"You can deliver great benefits to an organization with strong collaboration, especially when it’s cross-functional."

Sara Sheehan, PCC, is a consultant and Executive Coach who works with C-Level executive leaders in designing organizations, developing business strategies, managing change, optimizing talent and leadership development, and solving complex human performance problems. Through executive coaching, Sara helps leaders sprint their way up the corporate ladder and increase their performance.

During Sara’s 25+ years in business, she has worked with leaders, teams, and organizations in Fortune 100 companies and individuals. Sara specializes in change management, talent and leadership development, executive coaching, and organization design. As a collaborative, results-orientated coach, Sara provides support and practical feedback to help clients effectively navigate change and address business challenges.

She also integrates coaching techniques, methods, and approaches to help her clients develop change capabilities and learn to apply them right away. With a servant leadership mindset, she supports her clients in building new skills and customizes frameworks to her client’s project needs. Sara works with clients based on her network, referrals, and appointment.

Sara has been featured both nationally and internationally on podcasts as an expert on topics of change management, talent and leadership development, executive coaching, and organization design.

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Table of Contents

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

Sara Sheehan: My career path started when I was a senior in college. At the time I already knew that I was going to graduate school. One of my friends shared with me that she had just accepted a job with Accenture, formerly known as Andersen Consulting, and I knew right away that this was something I was interested in pursuing.

We stayed in contact while I was in graduate school and I interviewed in the Fall of my final semester. The interview process was a great experience and I knew that the professional competency area would be a great fit for me long term. I was also lucky enough to interview with a senior partner that I ended up working with for a significant amount of time.

Can you tell us a story about the hard times that you faced when you first started your journey? Did you ever consider giving up?

Sara Sheehan: There are so many things that are hard about working in a global consulting firm such as learning your competency area and the business development process.

Other significant areas that I learned while working in a global consulting firm were learning how to work with clients of diverse backgrounds and skillsets, managing time to deliver work on time while on budget, as well as attempting to take care of myself and exercise despite the overwhelming mound of work that is was in my inbox. I am certainly glad that I invested the time and developed true expertise in this field, as it has set me up for success in my current role.

Often leaders are asked to share the best advice they received. But let’s reverse the question. What's the worst advice you received?

Sara Sheehan: The worst advice that I have received was to, “Stick it out.” This can be good advice to give someone when they have invested ample time in their career and are about to get promoted, but it can also be bad advice when the person is challenged by other influences, perhaps external influences like the COVID-19 pandemic and the great resignation, that may bring their career path to a crossroad. When you are ready for more experiences than you are getting, it’s time to see what opportunities are out there.

Resilience is critical in critical times like the ones we are going through now. How would you define resilience?

Sara Sheehan: Resilience is the ability to bounce back after a setback and move toward your goal with vigor.

What is most important to your organization—mission, vision or values?

Sara Sheehan: Values are currently the most important to my organization. My values are to deliver excellence in all that I do, putting the customer first, and hold myself accountable for our initiatives. I lead through my values in which I am bold, build trust in all my relationships, and sharpen the saw. Integrity matters and my company values may evolve over time, but this gives you the frame of reference for where my organization is today.

Delegating is part of being a great leader, but what have you found helpful to get your managers to become valiant leaders as well?

Sara Sheehan: My goal is to build more leaders at every level with each client I work with. This is a natural part of how I operate. In order for managers to become valiant leaders, it’s important to make sure that they are informed as much as possible so they can cascade communications.

For those seeking advice in this area, have your managers serve as a conduit for feedback and ideas in the organization. You might be surprised by what your managers uncover. Reward and recognize great managers so that others have a role model.

Being a CEO of the company, do you think that your personal brand reflects your company’s values?

Sara Sheehan: Yes. My work is so much a part of who I am that I am approaching my company branding in a way that is consistent with me personally.

Being a CEO of the company, do you think that your personal brand reflects your company’s values?

Sara Sheehan: My favorite leadership style is being collaborative. You can deliver great benefits to an organization with strong collaboration, especially when it’s cross-functional.

What would you say is the main difference between starting a business at the time you started yours and starting the business in today's age?

Sara Sheehan: Not much. I got started during the pandemic so it’s fairly recent and I feel like we are still figuring this situation out.

What’s your favorite “leadership” quote and how has it affected the way you implement your leadership style?

Sara Sheehan: I have so many favorite quotes! The reason I like this quote is that it is very aligned with how I lead and invest in my client relationships. At this point in my career, it is all about helping others to grow.

“Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others.” Jack Welch

Jed Morley, VIP Contributor to ValiantCEO and the host of this interview would like to thank Sara Sheehan for taking the time to do this interview and share her knowledge and experience with our readers.

If you would like to get in touch with Sara Sheehan or her company, you can do it through her - Linkedin Page

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