Future thinking is a skill

An elderly woman with blonde hair smiling while holding a stack of books titled "Hammock" by Marge Odahowski, sitting outdoors in front of a pink building with large windows.

Marga means "the path." My work is helping leaders see the one ahead.

Better decisions start with clear thinking about the future.

I'm an executive coach and speaker on the science of future thinking. I help leaders and teams cut through distraction and overwhelm, decide with clarity, and stay aligned when conditions change.

Book a conversation about coaching packages and speaking availability on my contact page above.


Executive coach with BetterUp, serving leaders at Fortune 500 and government organizations. Former faculty, University of Virginia teaching Mindful Leadership at the Commerce School and the Darden School of Business.

 

 

A woman in a pink top holding a book titled 'The Way of the Hammock' by Marga Odashowska towards the camera, with a blurred outdoor background of trees and sunlight.
Person lying on a hammock outdoors reading a newspaper in a wooded area during autumn.

“Hammocking is a verb.”

The Way of the Hammock Designing Calm for a Busy Life combines the best practices of mindfulness, wellbeing, and creativity so you can make each day your best. You get to pick and try on the practices that are best for you.

I draw on a designer’s method of visualization and iteration to help you maintain beauty and ease throughout the change process. Designers know that a playful attitude and mindset are essential to insight and innovation … and why should they have all the fun!

You’ll learn to:

  • Learn a designer’s mindset for a creative life

  • Implement simple, straightforward techniques for overcoming challenges

  • Use design tools to enhance creativity and reduce stress

It may seem counterintuitive in our busy world that taking the time to relax will help us to be productive. The truth is that when we practice active relaxation we are changing our neural pathways and creating a calmer mind.

BUY THE BOOK

About

A smiling woman with blonde hair looking at painted canvases outdoors.

I’m a city-country girl. I grew up in Chicago and spent summers in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. My summers in Wisconsin introduced me to the way of the hammock and the power of slow.

It was in the summers that I felt my best with nature, swimming, art, fresh farm food, and hammocking. 

Future thinking is a skill.

I share tools to create the mindset and behaviors to got over obstacles and achieve goals. My focus today is on the science of future thinking for decision making and creating sustainable change.

My background

I hold an MSE in Counseling Education from the University of Wisconsin and the 24 years on the faculty at the University of Virginia. As a consultant, I developed and taught the Mindful Executive program for the MBA Executives Program at the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business, as well as a Mindful Leadership course at the University of Virginia's McIntire School of Commerce. In addition, I have been a guest faculty with the Federal Executive Institute and The Brookings Institute, focusing on bringing my Mindful Leadership and Future Thinking program into the workplace. Currently and for the past eight years I am an executive coach with BetterUp, a premiere coaching company, serving leaders at Fortune 500 and government organizations..

I live near Wrightsville Beach in beautiful North Carolina, and I enjoy surf swimming, painting, and live music.

A woman standing on stage with a large screen behind her showing a colorful graphic of a DNA helix and the text "The Power of One Good Question" and the name "Marci Kreservedahl." The audience is visible in the foreground.
  • Person smiling indoors holding a painted landscape artwork with mountains, trees, and a field.

    Daily drawing & painting

    I draw daily and paint occasionally. I love tiny paintings and mostly paint with acrylics and watercolors.

  • A woman with gray hair smiling and gesturing with her hands in front of a colorful abstract painting in a room with black walls and furniture.

    Conversations that change lives

    As an executive coach, I support leaders in mindset and behaviour change. The results are leaders gain resilience, tap into creativity, and reach their goals.

  • A woman standing on a stage with a large screen behind her displaying the words "The Power of One Good Question" and the name 'Marci Spoto' with the location 'Charlottesville.' The woman is wearing a pink top and gray pants.

    Speaker & Workshops

    I teach. You relax. It’s awesome. Invite me to speak at your next conference or retreat on the value and skills of Future Thinking.
    Sign up for my substack newsletter, and I’ll invite you to my next event.

  • A glass pitcher filled with iced water, lemon slices, and fresh mint leaves on a wooden surface with sliced lemons nearby, outdoors with green blurred background.

    Lemonade Stand - Happy Startup

    I love combining wellbeing with design. My vision is make mindfulness wearable- t-shirts, totes, cards, & stickers that serve as daily reminders to practice aloha: kindness, generosity, compassion and joy.