Daphne Clifton is an Executive Coach, Associate Speaker for the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity and former student of St Augustine’s, ordained in 2017. She has been on the Board of Trustees for St Augustine’s College of Theology since 2019, and we talked to her about her role.
I’m an Executive Coach, with over 25 years’ experience in media, sales and marketing. I bring that experience to many high achievers in the private and public sector clients to help them reach, and exceed, their goals. I love coaching, and I like to say that I love my clients to success.
I’m also an Associate Speaker at LICC where I specialise in Evangelism in the workplace. My seminars focus on giving people the confidence to speak about their faith, share it and keep their faith going during the working week; and are designed to encourage, motivate and inspire the Church community to support each other in whatever environment they operate.
During my three year period as non-stipendiary curate at a local church in Lee, I have been blessed to enjoy a powerful mix of work and an active faith which permeates all aspects of my life. In all my work, I aim to be God-centred, encouraging people into lifelong freedom, wholeheartedness and confidence.
My role as Trustee
As a recent former student, I’ve been in a position to experience for myself how St Augustine’s has changed and grown in recent years. My main role as Trustee is to use my professional and personal experience to help guide and shape how we plan and communicate change, in order to keep the College true to its mission, vision and values.
What St Augustine’s brings to formation
When I first arrived as a student, Alan, the Principal, was talking about formation and I didn’t really understand what he meant. We split up into groups and I was sent off to meet Stainless Steve, a tattoo artist, for the afternoon. I didn’t know why, but thought I would go along with it. When I talked to Steve, though, I made the connection, and could see that he was caring pastorally for his clients and customers. I learned that he could teach me about listening to people, that behind every tattoo is a story, and that it’s a helpful way to connect with people.
That was where I learned about formation being part of your whole being. It’s the gift that keeps on giving, and it’s only now, six years later, that I think I am beginning to understand what that means.
One of the things that St Augustine’s brings to formation is an intense experience of it in a short period of time. What it looks like, day-to-day. They put it high on the agenda, and bring it alive in a very practical way. It equipped me to reflect on formation throughout my training and curacy, and reflection remains an important part of my life as a priest and coach.
