Maura was an instrumental member of the management team when we successfully built a powerful online research system under aggressive schedules and competitive pressure, as well as building and supporting many other product development projects at the same time. Maura was always a pleasure to work with, was very energetic, and brought a keen marketing and business sense to the table. She worked well with technical developers, non-technical editors and business people, as well as being very effective when presenting to senior C-level management. On a more personal level, as a technical developer, I feel Maura was generous and helpful to me as a mentor as I expanded my business skills while we participated in the executive development program at Columbia and on the job. I am grateful to her generous nature, enjoy being on teams with her, and would jump at the chance to work with Maura again.
Maura is one of the most creative people I have ever worked with. With her great sense of humor, intelligence and ability to see things from so many perspectives she was able to help guide our company and its visions into the next steps. I always enjoyed working with Maura because she genuinely cares and is willing to do what it takes to get the business project completed.
As a senior executive of a rapidly growing company, the political structure of my organization was presenting a significant challenge for me. Maura was able to help me quickly get to the root cause of my frustration by separating emotion from fact and focusing on what I wanted and needed to be successful. Her very pointed questions, combined with her sense of humor, and not letting me “off the hook” until I had my answers, helped me recognize my role in the situation, and what I needed to do to change it and follow through on those changes which was critical. As a result, our organization is undergoing a transformation resulting in a more productive environment. Maura’s experience as a senior executive in corporate organizations affords her another dimension to her coaching practice, real world context, and that makes her incredibly effective as a coach.
As a colleague of Maura’s, I would ask myself two questions when considering an engagement: Why coaching? Why Maura?
As a business professional, I would never consider moving my company forward without a coach; just like an athlete would not consider entering a high stakes game without theirs. Maura brings both compassion and clarity to high stakes situations in business. She is a seasoned and determined professional who serves as your advocate whether your goals be related to individual performance or corporate results. Without her guidance and support, I would not have launched my own business and been able to realize such progress and independence in such a short period of time. Most importantly, she is a pleasure to know and makes the process of being coached fun…..and who couldn’t use a little more fun in their life?
Over the last year, Maura has provided me with career development and executive coaching. Her business acumen, communication skills and guidance supported and expanded my view and professional goals. Throughout the process, she was able to help me develop insights and perspective regarding my priorities as an individual. As a result of working with Maura, I have felt more empowered to take on new opportunities and have built the confidence and skills needed to make life changing decisions.