About Liz Elton, Founder and Principle Coach

The reason I do what I do

 

I get my energy from helping people grow. 

 

Being an adult in today’s fast-paced world is hard. We all have multiple competing priorities, at work, at home, in all arenas of life. The pace of change is staggering. Social media, among other things, has meant that expectations of what we should (or should not) bring to our lives have never been higher. 

 

I believe the key to rising above all of this and being successful (whatever that means to you), is understanding yourself. Appreciating what you really want out of life and finding ways to accept the real you. The better you understand yourself, what you want, and how you respond in different situations;  the more you can choose both how you show up and where you show up. 

 

I think the same is true of organisations. To truly harness the potential in any company means understanding and enabling your key differentiator. Your people. Helping them to become better versions of themselves, understand how they fit into the organisation and how their strengths can drive you both forwards to new heights.

How I coach

 

I have seen the power of coaching over the years in a number of different roles for both successful transitions (of all types), learning and applying new skills and problem-solving a feeling of 'stuckness'. Whatever you want to work on, I will tailor what I bring to the coaching session to you, working in partnership with you to move forward. In the same way that no two clients are the same, no two coaching sessions will be the same either. 


That said, my approach to coaching is guided by my philosophy around authenticity and being able to bring your whole self (or as much of it as possible) to whatever situation you are in. The ability to understand 'self' underpins this, and is I think, key to being successful, in any walk of life. By self I mean what you value, what you believe in, your strengths, how you like to approach things and be approached, areas you wish were strengths and so on. This is often (but not always) where I will start when I coach; enabling you to have a greater understanding of 'you', and therefore what might be getting in the way of 'you'. 


I also coach the 'whole' person. What does this mean? We often play very different roles in the different arenas of our lives but the one thing that connects all these roles/areas is you. In practice this means that an issue that’s surfacing in one area of a person's life can have roots in another, or several different areas. This means helping you get to the bottom of things might take us into areas you didn’t realise were connected, hence 'whole'. 


Sometimes fresh perspectives and a way forward materialise just through having the space and support to reflect deeply on the issue. Other times I will use coaching techniques designed to stimulate fresh thinking and challenge you to see things differently. I have a Master’s degree in Occupational Psychology and many years of experience in leadership development, personal impact and learning and development, so I can draw upon this experience to support your growth in our sessions, if that works for what you want to work on.


Whatever you're bringing to work on, I’m here to partner with you by catalysing your thinking, enabling you to grow, on your own terms, finding a way forward that works for you.


Areas have experience in as a coach include:


I keep my skills alive by engaging in quarterly coaching supervision on a 121 and group basis and also receive regular peer coaching. I am also a member of a number of professional groups, including the Henley Centre for Coaching, the Learning Network and Coaching Reading.


A bit more on leadership development and consulting

 

I have over ten years’ experience in crafting and delivering leadership development and personal impact interventions at all levels of organisations. I've worked as both an internal and an external consultant. I’m happy to work as part of team or on my own with your organisation, and I will usually start with understanding what change you want to see and work back from there. I'm able to help with all aspects of leadership development and learning strategy, talent management and also have experience with diversity and inclusion agendas as well.

 

My experience and qualifications

 

I’ve worked across both ICT, media and financial sectors in a variety of roles and over the last 15 years+ have specialised in all things to do with developing the capabilities of people. This has ranged from learning and development in technical and non-technical environments, talent management and development, leadership assessment and development, business improvement and change management. I've worked in UK-focused businesses and international ones, I've also lived and worked abroad, learning to speak Dutch at the time. 


My qualifications include the following:

 

Outside of work

 

I live with my husband and two sons just outside London. When I’m not working, I love to cycle, hill walk and take photos of my family in the countryside nearby.

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