Background
Mary Ann came to leadership confident about her technical knowledge and her ability to achieve goals, but she struggled when it came to working with some of her managers and people who had different styles than she did. She saw that she wasn’t alone in this experience.
This launched her on a study of how people work together to achieve results that led to a Master’s degree in Organizational Psychology. By seeking out and working with the best coaches and consultants in the industry, she honed her focus on the two disciplines that she saw deliver the greatest returns for leaders and teams: Commitment-based Management and leadership presence.
Commitment-based Management
Commitment-based Management (CbM) is an evidence-based approach to communication that explains why so many smart people and teams struggle so much and provides a practical framework for communication that gets results.
Mary Ann had the great fortune of studying and working directly with Fernando Flores who developed this method. She partnered with one of his key proteges to start a boutique consulting company called The Stratam Group. She is one of a small handful of experts in this method.
Leadership Presence
How people show up in their bodies and manage their emotions plays a significant role in whether others trust and listen to them. Coaching models that focus exclusively on the intellect don’t hit the right buttons to improve executive presence.
Mary Ann studied extensively with the renowned Strozzi Institute because their method for developing leadership presence is so effective. It helps leaders gain more awareness of themselves and others, become less emotionally reactive and inspire confidence in others. She became a certified Master Somatic Coach through their program in 2009.
Women’s Leadership
The world needs more women leaders. Women face some unique challenges in their pursuit of leadership. One of Mary Ann’s specialities is helping women leaders navigate male-dominated workplaces. She also supports several non-profit organizations dedicated to women’s leadership:
Move Up Today! Mary Ann serves as a coach, mentor and speaker for the volunteers in this organization that helps underserved women find jobs, succeed in their careers and start small businesses.
How Women Lead Mary Ann is a coach in the Women Leaders for the World program and works with courageous women around the globe who are taking on leadership roles in their local communities.
