About Marybeth
Fidler
Dare to do what you fear
to do and your fear will turn into faith…
Anonymous
I have experienced
what it is like to be in transition – that empty space between
the
ending and new
beginning.
I
returned from a 1987 sabbatical in France and wondered,
What next? Accept one of the
bank CEO positions offered? I almost did. But intuition
said, Take a new road. I declined and waited.
In transition, waiting is the toughest – the faith
building stuff.
I went on to serve as Executive Director of a 190,000
member international charitable
association during a challenging time in its history.
I learned what it
takes to work in partnership with others to serve members,
change a culture, and
call the soul of an organization home.
I have been a
consultant, facilitator, and speaker since 1991.
My work has ranged
from experiential leadership institutes and executive coaching to large strategic planning
initiatives, and from keynote
presentation to qualitative research to determine what
members or customers are feeling, thinking and
wanting. I am thrilled by the diversity of human experience, awed by
the power of inclusiveness, and humbled by the
commonality of our human yearnings, fears, and behaviors.
Experiential circles (click here for more about circles) for learning, community
building, and deciding play a key role in my work.
As
a facilitator for the Foundation for Community
Encouragement, founded by M. Scott Peck, MD., and for
Executive Retreats Into Spirit: Toward Leadership Balance, I
have learned what it
means to invite the gift of Spirit into our lives,
our communities, and our
organizations. And I have learned that to receive this gift, this grace,
I must be
willing to reveal a
piece of myself – to let you know me as I am – even to look a bit
messy…
Often drawn to
leadership positions – to opportunities to have power with
others, not power
over others --
I sometimes struggle a bit with those in authority and go to
great lengths to create structures and processes that support circular
rather than hierarchical systems. I care deeply about inclusivity,
diversity, and respect for differing views.
I have been described
as magical, intuitive, creative, hypnotic -- a business intuitive, a
muse.
I like these descriptions because they engender glimpses of mystery,
possibility, potential, and that quiet
place of knowing and reflection that lies within
each of us. It is this
mystery, this inner knowing, that inspires me to help others walk
headfirst into their own heart’s desire.
Until 1992, creativity
and art were available to me only as a
spectator.
Today,
painting, drawing,
woodwork, poetry…are a crucial part of the joy of being alive.
Successful Association Leadership:
21st Century Competency for the CEO,
co-
authored with
Glenn Tecker, was published
in 1993.
It was an opportunity to learn
from the intimate
experiences
of CEOs I respect, and weave a picture of the future
that others say
they find helpful.
My newest project, Time & Spirit ,
is a multimedia presentation.
Time – life balance,
priorities, – is the most frequently talked about challenge facing executives
and others engaged in mainstream American life today. What
can we learn about time from other
cultures and time periods? What does
our relationship with time reveal about our beliefs
-- about us? This presentation expands our view of time, and
allows us to relate to
time with greater ease. It is
a presentation of hope and wonder…
Living in Washington,
DC and New York City until 1991, on my 40th birthday my
heart said,
Go
west, go west.
California prodded me to let go of stodgy, limited thinking.
Arizona burned away fear and replaced it with faith. Twice
circling the country in a camper van with my dog let me know that
home is wherever I am and it is safe to travel light – a bag of
clothes, a bag of magic, art supplies, cell phone and laptop…
Victoria, BC softened me. And Maui fills me up
with creativity and nurturing.
Sometimes it is necessary to wander in order to collect lost pieces of
oneself…
When I arrived in the
corporate world in 1973 I came alive.
The world of business
was magic for
me. Driven to move into the realm of commercial lending and executive
management, I especially enjoyed small to mid-size growth financing,
political financing, financing women
and minority owned businesses,
and bankruptcy-workout lending. The
purpose of my Bachelor of Arts in
English revealed itself only
years later.
I was very active in
women’s issues and equal opportunity in the 70’s and 80’s.
Many of us,
women and minorities, were arriving in the halls of corporate America
with little
clue how to fit in and few role models. We helped each other learn
effective ways to move
forward. I served as national
president of a women’s professional association. Serving in
this and
other volunteer capacities, like the
Board of Directors of Big Sisters of Greater
Washington and the
Washington Urban League helped me
remember who I am and why
I am here.
Sabbaticals have been
a way to uncover more about what I care deeply about. I left my 14-year
banking career, and went to France for 6 months. It was my first
step toward living my mystery, and
not others’ expectations. It gave me respect for the power
of emptying
old ideas to make room for new.
Sometimes I think that it is too bad
organizations don’t take
sabbaticals…
Click here to view client list
Click here to view formal biography
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