Transforming Leadership Teams Through Executive Coaching
I partner with executives and leaders worldwide to build stronger, more connected leadership teams.
When Teams Struggle, Organization Suffer
In leadership today, executives face unprecedented challenges that often make work feel unsustainable. Technology advances and geopolitical changes have created an environment that is far less predictable than it used to be.
As a Result...
- Executives must make more decisions faster with less data and greater consequences.
- Leaders are losing connection with their authentic selves while trying to keep up with impossible demands.
- Power differences and communication barriers lead to eroding trust among team members.
- Teams work in silos rather than in collaboration.
The Cost?
- Compromised organizational effectiveness when you can least afford it.
- Wasted time and resources.
- Revisiting the same issues repeatedly without resolution.
- Team disengagement.
- High leadership turnover.
Through Our Work Together, Transformation Happens on Every Level
By uncovering hidden gaps, facilitating difficult conversations, and revealing interdependencies, I help leaders and teams create the trust and connection that enable them to thrive.
As a result of working together, my clients experience:
- Greater self-awareness and clarity
- The ability to navigate tensions with confidence
- Relief from the unsustainable pace through more strategic decision-making
- Renewed connection to their authentic leadership style
- Greater alignment at work and in their personal lives
The positive effects extend throughout their organizations:
- A culture where difficult conversations happen with trust rather than fear
- Faster resolutions of operational conflicts
- Empowered staff who are more engaged
- Cross-functional collaboration that improves outcomes and operational efficiency
Services
01 Executive Coaching
One-on-one partnerships with senior leaders (VP and above) to enhance decision-making and strengthen authentic leadership. I serve as your thought partner to help navigate complex leadership challenges.
02 Team Coaching
Comprehensive programs that build trust and create awareness of interdependencies within leadership teams. I help teams move beyond individual achievement to collective success through enhanced communication and accountability systems.
03 Strategic Facilitation
Targeted interventions with sustainable follow-through, including monthly power hours and virtual office hours. These sessions help teams address specific challenges like trust-building and working relationships, with customized exercises and structured follow-up to ensure lasting impact.
04 Leadership Off-Site Workshops
Intensive, immersive experiences designed to accelerate team development and address critical leadership challenges. These customized workshops create dedicated time and space for teams to work through complex issues, align on priorities, and establish new ways of working together.
05 Career and Retirement Coaching
Intensive, immersive experiences designed to accelerate team development and address critical leadership challenges. These customized workshops create dedicated time and space for teams to work through complex issues, align on priorities, and establish new ways of working together.
Bonus
For all services, I offer email, text and phone communication between sessions at no additional cost to provide support when you need it most. 30-minute “spot coaching” calls between scheduled sessions are also included at no additional charge.
My Approach to Team Transformation: Courage and Compassion
Drawing from my critical care nursing background, I’ve developed a coaching approach centered on keen observation. Just as nurses notice subtle indicators that reveal what’s happening beneath the surface, I apply these same attentive skills to team dynamics.
Listen & Observe
I begin by collecting comprehensive data by asking sponsors and stakeholders targeted questions about gaps and desired outcomes while observing team interactions firsthand.
Analyze & Identify
After thorough analysis, I identify what's working well and pinpoint the root causes of team challenges that may be overlooked in day-to-day operations.
Coach & Facilitate
Through structured sessions, I help leadership teams address unspoken challenges that limit their effectiveness and deliver difficult feedback with the compassion that fosters growth.
Sustainability Planning
All engagements conclude with a concrete plan and follow-up mechanisms to ensure changes remain long after our formal work concludes.
Hi. I'm Deb Skarda.
My path to executive coaching began in critical care nursing, where I learned to observe what wasn’t being said and notice the subtle indicators that often contradicted verbal reports. My love of people and understanding what they truly need has guided my entire career journey.
After years on the front lines of healthcare, I moved into senior leadership at Abbott, Hospira, and AbbVie, eventually leading teams of 100+ and managing budgets exceeding $350 million. I know the pressures of leadership because I’ve lived them.
Today, I coach executives around the world to lead with clarity, purpose, and resilience. I help them uncover hidden triggers, clarify values, and navigate constant change with confidence.
My approach is grounded in evidence-based training and a deep commitment to growth. I hold a PCC credential from the International Coaching Federation, am certified in the Hogan Assessment Suite, and bring tools like Cross-Functional Influence and Trust at Work to help leaders and teams thrive.
My Certifications
What Clients Say
Success Stories
"The Gold Standard in Executive Coaching."
Working Deb Skarda, has been an incredibly valuable and transformative experience—both on an individual level and as part of a leadership team. Deb is a truly gifted executive coach who brings clarity, insight, and accountability to every engagement.
At the individual level, Deb’s coaching has accelerated personal leadership development. She has a unique ability to draw out core strengths while identifying and addressing limiting patterns. Through her coaching, I’ve developed greater self-awareness, stronger communication skills, and a clearer vision of how to lead with intention. At the executive team level, Deb fosters alignment, trust, and collaboration. Her structured yet flexible approach enables honest, productive conversations and helps teams move forward with purpose. Her facilitation and strategy sessions result in actionable outcomes that drive lasting value.
One of Deb’s standout qualities is her expertise with a wide range of coaching assessments, such as Leadership Circle Profile, Hogan, and EQ-i 2.0. She helps individuals and teams understand the data and translate it into lasting behavioral change. What sets Deb apart is her deep operating experience in senior leadership within a large pharmaceutical company. She understands the pressures, pace, and complexity of high-stakes corporate environments, which brings unmatched credibility and relevance to her coaching.
In short, Deb Skarda represents the gold standard in executive coaching.
JD, Senior VP, People & Culture, San Francisco CA, US
"I’ve Become a More Self-aware and Courageous Leader."
“I began working with Deb when I joined my company as an executive leader a couple of years ago. She has a unique hybrid style — toggling intuitively between coaching and advising depending on the specific needs of the client. As a result of our coaching relationship, I’ve become a more self-aware, confident, and courageous leader. I’ve learned to delegate more effectively, and to pay it forward, cultivating the next generation of leaders on my team and building trust across the organization. Having Deb as a coach has made a tangible impact on the business and, as an extension of that, the care that we take on behalf of the patients we serve.”
DC, Vice President, Princeton, New Jersey
"Deb’s Support Has Meant So Much to My Success."
“I wanted to express my heartfelt gratitude for the incredible support and guidance you’ve provided during our coaching engagement. Your deep understanding of the business, ability to speak from experience, and ask thought-provoking questions has been invaluable to me. Your constructive advice and insightful guidance have significantly contributed to my development, and I truly appreciate the effort and care you’ve put into our meetings. I appreciate the wisdom you always bring to the table. Your support has meant so much to me and my success.”
JH, VP Research & Development, Chicago IL, US
"I Feel More Empowered, Focused & Confident."
“I feel incredibly fortunate to have had the guidance and support of Deb as my coach. She possesses a rare ability to listen deeply, offer thoughtful insights, and challenge you in the most supportive way. Every conversation with Deb results in feeling more empowered, focused, and confident in my path forward, which positively impacts me and my team’s results and culture. Deb leads with empathy, integrity, and humility—qualities of not just an exceptional coach, but a truly inspiring human being. I am endlessly grateful for the clarity, courage, and self-awareness I’ve gained through working with Deb. I couldn’t have asked for a better guide on this journey.”