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Coaching & Consulting with a Smart Heart

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You’re here because you’re navigating work that matters. Maybe you’re facing organisational change, high-stakes decisions, or a team under strain. Maybe you’re leading through uncertainty, carrying the weight of leadership, or wondering how to stay resilient without burning out. Or maybe you are struggling to stand upright in a personal storm. I’m here to help. 

 

I bring over 30 years guiding leaders with:

  • Strategic clarity and systems thinking

  • Cultural connectedness and trauma-informed practice

  • Deeply human, practical tools to help you move forward with purpose

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This is not one-size-fits-all. Every engagement is tailored — whether you’re a senior leader, a professional sportsperson, governor, or an organisation ready for meaningful transformation.

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For years, I worked as a probation officer, navigating high-stakes, high-pressure human challenges. Later, I found myself coaching leaders — founders, CEOs, caregivers — not just on performance, but on how to lead when life quietly falls apart behind the scenes. The wisdom I bring isn’t theoretical. It’s lived, tested, and reshaped through my own storms.

 

We can work together through:

  • 1:1 Leadership Coaching - personalised support

  • Group Workshops & Facilitation

  • Strategic Advisory & Consulting & Project based work

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If you’re ready to lead with a Smart Heart, I’d love to chat.

 

Book a free conversation:
mariamcdonald111@gmail.com

006421448813

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Meet Maria

Leadership is personal. So is change. I help people lead with both smarts and heart - a Smart Heart.

Kia ora, I’m Maria. I work alongside courageous leaders, changemakers, and community-focused organisations to navigate the complexity of real change — with compassion, courage, and practical tools. 

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My approach is grounded in:
✅ Cultural respect
✅ Emotional intelligence
✅ Deep systems knowledge
✅ Trauma-informed practice
✅ And the quiet, hard-earned wisdom of someone who’s walked through her own storms.

 

I Believe:

  • People are the heart of every system.

  • Clarity and courage are the antidotes to burnout and confusion.

  • Rehumanising leadership is possible — and necessary.

  • Bringing tikanga, trauma-informed practice, and storytelling into modern leadership transforms not just systems, but souls.

 

My Journey:

I bring over 30 years’ experience across government, justice, and community sectors.

I’ve:

  • Led national wellbeing, trauma, and cultural change initiatives

  • Supported frontline staff, leaders, and victims during some of Aotearoa’s most complex public events

  • Built strategies that honour both systems and soul

  • Walked through personal storms and emerged not just standing, but wiser and more authentic

This mix of lived experience and professional expertise shapes everything I offer.

 

Who I Support:

I work with:
✅ Public service professionals
✅ Community leaders
✅ Kaupapa Māori organisations
✅ Women in leadership navigating deep personal and professional change

✅ Professional athletes

Whether through 1:1 coaching, strategic facilitation, or systems transformation, my role is to walk alongside you — and help you lead bravely.

 

My Style:

  • Grounded in empathy and real-world experience

  • Skilled in courageous conversations and trauma-informed practice

  • Pragmatic and strategic — not just vision, but implementation

  • Culturally safe, relational, and deeply human

 

About Me:

I’m a mum to two teens, living in Carterton, with deep connections to Rāpaki, Ngāti Wheke, and Ngāi Tahu.
I love nature, car racing, good coffee, and honest kōrero.

This work isn’t just professional for me — it’s personal.
And it matters.

 

If You’re Ready:

If you’re ready to lead with a Smart Heart, or if you’re facing one of life’s hardest seasons and want support staying upright, let’s talk.

Book a free chat:
mariamcdonald111@gmail.com

006421448813

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