Welcome to Small Stuff Big Impact
Hi there, thanks for dropping by. Start here to learn more about Sarah and what this Substack is all about.
Hi, I’m Sarah. Welcome to Small Stuff Big Impact.
I’m an executive coach, author, and nerd about all things leadership and human behaviour.
Why Small Stuff Big Impact?
Let me explain through a short thought exercise…
Take a moment and think about your day yesterday. Think through every interaction you had with another human being: whether in person or online; whether spoken, written or nonverbal; whether you travel to work or work remotely; whether you live and work with others, or on your own.
Include everything.
From smiling at someone walking their dog, to thanking the barista, to greeting team members, to leading meetings, to exchanging messages on Slack, to texting with friends, to saying hi to your partner when you get home….
There are a lot of interactions. Even if you’re working remotely. Right?
Around a core of longer, deeper conversations, a huge proportion of our day-to-day interactions are short, apparently inconsequential. Not interactions into which we put a great deal of thought, planning or intention. Interactions that happen largely on autopilot.
I believe those micro-interactions matter far more than we realise; they impact our success and efficacy as leaders in subtle yet profound ways. They may feel insignificant in the moment, but the cumulative impact is far greater.
And most of us aren’t paying them nearly enough attention.
I want to amplify the conversation around this “small stuff”. It’s why I wrote my book (more below), and why I started this Substack.
Through the themes discussed here I want to help you learn about your impact, to acknowledge the power you have to influence others, even unintentionally, and to use that awareness to become a better human, and better leader.
Because I believe the small stuff matters.
Who are you?
I’m an executive coach, leadership development specialist and writer on what it takes to lead powerfully and with humanity. My work integrates leadership lessons from a sporting career as a rower, including competing twice in the Oxford-Cambridge Boat race, a 15-year corporate career across management consulting and finance, and experience as an entrepreneur with my own coaching and leadership development business.
With more than two decades of hands-on experience building leadership skills and behaviours, and over 3000 hours coaching experience, I’m a coach and trusted advisor for senior leaders. I’m known for my truth-telling and ability to offer challenge with a lightness of touch, through which I help my clients to develop as successful leaders with high-performing teams.
I speak professionally on topics including effective communication, trust and relationship building, and I have spoken internationally. In recent years I’ve rediscovered my love of writing, and I’m excited to expand my audience over here on Substack, and have more engagement with others in a similar space.
That love of writing, combined with a desire to expand my impact and reach new audiences, has led me to write my first book, Do Sweat the Small Stuff: Harness the power of micro-interactions to transform your leadership. It is coming out in July 2024, published by Practical Inspiration Publishing.
I have an MA and an MBA from the University of Cambridge and I am accredited by the ICF as a Professional Certified Coach. When not coaching, you'll find me on the river umpiring rowing regattas, or lifting heavy weights with friends at my local gym. I live in London, UK with my mischievous cat Matilda.
To find out more, visit www.sarahlangslow.com
Do Sweat the Small Stuff
Published 9th July 2024 by Practical Inspiration Publishing.
From the back cover:
What comes to mind when you think about leadership? The big stuff. Vision, strategy, decision making, motivation.
But sometimes all that is in place, yet something isn’t working. Teams are disengaged, performance and productivity are below expectations, morale is low.
There’s a missing piece: you.
Do Sweat the Small Stuff challenges you to notice and own the profound impact of your everyday micro-interactions. To explore how your speaking and listening, your tone, your habits and your behaviours affect those around you, whether you realize or not. Finally, it reveals how to reinvent those interactions to reshape how you show up as a leader and transform the engagement of your team, and ultimately your organization.
Sarah Langslow distils more than two decades of hands-on experience building effective leadership skills and behaviours in the corporate and sporting world and as an executive coach into an actionable plan for sustainable transformation.
Order your copy from Amazon or Bookshop.org or your favourite bookseller.
Thanks for reading, and for considering becoming a subscriber. I’m excited about this new venture with Substack, and would love to have you — and those you work with, live with, and care about — join us.
Sarah Langslow
If you’d like to learn more about me, my individual and team coaching, leadership development work and speaking, please drop me a message.
And if you know anyone else who might like to join us, please invite them: