How has coaching supported you, what have you gained from it, and has anything in your life or work shifted as a result?

Coaching has been an invaluable experience for me and one of the most significant processes in my personal and professional growth. Through coaching, I have become a more empowered and confident woman who has clearly identified—and continues to nurture—her leadership style and value system. I learned how to organize my work and manage my relationships within the team in a way that aligns with who I am and who I aspire to be as a leader.

Coaching provided me with a clear structure for professional conduct, both in leading my team according to my core values and in managing my time, priorities, and responsibilities without compromising my personal boundaries or sense of balance.

The greatest shift I experienced was the restoration of my self-confidence and inner security. I learned that the opinions of others do not define my success, because the criteria for my progress are set by me alone. I also learned to acknowledge and celebrate my achievements no matter how big or small because each one represents tangible proof of my effort, dedication, and perseverance. This change had a profound impact on both my professional identity and my personal sense of satisfaction and stability.

Throughout the coaching program, I grew from session to session, becoming increasingly aware of my patterns, strengths, and areas for further development. I applied every technique, insight, and observation in practice, which led to visible changes in my behavior, decision-making, and team leadership. Today, I approach leadership with greater maturity, clarity, focus, and confidence. My communication is clearer, my positions more grounded, and my overall professional approach more consistent.

The results of these changes are evident both in my work and in how I am perceived by others. The team is more motivated, collaboration is stronger, and my decisions are made from a place of calmness and confidence rather than pressure. Coaching has enabled me to become a leader who not only guides, but also empowers, inspires, and elevates others.

What did the process of learning and self-discovery look like for you?

The process of learning and self-discovery was, for me, almost magical - like a constantly expanding circle that opened new doors for growth with every insight gained. From session to session, I could feel myself evolving from a modest professional into a self-aware and grounded leader. It was a process of building myself “from the foundation upward.”

We began with the fundamentals: learning open, honest, and constructive communication within the team; setting clear rules and expectations; and defining boundaries that protect my time, energy, and professional integrity. All of this was deeply connected to the values that shape my leadership style: empathy, respect, integrity, and responsibility.

Through coaching, I learned practical techniques for setting personal and professional boundaries in order to prevent exhaustion and burnout. I came to understand that balance is not a luxury, but a prerequisite for sustainable, high-quality long-term productivity. As these skills took root, my behavior naturally shifted. I became calmer, clearer, more confident, and more focused.

For coaching to be truly effective, however, complete honesty with oneself is essential. This is perhaps the most challenging part of the process: acknowledging where our weaknesses lie, where we avoid seeing the full picture, and which aspects of ourselves genuinely require work if we wish to continue growing. My decision to be open, honest, and willing to change was crucial to my development.

This is why the entire process was transformative for me. It taught me to understand myself more deeply, to cultivate my values intentionally, and to build on that foundation in order to develop a more secure and mature leadership identity.

What insights or capabilities have you gained through coaching that will help you contribute to policymaking, public administration reform, and/or EU accession?

Quite simply, coaching gave me the most important capability of all: the ability to live my leadership values every day and in every professional decision. These values now form the foundation of my contribution to public policymaking, public administration reform—particularly at the local level—and to processes that support EU integration.

Teamwork is central to my approach, because no reform belongs to an individual; it belongs to the team that brings it to life. I am now even more intentional about creating an environment of trust, openness, and shared responsibility for results.

Empathy is essential, because meaningful local reforms can only be achieved by truly listening to and understanding the needs of municipalities, public servants, and citizens. Coaching strengthened my ability to listen actively, value diverse perspectives, and build sustainable solutions grounded in real needs.

Integrity has become a firm anchor in my decision-making. I now make professional and fair decisions guided solely by the public interest, with clarity and confidence, and without compromise when it comes to transparency.

Vision is equally critical, because without a clear and courageous vision, real reform is not possible. Coaching helped me cultivate, articulate, and communicate that vision to my team, and to persist even when long-established patterns need to change and better practices must be introduced.

Responsibility is the cornerstone of citizens’ trust in institutions. I learned that responsibility is not only a professional obligation, but also a personal commitment to ensuring that our work genuinely serves people and aligns with good governance standards and European values.

Finally, respect is the foundation of every meaningful collaboration within the team, with local governments, and with partners. Coaching strengthened my ability to foster a culture of appreciation, dialogue, and openness, which is essential for the successful implementation of reforms.