I just love a good success story. Those of you who are around me for any length of time at all know that I’m all about abundance and gratitude and finding & living the life you are capable of. That’s why I get a special little tingle every time I share a success story about one of my clients. This month I am thrilled to introduce you to MaryAnn Knoke.
MaryAnn is an incredibly driven and hard-working forty-something executive, not to mention mother of three. She’s a strong leader in the male-dominated tech industry and often finds herself the only woman in the Board Room. In just three short months of coaching, MaryAnn re-ignited the spark for her job and her people, successfully pulling herself out of her “funk on the fringe.” She found a way to lead on her OWN terms and in her OWN way—and not by following the masculine, informal rules of engagement often encountered in the traditional corporate workplace. It worked beautifully for her. Thank you, MaryAnn, for showing us all how much simply BEING WHO YOU ARE is an asset within the C-level suites.
Here is MaryAnn’s story:
MaryAnn came to coaching because she was feeling stagnant in her position at work. She wanted to rekindle her passion, motivation, drive, and belief in her executive role as Director of Operations within a software development firm. She was feeling under challenged and underappreciated. She wanted to be respected more for her leadership abilities, business savvy, and fiery energy. And she wanted to find a way to do this without leaning into or on aggressive, flared-temper, and domineering tactics. And SHE DID. Through the coaching process, MaryAnn learned how to stay emotionally in control in tough situations, to harness the focus she needs to stay on task and keep the team moving forward, and to use her powers of influence more strategically.
I learned that I don’t need to duke it out…and that I can rise above a conflict and resolve it without getting aggressive or feel a need to prove myself. Through coaching, I learned how to cultivate a new energy for myself, one that is more calm and serene. It allows me to “step back” more easily and get perspective so I can make sound decisions (and stay out of the brawling with ‘the boys’). It allows me to be more of a high-level leader because it forces me to stay focused on the bigger picture.
MaryAnn is amazingly gifted at talent management and team development. Her skill and strength in these areas grew exponentially during the coaching process as she learned to operate from a place of collaboration over competition.
Being more calm and going more slowly has been very helpful to me in my role. My relationships with my peers are better and less tense. And it’s given me confidence and credibility with my team. It also opens up clarity and focus for me, giving me an opportunity to look around and see the solutions that I need, which are often right there in front of me but that I don’t see when I am going too fast. I am much better now at seeing myself as an efficient problem-solver who knows how to step out and take a moment to think about solutions, to have emotional control as we wade through rough waters.
During the coaching process, MaryAnn truly stepped into her power by growing into her role as a real LEADER. She’s gotten very clear about who she is as a leader, and she’s stopped viewing herself as subordinate or “not as worthy” as her counterparts. She knows that staying on the track she’s set for herself means real shifts for her and her career.
I now know that I am the only one who decides if I deserve respect. I am an intelligent, open, serious, thoughtful leader, and good things happen when I come from that place. It’s important for me to stay high-level, to not get caught up in the drama playing out in the ranks, to stay focused and keep working on the bigger picture tasks instead of fire-fighting all of the time. From the coaching process, I have a new sense of confidence, security and calm that inspires others to take me seriously as a leader. I am now enjoying being more involved in higher-level meetings with the CEO and in feeling like a true partner and equal on the leadership team.
If you enjoy MaryAnn’s story, read more tales of success and accomplishment on my website here.
xoxox,
