Hello! I’m Helen, a rebel, mother, kindness and well-being advocate, and a visionary in personal and professional development. Following a transformative journey during the pandemic where a combination of homeschooling whilst pregnant (and then with a tiny lockdown baby) and running a library service stretched me and made me reassess who I was, I embarked on a mission to realign my life and career with my deepest values and strengths. My pivot was catalysed by a realisation of my potential to foster change from beyond the traditional workplace boundaries, especially after achieving a PGCert in The Psychology of Kindness and Wellbeing at Work.
Armed with my significant seven strengths—collaboration, creativity, developing others, empathy, enthusiasm, relationship building, and self-improvement—I decided to step into the roles of coach, trainer, and consultant. This shift was not only inspired by my academic and professional achievements but also accelerated by a personal experience with burnout, which underscored the importance of well-being in achieving sustainable success. I live in Sussex, UK and work with clients from around the world.
My Approach
In my practice, I integrate over two decades of leadership experience in Higher Education Libraries with a deep-seated passion for promoting inclusive environments and psychological well-being. As a librarian and a Strengthscope Master, I uniquely blend the discipline of knowledge management with the art of personal development, creating a dynamic learning and growth experience in all my engagements.
My coaching, training, and consulting sessions are designed to be engaging, fun, and profoundly transformative. They focus on the person at the center of the process—you. I aim to empower my clients to explore their challenges, leverage their strengths, and achieve their goals in an atmosphere that values kindness and encourages continual self-improvement.
Why Choose Me?
Choose someone who has lived the transformation she advocates. Choose a partner who believes in creating spaces where professional growth and personal well-being coexist harmoniously. With a commitment to kindness, a foundation in well-being, and a strategy tailored to your unique needs, I help individuals and organizations not just to succeed, but to thrive.
Embrace the change with someone who understands the journey and has the tools to guide you through it. Choose Helen—your coach, trainer, and consultant for a kinder, more effective path to personal and professional fulfillment.
Helen Rimmer is a passionate advocate for transforming workplaces into environments where kindness, wellbeing, and growth are the norm. As the founder of The Kind Brave Leader, she helps leaders and teams create cultures where people flourish, balancing high performance with humanity.
With over 20 years in senior leadership roles within higher education and libraries, Helen has firsthand experience of leading teams through change, navigating organisational challenges, and fostering psychologically safe workplaces. She combines this leadership expertise with deep knowledge of positive psychology, systemic coaching, and resilience-building strategies. As a certified burnout coach, she also specialises in helping individuals and teams prevent and recover from burnout, ensuring long-term wellbeing and productivity.
Helen speaks on a range of topics, including:
The Future of Leadership – Why kindness is the missing ingredient in high-performance workplaces.
Resilience & Burnout – Balancing ambition with self-care and sustainability.
Creating Kind, Brave Workplaces – How to lead with impact without losing your humanity.
The Power of Strengths-Based Leadership – Unlocking individual and team potential through coaching.
Her approach is a powerful mix of research-backed insights, real-world stories, and practical strategies. She has spoken at industry conferences, leadership retreats, and online summits, engaging audiences with her warmth, authenticity, and evidence-based guidance.
Helen is the bestselling author of The Kind Librarian and her work has been featured in a variety of professional platforms. Her thought leadership has recently attracted media interest from BBC Radio 4.
She is also the creator of The Ultimate Library Career Toolkit and the Kind Librarian community, supporting professionals in their career development.
If you're looking for a speaker who brings depth, inspiration, and actionable strategies to the conversation about leadership, workplace wellbeing, and resilience, Helen Rimmer is the perfect choice.
I’m excited to share my book "The Kind Librarian: Cultivating a Culture of Kindness and Wellbeing in Libraries," a book that’s set to revolutionize the way we think about our library spaces. Merging my extensive leadership expertise with my passion for promoting well-being and inclusivity, this guide is for anyone ready to shake up the status quo and inject a hefty dose of kindness into their workplace.
"The Kind Librarian" isn’t just about making people feel good—it’s about creating profound, tangible changes in the library environment. With a mix of bold insights, rigorous research, and hands-on strategies, I lay down the gauntlet for library professionals to step up and transform their workplaces into hubs of empathy, support, and collaboration.
Here’s What’s Inside:
Practical Applications of Kindness: Straight-talking strategies that show how a splash of kindness can radically alter the workplace vibe.
Crafting a Culture of Kindness: A no-nonsense blueprint for building an environment where kindness isn’t just an afterthought—it’s the foundation.
Kind Use of Data for Wellbeing: Cutting-edge ways to wield data not just for stats, but as a powerful tool to bolster wellbeing initiatives.
Strategies for Collaboration and Open Communication: Hardcore tactics to boost collaboration and ensure communication flows freely and respectfully across all levels.
"The Kind Librarian" is your not-so-gentle nudge to stop playing it safe and start playing it smart with kindness at the forefront. Whether you’re a library veteran, a fresh-faced leader, or someone passionate about transforming professional environments, this book is your battle plan for fostering a workplace where everyone thrives.
Get ready to be part of the kindness revolution in libraries with "The Kind Librarian." It’s time to lead boldly, break molds, and make a substantial, lasting impact. Let’s do this!
Pre-orders (this is really important apparently)
Facet (my publisher), use code KIND30 for 20% offf - https://www.facetpublishing.co.uk/page/detail/the-kind-librarian/?k=9781783307128
Amazon - https://amzn.to/3UjPSn9
PGCert in the Psychology of Kindness and Wellbeing at Work
ICF ACC Coach
Certificate in Personal and Business Coaching from Barefoot Coaching
Strengthscope Master
Systemic Team Coaching Certificate (AoEC)
MA in Film Studies
PGCert in Academic Practice (Technology Enabled)
BA (Hons) Information and Library Studies
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