A Note from Sarah:
For the next few months, I want to take time and introduce you to the incredible team of people who help make this company as great as it is. To start, meet Kristin Sauter. A dear friend, valued colleague, and fellow coach. She and I have worked together for many years now and while she may be back in her native Germany, our shared passion and advocacy to make workplaces work for people keeps our connection strong. I hope you enjoy the following spotlight and getting to know Kristin!
How did you come to be part of the SNoWCo team?
Kristin: It all started back in July 2018 when Sarah and I met at an event. After a few hours chatting and talking about leadership and mental health – two topics we are both so passionate about – we knew that we had to work together. And so, my journey with the SNoWCo team began. But life had different plans when my husband and I made the difficult decision to leave the US. And so, in November 2020 my role as Client Relationship Manager came to an end as we left Des Moines to start a new chapter back home in Germany. But that didn’t stop Sarah and me to make new plans and after a few months, I officially rejoined the SNoWCo team as International Leadership Coach.
What does your role involve?
Kristin: In my role as a leadership coach, I act as a co-pilot, advocate, and guide, where I help leaders develop greater self-awareness, shift perspectives and create more confidence, as we work to identify, unpack and remove habits and behaviors that might keep them from being the leader they truly want to be.
What are the best parts of your role?
Kristin: By far, the most rewarding aspect of my role is watching a client grow, change and transform, in a way that creates a positive ripple effect in their personal and professional world and beyond. It really is a privilege to get to join someone’s development journey and to connect with them in ways that let us dive deep into their inner world, dreams, and visions in a safe space.
What is the best career lesson you’ve learned so far?
Kristin: Listen to yourself and your needs and don’t be afraid to reach out for help. My mental health, or better mental unwellness, had a big impact on my life – especially my work life. For years, I put on a mask, kept quiet about it, and pushed through my illness out of fear – a decision that, over time, made me spiral down further and further until it was impossible to hide anymore, and a drastic change needed to happen. It took the help of others, lots of inner work, and acceptance to build my confidence and find the courage to have an open dialogue about my experiences. Today, I truly believe that it was this act of openness that led me to Sarah and support her vision to build a company for humans and help others do the same.
Who do you look up to?
Kristin: It isn’t so much one specific person I look up to, instead, I feel inspired by people that find the courage and strength to turn their struggles, challenges, and hardships into the life of their visions and dreams. It’s in those stories that I find encouragement, inspiration and motivation myself and one of the reasons I chose to become a coach.
What do you do when you feel you’ve hit a creative or motivational roadblock?
Kristin: I guess it depends on the roadblock. If I am working on something and hit a wall or get stuck, what helps me is to walk away and do something that takes the mind off the task and fuels my soul. Sometimes I listen to my favorite podcast, go out for a walk, clean or simply take a nap. When I am ready, I go back and look at it with fresh eyes. If the roadblock sits on a deeper level, let’s say a limiting belief or fear of something, I assess where this is coming from and try to challenge my assumption. If I still can’t bypass it on my own and it consumes all my energy, it’s absolutely time to reach out to others to get a different perspective.
What would you be doing for a career if it weren’t coaching emerging leaders?
Kristin: Helping and supporting others has become hugely fulfilling and I think it has always been part of my DNA and where I find a lot of joy and meaning. If it weren’t coaching emerging leaders, I would probably be working with and supporting new parents as they navigate this major life change. Having become a mom myself almost 2 years ago, I experience firsthand the importance of creating common goals and ideas around parenting whilst still fulfilling one’s own needs and dreams.
What are you passionate about outside of work?
Kristin: One of the things I absolutely love and enjoy doing is connecting with people who share a similar interest as me and over deep and meaningful conversations explore what can be created together – be it a project, an event, or simply just brainstorming ideas for future possibilities.
What is your personal motto? Why?
Kristin: It’s not so much a motto but rather a question that has become a guide – especially in situations where I am confronted with challenges, fear, sadness, or whenever I am committing myself to opportunities outside of my comfort zone. The question is “What’s the gift?”. I find this question extremely powerful and uplifting as it helps me minimize the time and energy lost in ruminating about a situation or possible outcome and instead maintains a more positive mindset and creates a shift in perspective.
It’s Saturday afternoon and the sun is shining – what do you do?
Kristin: These days, I spend the afternoon outside with my almost 2-year-old son playing, or we explore places as a family.
What media are you consuming right now? Books, television, movies, etc!
Kristin: In full disclosure, only a few months ago, I became a big fan of podcasts. Right now, I am listening to true-crime podcasts (probably because I once had this idea to become a profiler) but I also enjoy shows on parenting, mental health, and anything that fuels my interests and passions.
No cheating – what does your desk look like right now? Can you share a few stories behind the items in your workspace?
Kristin: Besides an empty coffee cup and chocolate bar wrapping paper, my desk is filled with notes and pages full of ideas and things I shouldn’t forget, lovely family photos, a plant, a picture of myself as a 2-year-old as a reminder that, back then, her actions were driven by curiosity, pure joy, and a hunger to explore the world without any concept of worry or anxiety. I also see a heart made of mosaic. It’s a gift from a dear friend in Des Moines as a thank you for supporting her work to raise more community awareness for mental health.
THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS IS HERE
Are you among them?
I’ve developed a virtual leadership development program specifically for high-potential professionals, those who feel ready to take the next step in their career, and potential management candidates that allow you to safely explore, experiment, and evolve a customized suite of effective leadership skills, tools, and habits. Contact us today to learn more about the Emerging Leaders Coaching Program.
Sarah Noll Wilson is on a mission to help leaders build and rebuild teams. She aims to empower leaders to understand and honor the beautiful complexity of the humans they serve. Through her work as an Executive Coach, an in-demand Keynote Speaker, Researcher, Contributor to Harvard Business Review, and Bestselling Author of “Don’t Feed the Elephants”, Sarah helps leaders close the gap between what they intend to do and the actual impact they make. She hosts the podcast “Conversations on Conversations”, is certified in Co-Active Coaching and Conversational Intelligence, and is a frequent guest lecturer at universities. In addition to her work with organizations, Sarah is a passionate advocate for mental health.