The Essence of Public Leader Life
Life for public leaders is both challenging and rewarding. City managers, county administrators, elected officials and appointed local government leaders navigate complex issues, balance diverse stakeholder interests, and make critical decisions that impact their communities. Despite the pressures and high expectations, the opportunity to drive positive change and improve the lives of others makes their work profoundly fulfilling.
Empowering Leadership at Every Level
We specialize in empowering public sector leaders through tailored executive coaching and development programs. Our team of coaches and facilitators all have municipal and public safety experience, bringing firsthand knowledge to enhance leadership capabilities, foster effective communication, build high-performing teams, and drive community impact. With a focus on innovation, resilience, and inclusivity, we help leaders navigate their unique challenges and achieve excellence in their roles.
- Our administrative leadership coaching is led by former city managers and experienced local government leaders who understand the challenges you face.
- Our coaching for elected officials is guided by seasoned former public leaders who understand the complexities of balancing ambitious goals with effective governance, offering invaluable insights for both newly elected and experienced officials.
- Our public safety coaching has an option to be conducted by former chiefs of police and fire departments, bringing their extensive experience and deep understanding of the unique challenges faced by public safety leaders to the table.
- Our coaching for emerging leaders is provided by seasoned executives who specialize in nurturing high-potential and promotable talent, equipping them with the skills and insights needed to excel in their leadership journey.
Regardless of if you are pursuing city manager coaching, county administrator coaching, or any other level of leadership development or coaching, we operate with the highest level of confidentiality and discretion. Our coaching services ensure that your personal and professional growth journey remains private and secure, giving you the peace of mind to focus entirely on your development.
Enhancing Awareness of Internal Operations and Offering External Support
We excel in enhancing the internal operations of local governments. Our tailored approach includes conducting comprehensive audits to identify inefficiencies, benchmarking performance against industry standards, and implementing strategic improvement plans to drive operational effectiveness. By streamlining processes and fostering best practices, we help municipalities operate more efficiently and effectively.
Externally, we offer specialized consulting services to businesses and developers aiming to appropriately grow within a municipality. Our team guides clients through planning and zoning processes, ensuring compliance with local regulations, and providing strategic advice to navigate political landscapes. We facilitate project approvals and promote sustainable development, fostering positive relationships between businesses, developers, and local government entities. At Aware, we are dedicated to creating thriving communities through strategic, impactful solutions.
Our Core Values
Accessibility
We’re dedicated to breaking down barriers to quality coaching, ensuring leaders at all levels can unlock their potential.
Compassion
Our approach is rooted in understanding and empathy, recognizing the unique challenges and aspirations of each leader.
Excellence
We’re committed to delivering outstanding results, transforming challenges into opportunities for growth.
Innovation
We’re always evolving, integrating the latest coaching methodologies to stay at the cutting edge of leadership development.
Begin Your Leadership Transformation Journey
Ready to elevate your leadership and create lasting impact in your community?
Discover the power of tailored executive coaching. Instead of a “free consultation,” we invite you to an Executive Leadership Strategy Session—an opportunity to explore your aspirations and how our coaches can guide you towards achieving them.
The EMCC exists to develop, promote and set the expectation of best practice in mentoring, coaching, and supervision globally for the benefit of society.
Our vision is to be the ‘go to’ body in mentoring, coaching, and supervision.
Certified through Harvard – Professional Development Division Mastery Session
Our Coaches
We pride ourselves on the depth and diversity of our coaching team. Our coaches bring a wide spectrum of skills and decades of collective experience, having served in high-caliber roles across various sectors. From private executive leadership in the C-suite to distinguished public sector leadership, former military commanders, and leaders in public safety, our team is uniquely equipped to address the challenges and aspirations of all our clients.
Each coach has been carefully selected and is guided by our founder, Michelle Lee Berger, ensuring that every coaching engagement upholds the highest standards of excellence and impact. Michelle’s leadership in developing our coaching strategies ensures that every client receives personalized, insightful, and effective guidance.
Meet Michelle Lee Berger
Michelle is an accomplished organizational leader, executive coach and operations manager with over two decades of experience. Her expertise lies in providing high-quality executive leadership coaching to a diverse clientele, ranging from towns, cities, and counties to private sector executives and yacht captains facing unique challenges.
Having recently completed the prestigious Executive Leadership Coaching Mastery program at Harvard, a division of the Professional Development Harvard Division of Continuing Education, Michelle is equipped with cutting-edge coaching techniques to drive transformative results for her clients. She passionately believes that coaching should be accessible to all, and her mission is to bring the same level of high-quality coaching that the private sector has enjoyed to the public sector and yacht industry.
In her career, Michelle has built a strong reputation as a trusted advisor, sounding board, and champion for executives and high-level government administrators. She understands the isolation that can come with leadership roles and uses her expertise to help her clients become more self-aware and understand the impact of their behavior on the teams they lead.
Michelle’s approach centers on identifying and nurturing strengths while aligning with her clients’ character and values. Her coaching style is characterized by delivering compassionately direct guidance, encouraging her clients to embrace growth and drive success in both their professional and personal lives.
As an advocate for continuous professional development, Michelle has earned a Master’s in Public Administration (MPA) from Barry University and is Master Certified through ICMA’s Professional Development Academy in High-Performance Leadership. She serves as the Chair of the MPA Accreditation Committee at Barry University and actively contributes to the professional community as the Immediate Past President of the Professional Opticians of Florida.
Michelle’s deep commitment to the success and well-being of her clients is evident in her track record of delivering exceptional results. Her executive coaching has empowered countless individuals to thrive in their leadership roles, lead high-performing teams, and navigate the unique challenges of working in the public sector or marine industry.
For those seeking a catalyst for personal and organizational growth, Michelle offers the expertise, insight, and commitment needed to drive lasting success.
Coaching in the Public Service Arena
“Having spent two decades in executive leadership in the private sector, followed by significant roles as an elected official and city manager, I’ve experienced first-hand the transformative power of professional development. In the private sector, I benefited from a culture that valued and invested in growth, including executive coaching that was instrumental in shaping leaders. This foundation of continuous improvement is something I deeply valued and learned from.
Transitioning to the public sector, I quickly recognized a stark contrast—many public sector leaders lacked similar opportunities for professional development. Yet, the responsibilities they shoulder are immense; from managing critical infrastructure like our drinking water and energy services to overseeing public safety, their decisions have lasting impacts on our communities and generations to come.
This realization ignited my passion for bringing the same high-caliber professional development that the private sector has long enjoyed to public sector leaders. Why shouldn’t they have access to the best tools and training, especially when the stakes are so high? My mission is to ensure that public sector leaders are not only equipped to meet the challenges of today but are also prepared to create a better future for everyone.
By offering tailored coaching and development programs, I am committed to enhancing the capabilities of these vital leaders, fostering a culture of excellence in public service that mirrors the best of the private sector.”