Effective coaching can help councils better support the communities they serve. Here, professional coach Emma Flint, explains how she can help EELGA members.
Tell us about yourself and your specialism:
I am a professionally qualified coach with more than 17 years experience of working in Local Government in the East of England.
I believe coaching is very valuable in terms of supporting peoples’ wellbeing. Drawing on my love for nature, alongside traditional one-to-one and virtual coaching, I provide ‘coaching in nature’ (coaching outdoors) for those who want to try something different! Being outside in nature is well-known to be beneficial for both your physical and mental health, helping you to reduce the feelings of stress, be more relaxed, and improve your mood and physical health. Being coached in nature affords you with the space to reflect and gain clarity, engenders more relaxed conversations and gives you the opportunity to reconnect with your values, vision and the wider system whilst supporting your wellbeing.
Tell us what you can provide potential clients as an associate on EELGA’s Talent Bank:
I worked for Suffolk County Council for many years, during which time I focused on organisational policy and strategy, delivering change, continuous improvement, management systems, partnership working and the funding and delivery of projects. My experience has given me a thorough understanding of the complexities of working in local government. Whilst working for the council I trained to be a professional coach with EELGA, as I had a keen interest in peoples’ personal development and wellbeing.
Tell us about any significant challenges relating to your specialism and how you can overcome them:
I work hard to build a trusting relationship between myself and my clients to ensure that they feel safe to share their thoughts in a confidential, non-judgemental environment allowing them to truly reflect and think through their ideas.
Coaching effects positive change by supporting leaders and teams to gain clarity on their strategic direction, become clearer about their vision and values, facilitate change and improvement and become more resilient. Coaching is hugely beneficial for supporting well-being and in providing the opportunity to reflect in the fast-paced world in which we live.
Tell us where you have come from and what has led you to be part of EELGA’s Talent Bank:
I found coaching to be an extremely rewarding experience. I decided to establish my own coaching practice combining my public sector experience and coaching to help individual public sector leaders and teams achieve their potential and deliver positive change. As an experienced local authority environment strategist I also deliver climate change coaching for those wanting to drive forward change specifically on this agenda.
You can find out more about the associates within EELGA’s Talent Bank here.