23 Mar Empowering Women Leaders Through Authenticity
Sarah Blomquist, HR Consultant and Owner of SB Resources LLC, discusses empowering women, navigating contradictions, and the importance of continuous learning. Drawing on her experience working with organizations like Cargill and the Minnesota Vikings, Sarah shares personal insights into balancing authenticity with fitting in, owning one’s success, and the systemic changes needed to support women in leadership roles.
Key Lessons on Leadership and Navigating Life’s Contradictions
Sarah highlights the contradictions that everyone faces in life and offers practical advice for women navigating these challenges in their careers. Below are key insights from the episode:
- “Fit in, but be yourself”
- Sarah explains the importance of balancing authenticity with the need to adapt to different environments.
- She uses a rubber band analogy, showing that flexibility can help people navigate various cultural settings, but stretching too far can cause burnout.
- Be humble, but own your awesome
- Many women struggle with promoting their achievements without appearing boastful.
- Sarah suggests using others’ feedback to speak confidently about one’s strengths.
- “Get better, but you are enough”
- Growth is essential, but improvement shouldn’t come from a place of self-criticism.
- Sarah shares how a coaching program, Co-Active Coaching, taught her the importance of empowering others by focusing on their potential rather than their flaws.
Empowering Women in Leadership: Best Practices for Organizations
Sarah offers actionable steps organizations can take to empower women and ensure long-term progress:
- Mentoring Programs: Programs like those from Menttium help companies develop and support female talent.
- Encourage Male Executives to Mentor: Involving male leaders in mentoring helps address systemic challenges.
- Leadership Development for Middle Managers: Middle managers play a critical role in fostering inclusive cultures. Companies must ensure leadership development focuses not only on technical skills but also on people management.
Sarah also highlighted Menttium’s Women Mentoring Men initiative from 2020 as a great example of how organizations can flip the script by involving male executives in conversations about supporting women.
Balancing Work, Family, and Self: Lessons from the Sandwich Generation
As a working mom caring for both children and aging parents, Sarah shares how she learned to set boundaries and let go of guilt:
- Make conscious choices: Decide which activities truly matter instead of succumbing to societal “shoulds.”
- Communicate openly with partners: Flexibility in personal and professional roles is essential.
- Release guilt: Sarah emphasizes that guilt drains energy, urging others to focus on what brings joy and meaning.
Conclusion: “It’s All Made Up—So Why Not Question It?”
Reflecting on her career and personal life, Sarah offers this empowering insight:
“Everything is made up—rules, expectations, and systems—so feel free to question them.”
This mindset allows her to focus on what truly matters and encourages others to do the same. Sarah’s conversation is a reminder that growth and leadership are about aligning with one’s values while adapting to life’s inevitable challenges.
Additional Resources
- A Journey to Leadership and Celebrating Women Trailblazers – with Missy Chicre and Lynn Sontag
- Women in the Workplace: Key Findings
About Sarah Blomquist
Sarah Blomquist is the owner of SP Resources, a consulting firm that offers interim HR leadership to startups and small businesses. With extensive experience in human resources, Sarah has held leadership roles at prominent organizations including Cargill, the Minnesota Vikings, and Ceres Global.
Passionate about transforming organizational cultures, Sarah focuses on coaching and developing people to reach their full potential. A former mentee herself, she has been a dedicated mentor with Menttium for many years, supporting the growth and development of future leaders.