My Why
Where I started as a leader and where I ended up was quite a long and winding road. Initially, I thought leading meant being the one in control and having the power to make decisions I thought were right. I was very confident and kind of hard-headed when I was starting out. I did a lot of talking and not much listening. Because of courageous people on my team who gave me honest feedback, it didn’t take me long to realize I was not very good at leading. Thankfully, that realization didn’t derail me.
Because I had a deep desire to be impactful, I dug in and began learning about and exploring various leadership styles. When I knew better, I did better. I stopped doing the work and began leading people. I stopped talking (mostly) and started listening. I stopped letting opportunities to connect with people go by and started acting on the empathy and compassion that was a part of me. I started connecting with those on my team in a meaningful way. Connecting with people opened the door to knowing…knowing that people universally want to be heard, valued, and a genuine part of the team. In essence they wanted to be human at work. Overwhelmingly, a respected, even beloved, leader finds the balance between achieving results for the organization and cultivating meaningful relationships with those they lead. When you reach that sweet spot, performance skyrockets. When you know better, you do better!
I didn’t always get it right, but when I realized I needed to make amends, I had the confidence and courage to do so…and let me tell you, that practice was freeing. The part of leadership that brought me the most joy was helping people reach their personal best and professional goals. It was a privilege to be in service to others. I am a coach today to continue to joyfully be in service to others.
We control our own destiny.
When we understand that our experiences inform our thinking, our thinking drives our feelings, our feelings influence our behavior, and our behavior informs our thinking, we realize we have the key to controlling our own destiny.
Meet My Business Side
As a senior executive in the FBI with 17 years of leadership experience, Kathleen had the pleasure of leading teams in diverse areas from cybersecurity to IT infrastructure to training and development. She studied leadership at University of Michigan - Ross School of Business, Notre Dame – Mendoza College of Business, Northwestern University – Kellogg School of Management, and Yale School of Management. Kathleen rose quickly through the leadership ranks, retiring as a Deputy Assistant Director. She earned a reputation for her strength as a business-minded strategic thinker who achieved results through connecting with people to bring out their personal best and developing authentic partnerships across the organization for high organizational impact.
Transitioning into leadership coaching was a natural progression for Kathleen after retiring from a 31-year career in the FBI. As a graduate of the Georgetown Executive Leadership Coaching program, she supports clients to improve personal understanding and performance while sharing her considerable knowledge of leadership development and practices.
As the Founder and President of The Coaching Experience, Kathleen breathes life into the fundamental truth that we are forged by our experiences. Understanding how experiences shape thinking, feelings, and behaviors is the key to controlling desired outcomes. Helping clients discover how to create experiences that fuel their best selves is at the center of her coaching practice.
To support leaders in harnessing their highest potential, she is a certified assessor of DRiV Model, EQ-i® 2.0, and EQ-i 360® Leadership tools. She is trained in Positive Intelligence, Perceptual Intelligence, and Brene Brown's in the Dare to Lead® curriculum.
Early in 2023, Kathleen was invited to be an advisor to the Distinguished Women in Leadership program at the University of Richmond. Being in service to others brought her joy. She is humbled to be able to continue that service as a coach.
Kathleen is a certified coach through ICF. She holds a Bachelor of Science and Master of Public Administration.
Let’s discover together!