“I had to survive,” she explains.


“I learned how to gather and hold a crowd, pass the hat, and survive on what I earned. It was completely hand-to-mouth. There’s something about being a stranger in a strange land – it creates a compassion for others who might feel similarly displaced.” Despite the financial insecurity, recalibrated her


this experience


relationship with risk. “Coming from a stable family – mum a teacher, dad a civil engineer – I never imagined embracing self-employment. But those years on the road taught me to navigate uncertainty, something that’s been invaluable in my career as a consultant.”


USING THE POWER OF OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD A LASTING CAREER Looking back, she credits unorthodox path


for


dialogue skills and assists leaders in embedding purpose within their organizations and


teams, thus


fostering a culture of excellence and innovation. Sarah also delivers masterclasses for the British Psychological Society where she is an Associate Fellow.


LESSONS FROM GLOBAL WORK Sarah’s career, which has included working for international organisations like the World Bank, has also deepened her perspective. From the United States to South Asia, each region has offered unique challenges, she says. One vivid memory is from a


meeting in Bangladesh. “I was facilitating a session for 17 charity CEOs, but in the next


room, her shaping


her perspective. “I spent my 20s living precariously, but I wouldn’t trade that for anything,” she says. “The risks I took early on gave me the confidence to embrace opportunities


later in life, even


those outside my comfort zone. “On a training course in the civil service,


the street circus, and the trainer said, you have


I was asked about learned how to


build containers quickly. That safe, energising container is something we really need, whether it's one on one or a team or a wider group. It was a light bulb moment, because although I had a very unconventional apprenticeship, it was the best training I could have had for group facilitation and holding space.” In an increasingly interconnected the value of


world, experience international cannot be overstated.


Sarah now has years of working across continents, from facilitating meetings in South Asia to navigating cultural nuances in the Middle East and these have provided profound lessons, not only in professional growth but


transformation. Sarah


of the faculty at


is a valued Saïd


Business


School, University of Oxford where she teaches on the Advanced Management


and Leadership Programme. She imparts crucial


they were hosting a Mr. Universe competition,” she says. “Loud music would burst through paper- thin walls, and the reception was full of competitors milling around in shorts. Flip


charts wouldn’t


stand properly, and the pens barely worked. It sounds trivial, but it’s moments like these that make you appreciate


how smoothly


things can run in more resourced environments.” These experiences underscored


a recurring theme: resilience in the face of unpredictability. “Working in under-resourced


settings, you


learn to adapt, to make things happen despite the obstacles. It’s humbling, and it builds a deep sense of resourcefulness,” she says. In the


Middle


encountered an entirely different dynamic. “There’s so much energy and


emotion in the room. Relationships are crucial and people want to know about your family, to connect on a personal level before diving into work. It’s a cultural emphasis that fits well with who I am, but it requires a different mindset.” China, by contrast, presented


also in personal member


subtler challenges. Leading online sessions with Chinese participants highlighted


cultural barriers to


opposition and open dialogue. “Using a conversation model that


involved opposing or challenging ideas was particularly difficult. It taught me how deeply cultural norms influence communication.”


9


THE UNIQUE VALUE OF INTERNATIONAL WORK International experience, she believes, is invaluable for personal and professional growth. “You’re not a tourist. You’re interacting with hotel staff, local colleagues, and community members to make work happen. It’s a different, more immersive way of engaging with a place.” For


anyone international stint,


considering an her


advice is simple: take the leap. “The


discomfort, the challenges – they all lead to growth. You’ll return with a richer understanding of the world and a greater appreciation for your own corner of it.”


PIVOTAL CAREER DECISIONS AND THE COURAGE TO ACT Several key moments stand out as transformative in her career. One was leaving the civil service after three years to join a consulting company specialising in dialogue – a move that required stepping away from the security of a stable job. Another significant moment


came in her writing journey. Her first book, a self-help guide titled How to Have Meaningful Conversations, was followed a decade


later by East, she


Powered by Purpose, a leadership book. Writing these books not only expanded her professional reach but also solidified her belief in the power of communication and purpose- driven leadership. Now We’re discuss what


to


Talking: How really matters


is her latest book, which was written to help managers navigate tricky conversations at work. In 2007, Sarah founded Bridgework Consulting, a renowned consultancy firm dedicated to empowering leaders, teams, and organisations to achieve greatness.


Below: Sarah at the 2024 Relocate & Think Global People Awards ceremony


THINK GLOBAL WOMEN


GLOBAL LEADERSHIP


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