Susan McLean Begalka

Consultant

Meet Susan McLean Begalka

Susan Begalka is an executive coach and facilitator who focuses on developing self-aware, others-focused, and strengths-based leaders. She brings over 25 years of experience in working with leaders and organizations to improve employee engagement, productivity, and organizational well-being.

Susan currently works with a US Federal Government organization through which she has extensive experience coaching attorneys, economists, and engineers. Additionally, she trains and consults with leaders from across the country on improving team and overall organizational engagement and performance. Her experience also includes working with aspiring and current C-Suite leaders, non-profit organizations, and other state government organizations.

Susan is a certified Positive Psychology practitioner and consultant. Her expertise in this area allows her to coach and train individuals and organizations to be resilient, especially in times of change and volatility such as what the world has experienced during the COVID pandemic.

Susan blends her Positive Psychology work with her work around CliftonStrengths®, a Gallup assessment. Gallup research has shown that when leaders and employees have opportunities each day to use their strengths and do what they do best, organizations are six times more likely to have engaged employees. Susan helps leaders to understand their strengths and how to lead from those strengths and helps leaders create and implement strategic plans to create strengths-based cultures within their teams and organizations.

MEMBERSHIPS & CERTIFICATIONS

Certifications: 

  • International Coaching Federation Credentialed Coach (ACC)

  • Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach

  • Certification in Applied Positive Psychology, The Flourishing Center

  • Certification in Positive Psychology Consulting, The Flourishing Center

  • Bounce Back Better Resilience Trainer, The Flourishing Center

  • True Colors® Administrator

  • Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI)

  • Emotional Intelligence (EQi 2.0®), OKA Associates

  • Benchmarks 360 Administrator, Center for Creative Leadership

Memberships:

  • International Coaching Federation

Education

  • University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice

  • Cornell, Certificate in Leadership Psychology

Certified Facilitator

  • Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach

  • True Colors® Administrator

  • Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI)

  • Emotional Intelligence (EQi 2.0®)

  • Benchmarks 360 Administrator

Relevant Experience

  • Executive Coach and Facilitator, US Federal government

  • Founder, SkyLimit Coaching, LLC

  • Founder, Copperline Group

  • Coached an economist to achieve a promotion to a  new position and to then get into the law school of her choice. She is currently in law school part time and is thriving in her new position.

  • Coached an attorney to get clarity around her job goals and to achieve a promotion to her next pay grade. This included coaching her to create a networking plan and a strategic plan. Within six months of coaching, she had achieved her goal.

  • Coached a human resources leader who had taken over a very disengaged team. Her openness to leaning into her strengths and her desire to know the strengths of each of her teammates has led to a team that is now engaged and thriving.

  • Coached an engineer who was having challenges with his manager who had a very different management style. This coaching led to his increased understanding of the uniqueness of people with whom he worked and the need to bring more than just data to his relationships.

  • Coached an aspiring C-Suite leader through her job search and subsequent interviews. She has just been hired into a C-Suite job with an international company.

  • Coached a non-profit CEO (who was promoted internally) on how to improve relationships with and between organizational leaders. The leadership team reports improved organizational culture and collaboration.

  • Coached an organization’s Chief of Staff (an attorney) on how to create and implement a strength-based culture strategic plan.

  • Coached a 20-year attorney who wanted clarity around his next career move and needed help deciding whether to leave government service. He is now happily employed with a law firm and is flourishing.

 ADDITIONAL INSIGHTS + RESEARCH