Sarah Weisbarth is a Life Coach at Self Love Beauty and Alumni Engagement Lead, Facilitator for Our Community Listens. Stacie believes that “when we lead from a place where we are purposed and connected, the potential is limitless; we will never know the amount of change we have initiated in the world. Keep being, let go of striving.”
What does leadership mean to you?
When I think about the people in my life that I would consider “leaders” what comes to mind is the ability to see potential and vision AND move toward that vision. The potential can be in ourselves, an organization, others, there is always potential, the opportunity for things to grow and change. Being able to see that shows leadership, yet without forward action, setting a goal for ourselves, sharing the vision and mission of an organization or developing the strengths and talents of others, that potential can be unrealized. It is like action potential, the potential for motion is always there but without the spark to initiate the action the potential is just that, potential. Leadership is that spark.
Who has influenced your idea of leadership?
Over my career I have had two kinds of leaders: those that I don’t want to be like and those I do want to be like. Both have influenced me equally. Most of us know when we are in a leadership environment that is stifling or toxic, we can feel it. It is what usually pushes us to make a different choice, to change roles, careers or just plain quit. Those types of positional leaders pushed me to make major shifts that have influenced the course of my career. On the flip side, I am incredibly grateful for the leaders in my life that have taken the time to shape, guide and mentor me. Having a leader see the potential in you and help you grow empowers and sustains you, that is a gift. That is the type of gift I want to pass on. It is the personal relationships of leaders, their time and investment in me that have greatly influenced me, not a prominent political or historical figure, but the prominent people in my life who likely do not even realize the impact they have had on me, those are the influencers that have shaped my leadership presence.
Why do we need more women in leadership roles? What do they add to the table?
I grew up in the 80’s with shoulder pads and power suits intended to help women be competitive in the corporate environment. Where being a working woman was met with mixed emotions. There are still gaps in leadership roles being represented by women. But here is the question I ask back to women. What do you want and knowing that……go do it!?! We can rise to the top of major corporations, we can own our own business and we can care for multi-generational families. We can work in any field we want and we can develop relationships that empower us and we can do whatever we are designed to do!
We need women in roles of influence, call those leadership roles if you want, because relationships matter. The world is not going to change by force and will, it is going to change by creating meaningful relationships, caring about others, empowering others, and lifting one another up in our strengths. The power struggles and egos are giving way to connection and understanding. This is what I believe women in the workplace and in leadership have brought to the table over many decades.
How are you leading in your career/community?
With purpose first. Defining a purpose for my life and the values that I stand on has shaped a fulfilling career. What does that look like? A balance of comfort of home, dedication of service and will to work to change the world. It is my family life that motivates the things I do outside my home . Being grounded in my family and faith has given me perspective and rejuvenation into the other aspects of a fulfilled life. Working with organizations that help youth understand their strengths, working one on one and in groups to help people see the value that lies within them, and leading and teaching individuals and organizations how to improve relationships and communication. These are the things that I feel lead to do.
Organizations I work with and serve: Self Love Beauty as a Life Coach, The ROCK Center for Youth Development as a classroom coach and mentor, and Our Community Listens as Project Leader – Content Development and Delivery and Facilitator. But what I “do” goes way beyond role and title. Connect with me on LinkedIn to learn more about these organizations and how you too can lead a fulfilled life!
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
Several years ago we mentored a young woman in our home, she gave me a gift that she might not even realize. We were talking about what type of legacy we wanted to leave behind. I said “I just want one person to stand up at my funeral and say that I made a difference in their lives”. Her response freed me beyond belief. “I can say that you have made a difference in mine”. She not only affirmed a life of fulfillment in that moment but she freed me up to keep serving from a heart of care, not from one of striving to achieve. When we lead from a place where we are purposed and connected, the potential is limitless, we will never know the amount of change we have initiated in the world. Keep being, let go of striving.
What is the best way for someone to contact you?
You can message me through my LinkedIn profile and reach me at sarah@selflovebeauty.com.