She Stood at the Intersection
of Science and Silence.
And discovered a third way to lead.
Two Worlds.
One Convergence.
Most executive coaches start with business. Synthia Smith started with the earth itself. As a geoscientist at Exxon, in one of the most demanding, data-driven industries on the planet, she learned to read systems beneath the surface. To find signal in noise. To stay precise under pressure when everything was at stake.
But she was also living another life entirely. A devoted practitioner of deep contemplative disciplines, Synthia completed rigorous Tibetan Buddhist lama training. Embracing silence, shaving her head, and entering deep practice four years in a row — not to escape the world, but to understand it at a level that logic alone can never reach.
These two worlds didn't compete. They converged. What emerged has been transforming executives, founders, and senior leaders since 2008.
The Authority
Behind the Work
Synthia founded The Mitra Group in 1985. For over 40 years she has worked with Fortune 50 corporations and entrepreneurial startups — bringing the same precision, depth, and transformative capability to every engagement.
"The best leaders don't need more information.— Synthia Smith
They need more access to themselves."