About Bette Watson-Borg

Bette Watson-Borg, Principal of Maple Key Coaching, is a high energy and results oriented previous executive who brings to her coaching practice over 35 years of experience in organizational strategy and operations, encompassing human resources (employee and volunteer), governance, conflict resolution, finance, fund raising, sales and marketing, risk management, communications, capital renewal and brand. Bette couples this professional background with her extensive coach training and certification including being a:

Bette partners with individuals and groups in thought-provoking and creative processes that inspire them to maximize their personal and professional potential, particularly important in today’s uncertain and complex environment. Bette brings a collegial perspective to executive and senior leaders who are seeking a coach who has “walked in their shoes”. As well, Bette supports committed and ambitious young professionals who are on a trajectory that is making huge impact in our world.

She works with organizational leaders who want to proactively work on a diversity of topics that might include setting goals, controlling work-life balance, addressing conflict that is limiting their progress and undermining forward movement. She supports professionals in build their leadership brand, style, and skills so they can best use their time and energy in making the difference they want to make in work and life. This is done by helping these committed leaders delve into what is most important to them, what will support their success and figure out what is needed to move forward.

Bette is a positive relationship builder with a leadership style described by others as ethical, energetic, inclusive, organized and accountable with a focus on results, impact and creating momentum.

The Maple Key as Metaphor

I chose the “Maple Key” as the symbol for my coaching practice as a powerful metaphor for the strength of the human spirit coupled with the potential and unlimited possibilities that lie within each and every one of us. Some of the qualities that resonate for me include;

  • the maple seed, often known as a “helicopter”  travels on a journey through time and space to reach its final destination;

  • the resiliency of the maple sapling that grows tall in spite of terrain and climate;

  • the diversity that is found in the heights, bark, leaf colours and shapes;

  • the beauty and inspiration of the red, gold, orange, brown and yellow maple leaves;

  • the practical and productive nature of maple wood  for heat, buildings and furnishings;

  • the protection from sun and rain and the calm, relaxing sound of wind in the leaves;

  • the unexpected and magical taste of maple syrup; and

  • the pure joy to be experienced from a swing suspended from the branches.

 What Others Are Saying

“I came to coaching with Bette because I wanted to be better at difficult conversations at home and at work. With Bette’s coaching, I now have the tools and confidence to help me achieve my goals in those areas and move forward. Bette is a compassionate coach, it was wonderful to feel that she absolutely believed in my ability to get where I wanted to go. Her nimbleness in coaching was really helpful to me. It didn’t matter where we went in our coaching sessions, Bette could adapt and alter her approach appropriately, always focusing on the result I was aiming for. If you need help to reach your objectives, work with Bette. I am happy I did.”

–Business Development Officer, Halifax, Nova Scotia

 

“As I was nearing completion of my Masters in Education, I was looking for some direction in my leadership development. I connected with Bette for a “sample” session and kept on going! Bette listened, coaxed, challenged and supported my learning process to help me explore and develop my style. Bette’s patience and calm nurturing style gave me focus to look deep and move forward. Under Bette’s coaching, I developed a deeper understanding of myself and confidence in the skills I offer to my client.”

–Business Advisor and Adult Educator, Nova Scotia

 

“Bette coached me through a difficult situation. Her empathetic manner helped me uncover important insights that helped me change my approach to the problem.”

–Masters Student, Texas

 

“Bette approached me at a time that I wasn’t actively considering coaching. She was someone who I had a lot of respect for, and, in taking the plunge with her own venture, someone who I wanted to support. I had nothing to lose in trying it out.

Through my time working with Bette, I found that our sessions gave me the chance to really dive into a problem. Through conversation, we were often able to explore the underlying cause of a challenge and work towards some options of how best to proceed. Most importantly, she would challenge me to follow up with action – a push I often needed.

Bette adapted really well to find an approach that worked for me. I often lacked a top of mind topic for the session, though we found a nice rhythm which helped us narrow down a topic within the first 10 minutes or so. The topic almost always hit the mark for that week’s big challenge.”

–President and CEO, Marketing and Advertising, Atlantic Canada

 

“Through our coaching sessions, Bette inspired me to think and look inward rather than just outward for solutions for both personal and professional challenges. Bette is authentic with a passion for helping others… she made me feel comfortable and supported during each of our coaching sessions. Through her careful and thoughtful coaching style, I was able to view situations and issues in a new light and gain a better perspective.”

–Executive Director, Not-for-Profit Youth Services, Nova Scotia

 

“Bette genuinely cares about my success. She listens intently to carefully understand me and is masterful at coming up with meaningful exercises to help me work through issues. Combined with all of this she is extremely positive, perceptive and insightful. After each session I feel uplifted and well supported!”

–Executive in Career Transition, Halifax, Nova Scotia