Morag Barrett is an Author, CEO, and Executive Coach. She is also mother of three 6ft boys, a classical musician, ballroom dancer, author of 3 books, and passionate about helping leaders at all levels achieve outstanding results through the power of their professional relationships.
Tell us about your life before the venture/ leading up to your venture?
I was going to be an engineer, and ended up in finance (in the UK), focused on the numbers side of business. While I loved the poetry of the numbers I realized that something was missing in the equation, that if it were as simple as having a great cash flow forecast, every company would be successful. The missing element was a lack of focus and investment in the people skills and how business gets done. As a result, when things didn’t go to plan, the politics, silos, and turf wars took over and slowed down decision making and undermined success for everyone.
I therefore pivoted into leadership and executive development, initially in the bank, and then for an American telecom company which is how I ended up moving to Colorado. I was getting requests from alumni from that company to come help them in their new organizations and it was one of the catalysts for launching SkyeTeam.
Tell us something about your organization. What is it about and how is it helpful for people?
Relationships are at the heart of everything we do at SkyeTeam. Time flies when you are having fun, & I LOVE what I do & the people I work with. SkyeTeam is in the people business, helping to develop leaders at all levels in organizations; we work as team and leadership facilitators, and executive coaches. Our customers are predominantly IT, Technology, and Engineering professionals who are:
– Looking to take their career to the next level and are unsure how.
– Frustrated that their team is not firing on all cylinders (especially in a hybrid world), and business results are at risk.
– Finding themselves acting as referees between colleagues where relationships have become frayed, and teamwork and innovation have stalled.
– Looking to raise the collective leadership & management skills in their organization.
What has been the response of the consumers towards your venture?
I started SkyeTeam 15 years ago with the intent of ‘giving it a year and seeing what happens’. The last 15 years have flown by and I’ve supported more than 15,000 leaders from 20 countries and on 6 continents.
We’ve won awards for our leadership programs. I’ve written three books, Cultivate. The Power of Winning Relationships, The Future-Proof Workplace, and my new book You, Me, We. Why we all need a friend at work (and how to show up as one!) is available now.
How has your life changed because of your venture?
I’ve had the opportunity to travel extensively, I’ve been challenged and continued to learn and grow. I’ve made mistakes and had to come back from those, and I’ve had huge wins that I have been able to share with my family, my team, and my friends. Ultimately I am better for my experiences and excited to see how my life, and how I, will continue to change going forward.
Give a motivational message for the audience/women who are reading this.
If you have a dream then don’t wait, life is too short to wait, instead choose to take the first steps towards realizing your dream. Start by getting your allies and supporters around you and then go for it. Remember, you can’t be successful in business or in life unless you are successful in cultivating winning relationships.
