My Clients

 

The ILM Coaching Training course delivered by Emma has enabled me to further develop my coaching skills to support my school improvement work in line with the “National Mission” and the development of a ‘Self-Improving’ School System. Emma embraced the whole team of Challenge Advisors, making sure all were included, she was always positive and constructive ensuring the enjoyment of all. As a busy team, the time given to reflect and listen to others was really valuable.

 

Elin Forsyth

Head of School Effectiveness, Camarthenshire County Council


This was a fascinating two days – I enjoyed all aspects of the training, even the parts that took us out of our comfort zone. I am looking forward to holding supervision sessions in a more productive and engaging way.

 

Karen Holbrook

Operations Manager, The Huggard Centre

 

 

 

Emma’s session on Resilience was very impactive and thought provoking as always. The feedback from the group was as expected – very positive. Having someone like Emma to bring a fresh, unbiased and dare I say a non-police related perspective went down really well.

 

Superintendent , Dyfed Powys Police

Emma is the consummate professional executive coach!
She has a real ability to extract value to ensure desired outcomes are achieved.
Her development days are remarkably fulfilling. Emma has added richly to the continuing development of the Hafod Executive Team.

Jas Bains

Chief Executive Hafod, Housing and Caring Association

After applying and failing at a number of interviews I sought help. After 4 coaching sessions with Emma I went for the post of Director of student support at a large secondary school. I sailed through the interview and they offered me the job! I feel so happy and just want to say a massive thank you to Emma for her support in helping me on this journey. You are a fabulous coach Emma, and I know that I will undoubtedly recommend and use your services again.

Elsa Torres

Director of Student Support

I feel more confident now to deal with the challenges I face as a social worker. The sharing, listening and empowering nature of the group has given me a boost, which I hadn’t realised how much was needed!

Senior Social Worker
Pembrokeshire Social Care

This was the first time in many years where I feel that I have had significant development of my social work values. It was great to reflect and learn about how you can influence change or not.

Alex Panter
Senior Social Worker
Pembrokeshire County Council

Over the last 7 months I have been a member of an action learning set with five other Heads of Service and senior colleagues from across the public sector incorporating Health, Fire and Ambulance services together with counterparts from Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire. This has been my first experience of action learning and thanks to Emma’s knowledge, and skill together with her personal qualities of energy, enthusiasm and patience the group gelled from the outset. I know for a fact that each member of the set value our time together as a group and have benefited greatly from our experiences.

Emma is currently helping us to acquire the skills to become self facilitating and I for one will be trying to model myself on Emma’s style, practice and professionalism. From my personal experience therefore I have no hesitation in recommending Emma to facilitate action learning within any aspect of the Health and Social Care sector, particularly those that include senior and middle managers.

Gareth John

Head of Mental Health & Learning Disabilities, Carmarthenshire County Council

ECF’s approach has been both professional and enthusiastic. The sessions have targetted the scope for increased efficiency and savings. All the feedback from staff to date has been very positive in terms of potential outcomes but also in relation to the quality of the training received.

Phil Mason

Head of Planning and Regeneration, Cornwall Council

We engaged Emma’s services to implement Action Learning Sets within the context of an innovative pilot programme, ‘buddying’ medical and management trainees together. For many of these trainees, this was an introduction to a very novel technique but was successful in enabling individuals coming from different perspectives to discuss and problem-solve common healthcare issues together. It was a pleasure to work with Emma and her team, as they have been reliable and enthusiastic throughout.

Mr Piyush Durani

Clinical Leadership Fellow, NHS East Midlands Strategic Health Authority Commissioned the AL Sets

Thanks for a brilliant 3 days. The feedback I’ve been getting from the group has all been hugely positive. And I was personally really impressed with the structure and content of your course and with the way you facilitated it. Please stay in touch. If we are bringing Action Learning into some of the projects we’re working on next.

Mark Richardson, FRSA

Director, Social Impact Consulting, Director of Social Enterprise, Bangor University

Great to learn and practice new skills that I can actually use in the work place with immediate effect.

Nina Langrish

Membership and Operations Manager, TPAS Cymru

Excellent course! Learnt a lot that I am wanting to put into practice immediately, both personally and professionally. The Action Learning Toolkit is ‘golden’!

Zulieka Ajimotokin

Independent Parental Supporter, Camden Council

The ‘in a nutshell’ approach will benefit me personally in getting to the crux of issues and the ‘single issue’ approach will be very beneficial when working with my groups.

Amanda Toutt

Learning & Development Advisor (H & S), Carmarthenshire County Council

The 3 days training rushed by and I now feel fully equipped to get going with action learning. All of the 3 days were fantastic. The best CPD I have had. Enjoyed every second.

Glen Meshell

Communication Co-ordinator, Curious Minds

I really got a lot from the course – feel I know much more about what went ‘wrong’ when I’ve facilitated before.  But as importantly (and unexpectedly) I got so much from presenting as well – thanks to the environment you created and the help from the people in the set.  It’s led to a fundamental shift in my thinking. It’s moved me from being enthusiastic about action learning to sharing some of your passion for it – for the first time I can see what a fundamental difference it can make. Thank you so much.

Mark Robertson

Diamond Facilitation

The practical exercises were key – getting hands on experience and feedback. Very useful to experience being part of a set and watching others facilitate, which helped clarify the process and give depth to the experience.

Anna Francis-Olsson

Programme Manager, Niras Natura AB Stockholm, Sweden

Emma knows the process inside out and had a good way of making action learning real, relevant, understandable and challenging.

Allison John

Partnership Co-ordinator, Social Care Workforce Development Partnership Pembrokeshire County Council

Action Learning Training – views from training attendees

Action Learning Facilitation of Senior Managers – view from participants

Working with Emma as a coach has changed my life. I get to offload all my problems for an hour, and yet, that hour always turns out to be incredibly productive.

Caroline Phipps

Director Barod

My group coaching sessions have helped me in the times when I really needed it…both Emma and the rest of the group have been on side to give me support, advice and a general boost in self esteem and hope regarding my future prospects. Something which without the group supervision sessions, I may not have had the genuine good fortune of receiving from so many incredible people.

Helping to pick me back up and support me in fighting to ensure that my future is bright and full of prospects.

I can genuinely say I do not think I would have reacted in the same without the support I received during these sessions and have no idea what the result of this would have been if I hadn’t had the much needed support from my colleagues.

Rob Thompson

Peer Mentor, Barod, Cymru

I was attracted to Emma’s coaching training because it involves a small group, and is focused on practical skills. The whole experience of making contact with Emma was straightforward. I felt comfortable with the directness and clarity of speaking to her; there were no smoke and mirrors, no hidden costs or ‘gimmicky’ approaches.

Ann-Marie McCormack

Study Coach, Access Summit, University of Manchester

Thank you for changing my life. I’ve been so happy since I did my course and am looking forward to attending level two coaching. After all I’ve achieved all my last goals so ready to set some new ones!!

Natalie Webster

Farm & Service Manager, Kerry Farm, The Papworth Trust

The sessions really helped me to refocus on how I want to establish my private coaching business. I really enjoyed meeting the other coaches too.

Jan Spencer

Director, Women’s Development Unlimited

The course Coaching Training course was excellent – both content and trainer exceeded expectations!

Jac Harris

Learning Coach, Ystrad Mynach College

Emma is a great presenter. We tend to attract a large and diverse audience, and Emma makes sure that everyone takes away a management technique they can use. She gets the audience engaged in interactive exercises, asking them to dig deeper and make the session relevant for their individual businesses. We’ve asked her back to present time and time again, and her sessions are always well attended. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend her to anyone; I think she’s excellent at what she does.

Joanne Brahan

Development Manager, Caerphilly Business Forum

All aspects of the course were totally relevant to the situations in which we find ourselves, as support workers and care workers. The information was well presented and enjoyable and the whole team enjoyed Emma’s infectious enthusiasm. I particularly liked the way Emma gave positive feedback to contributions. The day left me looking forward to practising better techniques.

Chris Ramus

Team Manager, Action for Children

Emma was objective and ensured a neutral stance throughout the whole process while excellently guiding discussions, enabling my staff to fully engage. She kept to the desired outcomes, agenda, ground rules and expectations helping everyone to focus on the task at hand and making sure the day kept progressing towards a very successful outcome.The whole team were involved in the ideas, solutions and decisions that emerged. Overall an excellent day, thank you Emma.

Lesley Doody

Team Manager, Contact and Assessment Team Cardiff Social Services

To organise all nine partners with very differing views into a constructive and cohesive way forward takes some doing!

Gaynor Dickens

Partner, Graham Evans & Partners (Law Firm)

A beneficial and helpful day. I most enjoyed being challenged and made to reflect on self. I felt able to be honest and talk about issues that concerned me without feeling judged.

Ceri Davies

Adult Protection Co-ordinator and Manager, PoVA (Protection of Vulnerable Adults) Social Services, Newport City Council

Emma’s skills as a team development facilitator are second to none. She is very focused on getting to the nub of the issue, on challenging the team to address the issue in a positive way, and about identifying very specific outcomes from each sessions, so that the team comes away feeling very clear about how to progress. I don’t think I’ve ever come across a better facilitator; she really is first class.

Nick Skinner

Team Manager, Adult and Disability Services Rhondda, Cynon Taff

Thank you Emma! We can finally see a way forward after many years – we would love to see you again soon.

Amy Lewis

Pre-school Leader, Flying Start

Thank you so much for a truly inspiring and empowering session last week. I had been in a rut professionally and this has put me in a much more positive frame of mind.

Helen Smith

Executive Support Manager Carmarthenshire County Council

Emma has facilitated two team development days with my senior management team. She has enabled us to harness our different skills and personal styles to work more effectively as a team. I really value Emma’s commitment to public services and the wellbeing of staff working within them. Her straightforward, knowledgeable and suitably challenging approach was appreciated by all of my team.

Sally Holland

Children’s Commissioner for Wales

I look forward to your newsletters. Since we last saw each other I have now been in my new job for 5 months. Doing exactly what I discussed during my Training. Thank you for making me focus on where I see myself, it definitely worked.

Gail Sinclair

Registered Manager - Domiciliary Team Care and Support

I have had the distinct pleasure of working with Emma as my executive coach for the past 18 months.  I particularly value Emma’s action oriented and empathetic approach.  Inevitably when I leave a session, I feel empowered, energised and with a specific action in mind, ready to take on the myriad challenges that I face as the Head of an incredibly diverse and fast paced college.  I would recommend Emma without reservation to a leader looking to develop their emotional and organisational intelligence in service of the greater good.

 

Peter Roe

Principal , Atlantic College

Action learning has given me the security of knowledge that I can solve any problem and the enhanced self-belief which comes with that knowledge. It has taken the pressure off. Since undertaking my training and beginning to use action learning I have assumed a leadership role in relation to renewable energy issues across the Planning Service. This is a new role and a relatively new way of working for the Service. I have used action learning techniques, in particular the questioning and reflection techniques, to help shape the role in its place within the wider organisation. My growing influence with the Portfolio Holder and key Services (Localism and Green Cornwall) is testimony to the success of these techniques.

Dan Nicholls

Principal Development Officer, Planning, Housing & Regeneration, Cornwall Council

want to thank you for your support to all of us in our Action Learning Set. I have really valued your input and can honestly say that I have enjoyed every one of them! We have all been fortunate to have you Emma but also to have each other in what I deem to be one of the most successful learning and supportive groups I have been in during my lengthy career.

Sheila Porter

Head of Primary, Community and Social Care, Carmarthenshire County Council And Hywel Da Health Board

I can honestly say that this action learning group is the most interesting, stimulating and educational leadership‘course’ that I have ever been involved in over the last 10yrs (since I left medical school). The sessions are completely interactive, lively, productive and diligently facilitated by Emma Falkner –who certainly has her work cut out for her by the group!

The project is, I believe, innovative, dynamic, thought provoking, challenging and enjoyable. The action learning style is completely novel to most/all of us and we have reflected that this is a revolutionary ‘thinking model’ for the NHS; we have never been challenged in this way. It is refreshing and welcome.

As a group, we have begun to gel and form cohesive plans. I believe that this concept, if implemented across the NHS, may well be paradigm shifting within a generation.

Dr. Mohammed Ali

MRCPsych ST6 Registrar in Forensic Psychiatry, East Midlands Centre for Forensic Mental Health Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust

Thank you for doing such a superb job with our participants!

Lyndsay Short

Deputy Director, East Midlands Leadership Academy University of Nottingham Innovation Park (UNIP), Commissioned the AL Sets

I enjoyed the time to consider myself in relation to others, learning about the different styles of Action Learning Sets and the ability to practice not just theorise.

Cathryn Thomas

Programme and Improvement Manager, Social Services Improvement Agency (SSIA) Welsh Local Government Association

I very much enjoyed the day. It really helped me to understand better how I can understand someone and help them to change. The techniques you showed us go against our instincts to interject. Listening is a gift I think! I thought the day was spot on and I would not change a thing.

Ian Smart

Director, Alexander-ecc

I have enjoyed every part of this training. I find Emma to be an inspirational trainer and role model and I intend to take action Learning forward in whatever professional role I move forward with.

Jan Stanton

Swansea Bay Family Support Lead Practitioner, Action for Children

Emma took into account our own existing skills and experience. The course was well paced with a good mix of theory and practice, the latter being facilitated extremely well. Enjoyed the two days and learnt a lot!

Eddie Cummings

Learning & Development Advisor (H & S), Carmarthenshire County Council

would definitely recommend this course. It was fun, interesting and informative and gave me all the knowledge I needed to introduce action learning within our organisation.

Ryan Williams

Senior Manager, DAS Insurance Services

Experiencing the process of facilitating by working in sets and learning from others was most beneficial. I have already set up an action learning set at work which meets regularly.

Ann Sivathapam

Wales Manager, Epilepsy Action

The practical exercises were key – getting hands on experience and feedback. Very useful to experience being part of a set and watching others facilitate, which helped clarify the process and give depth to the experience.

Ben Dineen

Wales Co-ordinator, SPICE

I really enjoyed today’s Action Learning session, it was fascinating and incredibly useful.  I appreciate you condensing the material for us!

Amy Whittaker

Manager, Ernst & Young LLP

Coaching training – details from an attendee

I would have no hesitation in recommending Emma and her organisation to take on pieces of work within the realms of coaching relationships, organisational development, team effectiveness and change management. I have known Emma Falkner for about 2 years as my coach, meeting her on an approximately 6 weekly basis. I have found my coaching relationship to be a very helpful, supportive and constructively challenging one. She also has an excellent understanding of organisational psychology. I have encouraged 4 other members of my senior management team to access her services and all have had a positive experience.

Dr Danny Antebi

Consultant Psychiatrist, Director of Aneurin Bevan Continuous Improvement

Emma has worked with our lawyers to develop their ability to rationalise issues, to focus on effectiveness at work, and to have the confidence to recognise and work to their strengths. It’s a very self-empowering process, focusing on the extent to which you can solve problems yourself.

Elin Pinnell

Partner, Capital Law

Emma has some really practical, achievable strategies in regard to well being and stress management. She listens well and understands the realities of juggling work and family life. Her positive energy and love for life is inspirational!

Vanessa Priestley

Head of Dept, Glan Taf School, Cardiff

The coaching sessions have been so valuable. They have certainly helped me to order things in my own head and reminded me that it is sometimes wise to take a step back rather than get too caught up with things as they unfold.

Susanne Chatterley

Senior Midwife Manager, Lewisham & Greenwich Health Care Trust

Group coaching forms an invaluable addition to the support and development of staff and has helped our organisation to review process and build upon ideas generated in areas such as Health and Wellbeing and Learning and Development. The groups provide staff with the opportunity to share skills, reflect and share good working practice, seek support and information from peers and to air any concerns they have that they may wish to escalate to senior management.

Katrin Thomas

Learning and Development Coordinator, Collage

What stands out for me at the end of the course is I have confidence in the techniques and in coaching as a process and Emma’s warmth and enthusiasm make learning new skills very enjoyable.

Deb Gibbens

Family Coach, The Papworth Trust

This coaching course has benefitted my whole outlook on life, how I deal with problems I face and also how I can help others deal with the problems they face.

Mercedes Thomas

Home Care Coordinator, Key Staff Ltd

The course has given me the skills, confidence, know-how and contacts to move forward as a professional life coach. What I have learnt will benefit me enormously in the future.

Mary Chapman

Director, Mary Chapman Coaching

The session was extremely interactive and the 4 hours flew! Even the most cynical amongst our group agreed that it had made us re-examine our own behaviour and beliefs and gave us ‘food for thought’. The delivery and content of the training was excellent and we would certainly ask Emma again.

Julie Smith

Administration & Development Manager, Headway Cardiff, Rookwood Hospital

The training provided was highly relevant to the nature of stress in the public sector. The members of the team went away with valuable tools and a significant number of those that attended the course have followed up the training with further requests for stress management. In addition the delivery was competent, lively and extremely engaging. This was a valuable morning’s work and highly recommended.

Alan Wilson

Training Manager, Social Care training Centre, Blaenau Gwent

Emma is very approachable and engaging, our team feel comfortable and relaxed around her, and are willing to share their issues and concerns openly. The sessions are highly interactive with a good balance between hard and soft activities, theories and technique.

Sian Jones

Project Manager, Action for Children, Rhondda Cynon Taff

I was so impressed with the level of trust in the group and I feel that this really had huge benefits for all of us.

Carol Ravenscroft

Finance Service Manager, Drive

Emma has facilitated our team away day for four years now. Every year she finds us at a different stage of our growth and work as a department. She has picked up the way our charity works and is able to adapt her ideas and suggestions to us to fit our organisational culture. 

Her approach is friendly and informal whilst still providing us with challenge. She has asked the difficult questions on occasions and helped us to develop our thinking and approaches to our work. She is skilled and knowledgeable as a facilitator and that’s why we have her back!

Helen Murray-Sharpe

National Manager for Local Services, Epilepsy Action

The team development sessions we have had with ECF have been critical in improving the confidence and effectiveness of our team. Our needs are met in every session, and by quickly making the team comfortable Emma Falkner creates a space where we are able to explore individuals’ development and the broader role of the team in providing a service of excellence for young people.

Louise Cook

Head of Services for Young People, Rhondda Cynon Taff County Council

I went to ECF because I wanted a bespoke management training course for our organisation, and it’s been brilliant. The agenda for each session is directed by us; within that, Emma sets activities and exercises for the team to complete, and uses her vast understanding of team development to draw out insights into our interactions. It’s really made us gel as a team and develop a common understanding of what we do; it’s been very successful.

Caroline Phipps

Director, Drugaid

I really got a great deal out of the day; I definitely felt it helped me in my next steps of management. Therefore – much appreciated and valued!

Gill Adams

Head of Operations, Youth Offending and Prevention Service Carmarthenshire County Council

Emma facilitated a development session for a team that has experienced significant change over recent years, and her approach was like a ‘breath of fresh air’.  At the outset, clear ground rules were set and everyone was encouraged to participate as an equal.  Emma maintained a good balance between being informal and friendly on the one side, and constructively challenging on the other. 

Emma is a highly skilled facilitator and clearly adapted to respond to the specific needs of the group.  She brought a positive energy which set the scene for the team to have the space and time to be with each other in a neutral zone and.

Emma’s intervention has positively influenced the dynamic of the team.

Rhys Page & Helen Smith

Operations Manager & Executive Support Manager, Carmarthenshire County Council

After applying and failing at a number of interviews I sought help. After 4 coaching sessions with Emma I went for the post of Director of student support at a large secondary school. I sailed through the interview and they offered me the job! I feel so happy and just want to say a massive thank you to Emma for her support in helping me on this journey. You are a fabulous coach Emma, and I know that I will undoubtedly recommend and use your services again.

Elsa Torres

Director of Student Support, Carmarthenshire County Council