14 Steps To Take To Build A Strong Professional Network - Forbes
14 Steps To Take To Build A Strong Professional Network · 1. Start With Intentional LinkedIn Outreach · 2. Collaborate With Global Connections.
Sarah Needham
I have started teaming up with other coaches to stream live interviews on topics that are not openly discussed in business. I am trying to help "start the conversation" so that more people can take these insights and use them to start difficult conversations in their businesses. Doing it live is important to help others see that it does not need to be perfect, but taking that first step counts. - <anchor>Sarah Needham</anchor>, Unique-U Coaching
Sarah Needham | Tech Leadership Coach; Speaker & B-Corp leader - Unique-U Coaching | Forbes Coaches Council
Forbes Coaches Council

Sarah Needham's avatarPerson

# Sarah Needham

## Tech Leadership Coach; Speaker & B-Corp leaderUnique-U Coaching

Potsdam, Germany

### Member Since September 2022

### Skills

Coaching

Public Speaking

Leadership and Team Inspiration

### About

I am the voice for transforming the tech industry to create a more sustainable future for life on earth!

I combine my years of experience as an engineer, as a leader, as a coach & as a human being to connect & support others to thrive.

I help Female Leaders in Tech & Ambitious Tech businesses design how to thrive! We create new opportunities by putting inclusive leadership at the heart of innovative technology!

I believe that all the ‘solutions’ to the problems we face today will contain technology in one form or another!

Tech businesses, therefore, have a massive part to play in how successful humanity is in creating a more sustainable future for life on earth!

This means that tech leaders have a leading role in this story.

The businesses that will transform the tech landscape in the next ten years will put inclusive leadership at the heart of innovative technology!

They will focus on connection, relationships & psychological safety both internally & externally. Why?

We cannot create sustainable solutions without hearing all the voices, without having difficult conversations, & without enabling humans to contribute their unique value!

We need to re-integrate business responsibility & purpose to better align with the needs of the employees, society & the changing world around us.

It can be done & it will be done.

So do you want to be part of this transformation? Does your business want to create new opportunities for growth?

As a B-Corp leader, I work with people who want to make the world a better place & those who want to have a positive impact in the world.

I work with those who want to create a better future for their children & other future generations. The ones who donate to local charities, volunteer to run employee resource groups or mentor & support the next generation of leaders to help them do better!

I am not here to judge where you are today. I am here to help you transform your thinking & create new opportunities for you & your business.

Sarah Needham's avatarPerson

#### Sarah Needham

Tech Leadership Coach; Speaker & B-Corp leader

## Published content

expert panel

Aug 25, 2023

Company leaders are tasked with not only steering the ship, but also cultivating an environment where all team members can thrive. Even with organizational efforts and human resources initiatives aimed at engaging employees, sometimes the most basic actions on the part of executive leaders have the biggest impact.
Simple efforts by leadership can often yield profound results, making employees feel truly valued, validated and inspired to give their best. Below, 20 Forbes Coaches Council members share small yet mighty gestures, practices and policies that can shape the dynamics of a team, leading to higher levels of performance, engagement and satisfaction.

How Generative Leadership Can Enable A Positive Future Powered By Emerging Tech

article

Aug 2, 2023

As technology becomes even more integrated into our lives and businesses, we need to bring more diverse teams together and enable them to work together.

Does Your Business Need A Leadership System Upgrade?

article

Apr 7, 2023

Is your business ready to thrive through uncertainty?

How Leaders Can Earn Their Employees' Trust

article

Mar 13, 2023

Most leaders are not trained counselors or coaches, but providing support doesn’t need to be hard. It starts and ends with trust.

15 Exercises Leaders Can Use To Foster Appreciation For Team Diversity

expert panel

Mar 1, 2023

Diversity and inclusion are critical factors in building a successful and productive team. However, it can be challenging for leaders to help team members better understand and appreciate the distinct perspectives and experiences that their teammates from different backgrounds bring to the table.
The members of Forbes Coaches Council have worked with many leaders who want to build more diverse and inclusive company cultures, and some of them have developed useful workplace exercises to further guide organizations and groups toward meeting this goal. Here, 15 members explore effective activities for promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace and explain how to implement these exercises with a team.

January Is A Great Time To Redefine What Success Means To You

article

Jan 18, 2023

Remember to take care of your mental and physical health during times of change. Identify the people and activities that bring you joy, then invest in them.

expert panel

Jan 17, 2023

People from different generations tend to have distinct views on the world of work. In particular, workers from Generation-Z might not share the same mindset as their Baby Boomer, Gen-X or even Millennial counterparts.
As Gen-Z employees enter and advance through the workforce, it’s critical for business leaders to understand this generation’s experiences and motivations. Here, 15 members of Forbes Coaches Council share insights on the impact the current workforce’s youngest generation is having and how leaders can best prepare to manage them.

expert panel

Jan 10, 2023

Job seekers in search of a potential recruiter have many options. While there are countless recruiters and other resources available online, finding the right headhunter to partner with requires some effort. This person will be representing you and helping you to further your career; so, it’s important that they understand you well enough to effectively support your efforts.
Here, members of Forbes Coaches Council share 16 key insights to keep in mind during your search for a headhunter to find the right fit. Read on to learn about the most important things job seekers should look for in a potential recruiter and why these factors matter so much.

expert panel

Dec 15, 2022

In the business world, engaging in negotiations can be a productive and constructive way to achieve a mutually-beneficial outcome in a given situation. However, negotiations must be handled tactfully and professionally, lest one party risk alienating or offending the other and walking away with less than they had anticipated—or nothing at all.
Many Forbes Coaches Council members have guided their clients through preparations for critical business negotiations and understand the balancing act that achieving mutual interests entails. Below, 15 members share their top tips to help all parties feel satisfied with the results of any negotiation they enter into.

expert panel

Dec 12, 2022

Incorporating new technology into a workplace is exciting; it can be a valuable resource that makes employees’ jobs easier and more streamlined. However, actually getting employees to adopt new technological tools can be difficult if the change isn’t properly managed.
It’s up to senior company leaders to ensure that the whole team understands why the changes are being made and embraces them. Forbes Coaches Council members have insights into the best ways to introduce new technology so that it is well-received, and below, 15 members share advice for executives who are looking to accelerate technology adoption in their businesses.

How New Leadership Enables Innovation

article

Dec 2, 2022

A lot of the reasons for businesses staying stuck are still unconscious or even invisible to leadership teams.

expert panel

Nov 30, 2022

Connecting with others is an essential skill both in life and in business. As a professional, networking with others in your field and other relevant spaces can help boost your expertise and open up avenues for new and exciting business opportunities, partnerships and collaborations.
The end of the year is a great time to reflect on the relationships you’ve built and how those connections could potentially be mutually beneficial in the future. Below, 14 members of Forbes Coaches Council each share one step they took this year to connect with others in their field. Read on to see how you can follow their lead.

expert panel

Nov 23, 2022

As a leader, thoroughly outlining employee expectations is critical for organizational success. Expecting employees to know what your preferences are before explaining them can lead to a toxic working environment and distrust among your team.
Leaders may find it difficult to set expectations the "right way" or be unsure how to follow up on these expectations without seeming too heavy-handed. Here, 14 members of Forbes Coaches Council discuss how leaders can handle these conversations with employees and ensure expectations are met without causing long-term problems within their teams.

14 Creative Ways To Thank Clients At The End Of The Year

expert panel

Nov 18, 2022

As the holiday season quickly approaches, businesses are searching for unique ways to thank their clients and customers. Whether you’ve launched a new business endeavor and want to thank customers for supporting it or you want to share your excitement about the future with your clients, sending a small note or gift is a great way to connect with them and stay top of mind as the year comes to an end.
From gift cards to discounts to free products, people love receiving simple, end-of-year gifts from the businesses they patronize. If you’re looking for unique ways to connect, see the creative ways 14 Forbes Coaches Council members thank their clients at the end of the year below.

Why The Latest Engagement Statistics Are Unacceptable

article

Nov 10, 2022

The unfortunate truth is when we are tolerating something in the workplace, we find it difficult to be at our best in other areas of our lives.

expert panel

Nov 2, 2022

Curiosity and innovation are key to an organization’s continued growth and success. Baking these values into the company culture can empower employees to bring new ideas to the table, creating the potential for breakthrough results.
While many leaders understand the importance of fostering these ideals, they may not be sure how to best encourage them in their teams. Here, the members of Forbes Coaches Council share 14 ways leaders can help foster a more curious and innovative culture.

11 Types Of Diversity Professionals Should Cultivate In Their Networks 

expert panel

Nov 1, 2022

The push to increase diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace has become more prominent lately, and for good reason. Having a diverse team of employees who feel valued by their organization and have a strong sense of belonging helps to ensure that people with new ideas and different experiences can come together to produce better business outcomes.
Cultivating diversity in a company starts with leaders who build their own diverse professional networks, full of people with different lived experiences from diverse educational, geographical and other backgrounds. Here, Forbes Coaches Council members each share one type of diversity that they value in their own network, and why it’s important for professionals at every level to seek this kind of diversity as they make new connections within their industries.

expert panel

Oct 31, 2022

Since the onset of the pandemic, working from home—or at least having access to more flexible work arrangements—has become a perk expected by those in the modern workforce. Knowing how highly valued flexibility is these days, many employers have started to mention “flexible work options” in their job descriptions when hiring. However, when organizations imply that they allow employees to work when and where they like when, in reality, they don’t have systems in place to facilitate that level of flexibility, such bait-and-switch tactics are also known as “flexwashing.”
If a company doesn’t create effective work-from-home policies and procedures, it can lead to a loss of employee trust and create unnecessary confusion in the workplace. To offer the legitimate flexible work policies employees want, it’s important to have the right systems and policies in place. Here, 15 Forbes Coaches Council experts suggest some alternatives companies can consider to ensure the flexible options they offer are beneficial and accessible.

expert panel

Oct 7, 2022

Employees often have good ideas that could benefit their companies, but sharing their thoughts with leadership can feel uncomfortable for junior level team members. While some may fear rejection and others may not be sure who to talk to, some people are simply more introverted and unaccustomed to speaking up. Unfortunately, when team members keep their innovative thinking to themselves, it’s not only their careers that might suffer for it—their companies can, too, as they’ll never know the impact these ideas may have had.
The members of Forbes Coaches Council work with professionals all the time who are trying to improve their effectiveness and confidence in the workplace, including executive leaders, so they understand this dynamic from both sides. Below, 16 members share tips to help quiet but ambitious midlevel professionals open up about their ideas to their leadership team early and often.

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## Company details

### Unique-U Coaching

#### Company bio

I help Female Leaders in Tech & Ambitious Tech businesses design how to thrive!

We create new opportunities by putting inclusive leadership at the heart of innovative technology!

Together we get clarity on where you are today, where you want to go & what's holding you back!

If you are a tech business who is struggling to transform; to live equality, & to breathe the values you want to embed in your culture; then let's have a candid conversation.

I am not here to judge where you are today, I am here to open your eyes to new opportunities & support you on your journey of change. I bring honesty, clarity & compassion through my work.

I work with proven systems to help individuals & teams transform. We focus on creating tangible businesses results to support sustainable change in your business!

Why not take a look at what others online are saying about working with Unique-U Coaching?
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahneedham/details/recommendations/
https://www.linkedin.com/services/page/b143453078b4621052

### Industry

Professional Training

### Area of focus

Executive Coaching

Public Speaking

Business Growth

### Company size

Myself only

# This member is no longer active.

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