Meet Christina Benty | Principal Consultant at Strategic Leadership Solutions

We had the good fortune of connecting with Christina Benty and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Christina, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I found myself at a choice point when I finished 12 years in local politics (as a Town Councillor and a Mayor) and completed a Masters of Arts in Leadership at the exact same time. I could find a job or I could take my lived experience in politics, combine it with my academic background, and start a business. I saw a need for meaningful leadership training in the world of local government, especially from folks that had walked the walk and understand the political pressures one faces in serving their community.

What should our readers know about your business?
The mission of my business, Strategic Leadership Solutions, is to inspire and activate excellence in local government through leadership development, governance training, organizational functionality, and asset management advocacy. My intention is to create the type of learning experience I wish I had access to during my tenure. I love having meaningful conversations for a living – conversations that are designed to bring about a kinder, wiser, and more intentional leadership mindset in local government. I’ve seen far too many local governments fall into the traps of unconscious or ego driven decision making, poor relationship management, people pleasing, self-protection and being right rather than doing the right thing. Through a combination of workshops, one to one coaching and group strategy sessions, I work with local governments to get them clear on their roles, build healthy internal and external council relationships, and make decisions around services and delivery that will benefit both the present and future citizens of their communities for years to come.
My growing edge is to push for braver, bolder, conversations that are attuned to the needs in the room. I am constantly working to stay present in an unpredictable environment and guide the conversation to address what really needs addressing to create meaningful change in individuals, teams and organizations.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I live in beautiful Golden, BC. Sitting in the Canadian Rockies, Golden is surrounded by six of Canada’s most stunning national parks; Yoho, Glacier, Banff, Jasper, Kootenay and Mount Revelstoke. There are endless activities for any adventurer. I would take folks up to Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, out to the golf course for a round of golf, mountain biking on the Moonraker trails, walking around downtown to see the timber frame pedestrian bridge, up to Mount Seven to watch the paragliders take off, canoeing down the Columbia River, and a picnic out at Mummery Glacier. There are endless activities for all ages and stages.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to give a shout out to my friend and business mentor, Caleb Moss. Caleb is one of the smartest, sharpest, and conscious leaders I know. He is a dynamic, amusing, and sophisticated practitioner in higher level systems theory. He is a behavioral therapist with well-developed skills in understanding how groups function and how to construct complex change systems. His wise counsel has upleveled my own experience.

Website: www.christinabenty.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christina-benty-ba506630/

Other: Leading from your soul, not your role | Christina Benty | TEDxGastownWomen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmDN0PLHZHk

Image Credits
https://eloramaycreative.com/