Executive and Leadership Coaching

Executive and leadership coaching offers a personalized and transformative experience for individuals in leadership roles. Through one-on-one coaching sessions, executives engage in a reflective and goal-oriented process that aims to enhance their leadership capabilities. These sessions provide a safe and confidential space for leaders to delve into their professional challenges, aspirations, and growth areas. I work closely with executives to identify strengths and areas for improvement, helping them build self-awareness and develop strategies to overcome obstacles. By focusing on the leader's unique strengths and challenges, executive coaching empowers individuals to take their leadership skills to the next level.

Leadership development involves designing and delivering comprehensive programs that foster the growth of high-performance teams and nurture the potential of future leaders. These programs often combine interactive workshops, skill-building exercises, and experiential learning opportunities to enhance participants' leadership competencies. Leadership development goes beyond individual growth, emphasizing the creation of cohesive teams, effective communication, and the cultivation of a leadership pipeline within an organization. By investing in leadership development, companies ensure a sustainable and dynamic leadership culture that drives both individual and organizational success.

Change management is a crucial service that supports individuals and organizations during periods of transformation. Change initiatives can be complex and challenging, often met with resistance and uncertainty. I use my expertise to guide individuals and teams through this process by providing structured frameworks, communication strategies, and tools that help navigate the transition smoothly. I work to alleviate fears, address concerns, and engage stakeholders at all levels, ensuring that the change leads to positive outcomes and sustainable growth.

Finally, emotional intelligence coaching focuses on developing a crucial skill set for effective leadership and personal growth. Emotional intelligence encompasses self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, and social skills. I help leaders understand and manage their emotions, make informed decisions, and build strong relationships with their teams. By nurturing emotional intelligence, leaders become more attuned to their own feelings and those of others, leading to improved communication, conflict resolution, and overall team dynamics. This results in a more inclusive and collaborative work environment that drives success across various aspects of an organization.

Schedule a free initial meeting to talk more about how I can serve you.

  • “Maria has improved my confidence level and my ability to communicate effectively with every member of the team. Through her coaching, I have gained an invaluable awareness of the ways I self limit my own potential. She has a true gift for helping professionals take ownership of the areas within and outside of their control and formulating meaningful paths for each.”

    Frances Casey, MD, MPH, VCU Medical Center

  • “Maria was an excellent professional coach for me. Her combination of coaching sessions and assignments/reading was a great balance to help me identify and achieve my professional goals. Additionally, Maria is a kind, caring, knowledgeable, and patient person I enjoyed connecting with and learning from.”

    Elizabeth Magrath Ucci, Virginia Commonwealth University Health Systems

  • “Maria Carlton has been my coach, as well as a trusted mentor, and friend. Over the last year, Maria has helped me to recognize my key strengths needed to advance to a leadership position in Human Resource Management. I was able to clearly define my capabilities and work through challenges that had caused me to have setbacks in the past. Maria listens intently and encourages self-reflection. She is a kind and compassionate thought leader. Her approach to coaching and her insights into self-development has been invaluable to me. I cannot thank her enough”

    Anne B. Martin, Gateway Homes, Inc.

  • “[Maria gets] involved to create positive change… does research and speaks with key stakeholders to identify issues of concern and solutions to address those concerns… understands how to create an Action Plan… cares about others and empathizes with people in need… communicates well with diverse audiences… is dependable and people respect [her] input.”

    Kathy Harkey, NAMI Central Virginia