Executive Coach
Maximizing Potential & Optimizing Performance through Leadership Coaching
Karen Parsons
Maximizing Potential & Optimizing Performance through Leadership Coaching
Executive Coach
Leaders are the gatekeepers to your organization’s greatest asset – its people.
For the past 33 years, Karen Parsons has been helping leaders to further excel. Karen has worked with thousands of successful, high-level professionals in hundreds of organizations. She has condensed decades of knowledge into her coaching methodology resulting in a profoundly effective approach.
"We consider it a privilege to work with such a caring and conscientious professional and look forward to our next opportunity to work together.”
- Nick Di Ponzio-Vice President, HR Strategy & Planning/Samsung Electronics North American Head Office
Forward-thinking companies know that investing in leadership coaching is a business imperative that takes performance – and profits – to the next level.
At the core of Karen’s coaching philosophy is a fundamental principle:
Self-awareness is the foundation of successful leadership.
Self-awareness is the ability to recognize and understand your emotions, values, beliefs, behaviors, motives, strengths and weaknesses, and your effect on those around you.
Studies highlighted in the Harvard Business Review show that self-aware leaders are, “…more-effective leaders with more-satisfied employees and more-profitable companies.” Even though most people think they are self-aware, "...only 10%-15% of the people studied fit the criteria.”
As your leader’s self-awareness increases so does their ability to be more tuned in to the needs, feelings, perspectives, and experiences of those they work with. The more attuned they are to others, the more effectively they can adapt their leadership style to suit the present needs of the situation and the people involved.
When team members feel genuinely heard and understood by their leaders, it results in stronger, more collaborative relationships that are rooted in trust.
Karen has an astute ability for helping her clients become more self-aware and uncover blind spots and hidden barriers that are impeding their success. Her solutions-oriented approach includes leadership coaching in areas such as:
Delegation
Communication
Vision and strategy
Business planning
Hiring and interviewing
Onboarding
Conflict resolution
Collaboration
Influence
Team building
Time management and prioritization
Stress reduction
And more...
Whether an aspiring leader or seasoned executive, each coaching engagement is tailored with specific KPIs designed to meet the needs of the individual and the objectives of the organization.
Prior to her role as an executive coach, Karen was a successful search consultant specializing in the placement of senior-level professionals in the technology industry for 18 years. Her business acumen and knowledge of the challenges and complexities of working in fast-paced global organizations has proven to be immensely beneficial as a coach.
In addition to working with organizations and their leaders, Karen also works with individuals. A multitude of professionals have hired Karen directly to utilize her vast knowledge and experience. Whether it’s working through specific career/life transitions and challenges or elevating their skills and promotability, Karen serves as a wise confidant and strategist.
Hi, I'm Karen Parsons.
For the past 33 years, I have had the honor of working with thousands of professionals at different stages in their careers. Firstly, as a search consultant for 18 years and now as an executive coach.
I was just 13-years old when I discovered my passion for human potential and achievement. I read the book Psycho-Cybernetics written by Maxwell Maltz. He talked about concepts like self-image and goal setting. He expounded on personal empowerment. My mind was blown. It set me on a path of self-development. I immersed myself in the study of high-performance, achievement and success. I was fully committed to being the best version of myself and living my best life. Thankfully, the investment paid off! I had created a wonderful life and a successful business.
However, something was changing. My interest in personal empowerment and achievement was now extending to my clients. I would spend 2+ hours interviewing candidates for the searches I was working on. In comparison, my colleagues would only spend 30 - 45 minutes. I was just so curious about what made them happy, their frustrations and challenges. I was eager to discover why some were consistently successful and others were not.
I began to see a trend of discontent among many of them.
I was genuinely concerned why an alarming number of the successful high-level professionals I worked with weren’t satisfied with their careers and lives, even though they had achieved so much.
I too was feeling discontented.
I realized what was missing for me was a deeper fulfillment. I wanted to help people more profoundly than I could as a search consultant.
This began my quest to uncover the reasons behind the discontent, and to find lasting solutions for creating meaningful personal and professional success.
My passion for maximizing human potential and excellence fueled my desire to become a coach.
I am so grateful that my coaching services have been making a positive difference for the organizations and individuals that I work with since 2008!