Learning to delegate with Sara Menke

Speak In Flow

In episode 90 of the Speak In Flow podcast, Melinda Lee welcomes powerhouse leader Sara Menke, founder of Premier Talent Partners and Ajna Technologies. Running two companies may seem like an impossible task, and Sara shares her personal journey to express that she somewhat agrees with this notion, especially when it comes to giving 100% to both. She explains that recognizing her limitations was a challenging but essential step for her growth as a leader.

In this inspiring conversation, Sara reflects on staying calm, confident, and grounded in turbulent times, balancing innovation with integrity, and empowering teams to lead. She shares lessons learned, including her own growth as a leader and the importance of vulnerability, resilience, and trust within her teams.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

How to Stay Grounded in Challenging Times

Sara shares her decision to remain calm and level-headed despite economic uncertainties, fostering team stability and focus rather than reactive responses.

Embracing Vulnerability and Leading with Integrity

Sara explains why vulnerability builds stronger teams and how integrity shapes her leadership. She emphasizes the importance of making decisions (no matter how difficult) with transparency and honesty, as this allows her team to trust her in the most difficult situations.

Agility and Adaptability in Changing Times

In the age of AI, changing work values, and economic uncertainty, Sara explains how these changes are impacting the recruiting world and how to adapt to increase efficiency without replacing the human connection. She highlights the need for precise skill matching in today's talent-shortage market.

Let Your People Lead

One of Sara's key insights is the power of stepping aside to let your teams lead. A great leader knows when to delegate. By empowering others, leaders can build stronger, more resilient organizations.

Memorable Quotes:

"Leadership is about staying grounded so that your team can grow stronger, even in challenging times."

“With struggle comes curiosity, passion, and compassion.”

“Let your people lead. Life could have been so much easier if I just moved out of the way.”

Connect with Sara Menke

LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saramenke/

Premier Talent Partners Website: https://www.premiertalentpartners.com/

About the Guest:

Sara Menke is the Chairman & CEO of Premier Talent Partners and the visionary CEO of Ajna. With over three decades of experience in the recruiting industry, Sara has built Premier into a nationally recognized firm known for connecting talent with opportunity. At Ajna, she’s revolutionizing equitable hiring with cutting-edge technology and a mission to simplify Talent as a Service.

Fun-facts:

• Sara has a big family! She is the proud mother of three, sister to 10, and "auntie" to 52.

About Melinda:

Melinda Lee is a Presentation Skills Expert, Speaking Coach, and nationally renowned Motivational Speaker. She holds an M.A. in Organizational Psychology, is an Insights Practitioner, and is a Certified Professional in Talent Development as well as Certified in Conflict Resolution. For over a decade, Melinda has researched and studied the state of “flow” and used it as a proven technique to help corporate leaders and business owners amplify their voices, access flow, and present their mission in a more powerful way to achieve results.

She has been the TEDx Berkeley Speaker Coach and has worked with hundreds of executives and teams from Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Caltrans, Bay Area Rapid Transit System, and more. Currently, she lives in San Francisco, California, and is breaking the ancestral lineage of silence.

Website: https://speakinflow.com/

Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/speakinflow

Instagram: https://instagram.com/speakinflow

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mpowerall

Thanks for listening!

Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.

Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!

Subscribe to the podcast

If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app.

Leave us an Apple Podcast review.

Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.