Faculty Spotlight: Maureen Breeze

Maureen Breeze, founder and principal of Cultivage, has over 25 years of experience working in senior level management, creative industries, and talent development. She is a certified executive coach through the International Coaching Federation and is licensed to train teams using the ISEI's Social and Emotional Intelligence Profile and Myers Briggs Type Indicator assessment.

Tell us about your professional background.

I've been fortunate to have a varied career in both business and the creative industries. For the past fifteen years, I've been a professional development trainer, a certified coach and an organizational development consultant. I enjoy working at the crossroads of professional and personal development, assisting both individuals and organizations to cultivate talent and create opportunities. The coaching framework is a powerful tool for driving peak performance in the work place, and I'm passionate about sharing these strategies with leaders and managers across industries. Prior to coaching and training, I was a professional dancer and choreographer, and was the founder/director of JUMPSTART Productions.

Why is professional development important to you?

Recent advancements in neuroscience and behavior science make this an exciting time for learning and growing, regardless of one's industry or role in an organization. Professional development allows us the opportunity to learn about new research and apply relevant findings to our daily work. It's also an opportunity to learn from others. There's so much to gain from hearing how other professionals solve problems, manage obstacles and work to build successful teams. Learning in real-time, face-to-face with other professionals is a great way to do this.

Give us an an overview of your Coaching Skills certificate program with CPD.

I'm excited to facilitate four courses on coaching. The first will be an overview of coaching strategies for leaders and managers. The second session will explore coaching skills to promote emotional and social agility in the workplace, followed by a session on incorporating coaching strategies to lead effective teams. The final session will be a practicum where participants practice more advanced coaching skills and receive feedback on their work. 

What's the best piece of professional advice you've received? 

The best professional advice I've received is to learn how to ask great questions. To be skilled at asking questions requires a curious mindset, which promotes problem-solving and creativity. It's an asset that serves you both professional and personally.