
About the Host: Nan Whaley is a longtime community leader and public servant. She's currently the CEO of Planned Parenthood of Southwest Ohio. She served as Mayor of Dayton, Ohio, from 2014 - 2022. Nan has also presided over the United Conference of Mayors. She's a feminist, daughter, aunt, sister, and friend.
About the Show: Carry As You Climb focuses on elevating the voices of women in leadership from Ohio and across the United States. The podcast features guests who give special attention to not only busting through doors to lead but also holding the door open for more women behind them. In other words, they carry as they climb. We focus on leadership development and leadership lessons. Plus, we share personal experiences to inspire the inclusion of more diverse leaders in business, government, and the nonprofit sector.
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Produced by: Collective Change Communications - Kelly Sakalas & Jeni Keeler
Note: The opinions expressed by host Nan Whaley on this podcast are hers alone and do not represent any organization with which she is affiliated.