about me
I’m Sarah.
I founded Sarah Lehman Consulting in the fall of 2022 to provide facilitation, strategic planning, visioning, mediation, and interim services for groups who are experiencing challenges and transitions. I believe that change and disruption can be transformational if we stay connected to our own and each other’s inherent worth and dignity.
I am a Certified Integral Facilitator® and Minnesota Rule 114 qualified civil mediator with a background in non-violent communication. A mentor instilled in me the value deep listening brings to relationships and partnerships. We’re more willing to experiment and stretch when we feel respected and seen.
“Let’s normalize the messiness of being in human relationships.”
normalize the messiness
normalize the messiness
Roncamp Chapel
Le Corbusier
Roncamp Chapel Le Corbusier
My past.
When I was nine, my family moved from a small town in Oregon to Monterrey, Mexico, the third-largest city in Mexico. It was a deeply formative period in my life. I experienced the disorientation of leaving behind the familiar and creating new community. I also witnessed a new culture, a new language, a dense urban environment, vast disparities between rich and poor, and devastating damage caused by a hurricane.
Fast forward a few years, I found myself drawn to Architecture and the potential for built environments to foster human connection and creativity. I completed my B. ARCH at the University of Oregon before heading east to Minneapolis. I worked in Architecture in Minneapolis and Saint Paul for 10 years, primarily on higher education and public projects.
Being present.
I feel a strong pull towards both the messiness and creativity possible during times of conflict and change. Change, no matter how exciting, brings loss. We have to release something familiar to make space for something new to emerge. The right dose of challenge opens potential for heightened clarity, playfulness, and a renewed sense of purpose.
Working with other humans is both challenging and deeply rewarding. We experience flow and connection as we collaborate toward meaningful outcomes. And we feel confusion, resentment and disconnection when that coherence becomes disrupted.
We live in a time of increased polarization where it has become easy to see others as our adversaries, rather than as fellow human beings deserving of care and dignity. We are conditioned to argue and advocate for our position, rather than to take a posture of curiosity and openness.
In every group, the potential for dissonance and disagreement is present. People have different priorities and perspectives, communication styles, approaches to conflict, and values that shape how we show up with one another. With practice we can listen attentively, speak vulnerably and deepen trust in our relationships.
“I know we’ll create meaningful work together.”
let's work together
let's work together
video
listening
The Art of Deep Listening
Many of us have learned communication habits that make it difficult to be fully present and engaged in our conversations. We find ourselves captured by our reactions and judgements, busy crafting clever rebuttals and counter points. With practice we can develop listening skills that help us stay interested and curious in the people and situations around us.