EF Coaching and Consulting

Home
United Kingdom
Wilmslow
EF Coaching and Consulting

Enabling Executives, Leaders and HR professionals to accelerate their growth, capability, presence and purpose in a personally sustainable and healthy way

05/08/2026

To everyone else out there currently shoulder deep in juggling work, childcare, activities and staying relatively sane - my thoughts are with you.

Only a few more weeks to go!

First time getting AI to produce a picture to go along with a post. I’m not sure about all the positivity post its and the remote control I appear to be holding as a phone but it’s certainly nailed my haggard appearance 😂 .

summer memory making
careful-working flexibly can also mean never having an off switch

28/06/2026

Last week was a great week for growing connections, building relationships and putting a real focus back on both my personal, professional and business development.

Tuesday was spent in Manchester at the EMCC North West event ‘The Power of Words’ at the stunning venue House of Books and Friends. Lovely to see a couple of contacts only met online before as well as meeting a room full of new connections with a similar commitment to their own continued professional development.

Thursday morning I networked with a difference. It was a hot one so Stephanie Newton of Diamond Wellbeing and I decided to take our catch up in a weather appropriate venue (that included a pool). It was great to have a good business planning and development chat, thinking about ways we can bring wellbeing initiatives aligned with leadership development into the corporate environment - hopefully with a collaboration in the near future 💡.

It’s a busy time at the moment so making space for this time away from my laptop was really refreshing and the conversations have given me renewed inspiration for the direction of my business.

17/06/2026

Let’s talk TIME

Almost every session I have with a client (whether it be in a group setting or 1:1) involves some sort of a conversation about TIME.

It is also something that I personally have challenges/constant battles with.

It might be a sense of:

- Not having enough time (too many things to do/competing focus areas) or
- Feeling unable to manage your time effectively (blaming yourself)

This then results in feeling overwhelmed, working out of normal hours, thinking/stressing about things you ‘should’ be doing all of the time, losing sleep, increased stress/anxiety levels etc.

But what really is the issue here?

Is it?
1. Genuinely you have too much on your plate?

2. You do actually struggle to prioritise/manage your time efficiently?

3. Something deeper that is creating the feelings of lack of time, overwhelm and stress? Even when your actually having a quieter week.

I was talking to a friend earlier today about point 3 and how if I have a quieter day, it feels like I must have forgotten something major. It can be hard to just accept the time and use it proactively or even just rest, when you’re so used to operating reactively.

Figuring out what is at the core of your issue with TIME is the key to improving on it. Like with most things, once you know what is causing/driving it, you can then focus on what you can do about it. There are tools/techniques that can help for all 3 of the issues above.

If you need some help working through this and want to get some practical things in place to help you keep on top of your time issues, then drop me a message to arrange a complementary introductory 30 minute chat to see if working with me could help.

25/04/2026

All the tech in the world can’t replace that something special that happens when people get together.

Being self employed (as much as I absolutely love it) can sometimes feel a bit isolating but working with ioda has brought back those much missed team vibes 🎉.

Two days of sun, fun, energy, relationship building, learning and some ducks 🦆 🦆 has been very good for the soul at Ashorne Hill in Leamington Spa for the ioda annual conference.

Thanks for everyone involved in the organising and running of sessions and for the lovely duck themed gifts. It has been amazing to meet everyone face to face and get to know people soooo much better.

19/04/2026

Can a leadership coach work with people from any sector?

Yes of course, and in work I do with one organisation I enjoy and work very successfully with leaders from all different sectors and backgrounds.

BUT after 18 years working in HR in Facilities Management organisations, I know these environments.

I understand the uniqueness of the demands and stresses and I know how amazing the people are that work in these areas.

The pressure of 24/7 reactive environments that don’t switch off.

The relentless pace and requirement for change to meet the demands of customers and internal stakeholders.

Trying to be more strategic but getting pulled constantly into operational or people issues.

The toll this can take on your wellbeing, health and personal life.

That’s not something you fully get unless you’ve been inside it.

It's why I focus a large portion of my work with leaders from these areas.

Because having that impartial, external and experienced support can have such a huge impact.

Having that space to think, space to focus on you for once can be the difference between surviving and thriving.

That’s exactly why I do the work that I do. To see those lightbulb moments when something shifts and the client realises they are in control, they can create the changes they want for themselves, their team and their business.

I know because I have lived it, done it and made the changes I needed.

Message me if you want to find out more.

15/04/2026

You’re a high performer. You know that from feedback received and the results you get but when you’re talking about progressing further and getting that next promotion you’re told:

You need to ‘be more strategic’, ‘think bigger’.

But what does that actually mean? No one ever really explains it.

So you do what most managers do…

You try to think bigger.
You try to speak up more in meetings.
Get exposure to more senior leaders in the business.
You try to focus on ‘the bigger picture’ when you’re perhaps not even sure exactly what that picture is.

But your day still looks like this:

Back-to-back meetings.
Constant problem solving.
Your team relying on you for answers.
Firefighting from morning to evening.
And somewhere in between all of that…you’re supposed to be ‘more strategic’.

But:
Being more strategic isn’t about thinking harder or trying to cram more into your already packed day.

It’s about working and thinking differently.

It looks like:

- Creating space in your week to step back and look for patterns
- Supporting your team to solve more problems without you
- Saying no to things that keep you stuck in the weeds
- Asking better questions instead of giving faster answers
- Shifting from reacting to designing what happens next
- Thinking about success and business goals in a proactive not reactive way

Thinking strategically isn’t a mindset you just switch on. It’s the result of the space you create.

And if you don’t have that space right now that’s not a capability problem. It’s a structural one.

So instead of asking: ‘How do I be more strategic?’

Try asking:

‘What do I need to stop doing to make that possible?’

Most managers aren’t lacking potential, they’re lacking space.

And that’s exactly where the shift starts.

10/02/2026

Personal development is the foundation of leadership (and life).

Absolutely you’ve got to manage the operation, the money, the processes but…….

When you’re building your own and your teams self-awareness, confidence and experience, it doesn’t just improve performance. It creates healthier and more effective individuals, teams, workplaces, and lives.

Whether you work with me 1:1 or as part of a group you get the the space to pause and think about what's working, what could be better, where do you want to be and how can you get there. Having that opportunity to zoom out of the day to day can give you the perspective to make effective and aligned changes.

1:1

You might want 1:1 support to work through how to be more strategic without letting operational issues drop, how to delegate effectively, how to build your own confidence and trust yourself in making decisions. Or it might be to navigate a career change or promotion.

Team:

You might want help with developing your team to become more effective and empowered so they take a more strategic view and lead in a way that aligns with your organisation's vision, values and goals. Or you might want workshops on core HR processes to ensure you are operating within the law and best practice.

Whether it be a one off workshop, a 6 part leadership programme or anything in between, everything I do in my business is aligned with you and your organisation.

We’ll work together to create changes and improvements that drive your goals - not just talk about generic leadership theory (yes we’ll likely include that but it will be about applying it to your role and business).

If you’re interested in investing in your own or your team’s development this year then drop me a message.

In addition to the bespoke 1:1 and team work I provide through my own business, if you are considering investing in a professional, accredited qualification or a leadership and management apprenticeship then I also work as a coach alongside an amazing training provider. Let me know if this is of interest and I can provide further information.

Address

Wilmslow

Website

https://emilyflitcroft.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when EF Coaching and Consulting posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Want your business to be the top-listed Business in Wilmslow?