Amanda Karst

Greater Washington, D.C. Area

Amanda Karst

Partner and Chief Operating Officer

Amanda is an energetic, engaging leadership coach and business strategist who specializes in helping leaders synthesize their ideas into cohesive action plans, find a greater sense of clarity and direction to guide their decision making, and navigate moments of transition and change.

Amanda is passionate about working with executives and helping them:

  • Enhance their leadership skills
  • Set and reach goals
  • Find and tap into their purpose
  • Embrace their authentic self

An intuitive, holistic, big picture thinker and skilled listener, Amanda not only coaches to the person but the person in the role and excels at helping leaders become comfortable with the uncomfortable, focus on personal and professional growth, and evaluate new opportunities. As Director of Business Operations at AO, she also collaborates on strategy and takes the lead on business planning and coordination, external communications, marketing and branding, financial operations, implementation and more.

Favorite Quote

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. . . And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we’re liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” This quote by Marianne Williamson reminds me of the significance of being authentic, courageous, and open-hearted; and the power of creating magnificence in life. As a mother, friend, and coach, I appreciate this virtuous cycle—when you step forward and embrace your potential, it invites those watching to do the same.

Get to Know Me

  • Leadership Coach and Business Strategist
  • Board Member – Conscious Capitalism Washington, D.C.
  • MBA, The Johns Hopkins University
  • Master’s in project management, The George Washington University
  • Enjoys international travel
  • Dances in her kitchen
  • Loves pool time with her kids and family dog

Memorable Moments

A tour of Mahatma Gandhi’s memorial in Delhi, India and being mistaken for Pam Dawber of “Mork & Mindy” while a group of onlookers and autograph seekers gathered.

Offboarding

Embrace the opportunity to grow your brand and reputation as a company that truly invests in helping employees grow their capabilities – even and especially during an employee off boarding experience. When viewed through the development lens, this is a valuable opportunity for employers to learn and improve organizational and people development practices, build brand ambassadors, and enable departing employees to reflect on gains in skills and capabilities.

Strategy

Facilitate strategic conversations with senior leaders to explore and define ways conscious people development can be integrated into the culture and daily workflow to power your business, your people, and your employer brand. 

Retention

Incorporate learning and development objectives into retention activities to prepare employees for new roles and opportunities. This can be done through engagement and feedback surveys, recognition and rewards programs, promotion, succession planning, and more.

Social Contribution

“Build it so they will want to come, flourish, and stay, knowing that someday they may leave.

Thus, it is imperative to define what you want them to say about their growth experience with your organization and what you want the outside world to say about how you invest in and contribute capable people to society.”

-Ed Offterdinger & Catherine Allen
Conscious, Capable, and Ready to Contribute. (p. 173)

Integrated Capability Development and Performance Management

Integrate learning, growth, and capability development goals and activities into your performance management rather than relying on day-to-day responsibilities alone to create a more engaging, productive, and helpful process.

Onboarding

Adapt onboarding to set new hires up for success in a continuous learning environment through orientation activities that introduce the principles and practices that support everyday learning and development for each employee.

Recruitment

Integrate practices, principles, and tools to better evaluate a candidate’s orientation to continuous learning and development as a factor in their overall fit for a position. This provides:

  • Improved candidate interviewing, assessment and selection practices
  • Better candidate selections with learning and growth mindset
  • An early introduction to your company’s development culture focus

Attraction

Embed messages about commitment to people development to attract your ideal candidates.