Interview conducted with a compliance director, Fortune 100 financial firm

What drew you to IOCI/Marialane and what work were you engaged in?

I was finishing a residency at Georgetown University and was connected to her. I could choose from her or nine other coaches, and her experience in the financial services industry and the words she used to describe herself drew me to her. She had an impressive business background and she helped to connect me to other women. She’s very well-connected and focused on the person and the journey and what that person can do to reach that condition of fulfillment.

Describe what it is like working with Marialane?

I always us two words to describe it – transformative and impact. I know coaching is helpful, but the way it’s delivered from Marialane was so impactful that it made me want to explore being a coach myself. She has powerful listening abilities and the ability to synthesize what you’re saying. She’s totally invested. When you work with Marialane, she’s effective and definitely transforms the way you think and perceive and do things, and other people benefit because of that.

How would you describe the value that resulted from your work with her and how it benefited you and your organization?

The most important thing is that you have a different perspective and a different way of looking at things. Marialane takes you through these ways of processing. It translates into how you operate in an organization. As a result, I’ve been hosting panels and workshops on women in leadership – helping them rise up. And I’ve been coaching my team and our emerging leaders as a result of my insights from coaching with Marialane. It also piqued my interest in trying to meet performance excellence, communicate more and differently, and constantly push ourselves more and differently. So there are lots of tangible outcomes. She takes coaching to a different dimension that you don’t expect. It comes and kind of slaps you in you the face. But it’s a good pain!

How would you describe Marialane/IOCI in one word?

Passion! About what she does and it translates into how she co-creates this relationship with clients. You’re in a dance and she’s leading you through the dance. She’s tough and firm but she has a big heart. I walked away saying that I was transformed. She’s incredibly engaged. She connects. She’s relatable. She’s definitely an inspirational leader and she compels her clients to act, not just talk about it but do something. You feel like you have to do it and, at the end of the day, you’re grateful. Her coaching is thought-provoking and enlightening.

Excellence…she does everything in the spirit of excellence.

What is one of your most fondest memories you have in working with Marialane and why does this story stick with you today?

When I first came to her, I told her I was doing so many things, that I have no balance. And the beginning of the change for me was Marialane asking me very simple question of what are your conditions for fulfillment. I realized I didn’t like what I was doing. I recall speaking to her about my experience in Africa and she gave me homework and she started to ask me these interesting questions that started to frame how I was thinking about future, how I could grow and how I could grow my team. Marialane’s approach and how she started to dig deep without seeming like she was probing and her ability to connect me with people who do similar things – it’s very special.

It’s what I call her bedside manner. Her coaching presence is thought-provoking and impactful. It definitely takes leaders to the next level. It’s multi-dimensional. She meets you where you are and she has a knack for connecting with different people at different levels all at once.

What does Spirited Business® mean to you?

It intrigues me. I think we need that in business now. We’ve lost the spirit in business. In the culture of spending so much time in engaging in peak performance, and sometimes we need a little help and that’s what coaching is for.

I keep saying to her equipping and empowering people to lead with confidence and also with adaptive capacity helps lead you through change. She helps create game-changers that can change your organization!

This is a unique IOCI client Q+A series offered to help you see first-hand how our experience and expertise helps fuel Spirited Business®.