Ten Leaders to Know: Sara Blair [Full Profile]

Company: Country Maid, Inc.

Title: HR Manager

Birth CIty: West Bend

Current City: West Bend

How did you get where you are today?

Any success I’ve had in my career can be credited to the people I’ve been lucky enough to work for and alongside. I’ve learned so much from leaders who invested their time and guidance, colleagues who collaborated and shared their expertise, and teams who inspired with their attitudes of perseverance and optimism. Their support and encouragement have been instrumental in shaping my growth and helping me achieve my goals. I’m grateful for the opportunities I’ve had to learn, grow, and contribute alongside such talented individuals.

What excites you the most about the business you work in?

There are so many exciting things happening at Country Maid and so many reasons to be excited for the future. Reflecting on our corporate mission to “Help Others Help Each Other,” we have countless opportunities to live this mission each day in our work. On the people side of the business, our HR mission at Country Maid is to build a community that lifts people up at work and at home. We’re developing more than just a collection of people who come together to collect paychecks; we want to give our team opportunities that enhance their entire lives. This means we get to be innovative and creative as we find new ways to develop the skills of our team, enhance internal communications to better serve our employee-owners, curate benefit programs that make lives simpler and ease burdens, and partner with our employees to ensure they have the tools and support to meet both their professional and their personal goals. These efforts have had a positive impact on the personal lives of our teammates and have helped to move our business forward, as well. The intersection of building people up at work and at home is what I truly appreciate. Our leadership team has recognized that empowering our team will help us both achieve our financial goals while still having a long-term, positive impact on the lives of people.

What do you see as the next big trend in your industry?

Culture. I’m an HR enthusiast (read: HR geek), so any response regarding industry trends will naturally involve employee experience. While “culture” may not be a new concept, it’s a critical driver of positive business outcomes for any organization. Many of us have spent a lot of our time equating “culture” with perks like having snacks in the breakroom or more PTO. While perks are important and can make work fun and interesting, perks on their own mean nothing if we don’t begin to look more strategically at our culture and employee experience efforts. At Country Maid, I love that employee experience is coming together for us as we continue to evolve how we define and build culture. At its core, culture includes our efforts to provide physical and psychological security, to amplify the voices of our team and teach them how to best use their voice towards meaningful change. Of course, it still includes the “perks,” or all the fun stuff we pepper in to make our shared workdays a little more exciting, but those perks are most impactful when they’re paired with strong foundations of trust, support, and encouragement. Culture can be a strategic advantage or a critical liability for any company, and it’s inspiring to see measurable returns on our intentional investments in our people.

What does effective leadership mean to you?

As leaders, our number one priority is to remove the obstacles preventing our teams from being successful. Whether it’s ensuring access to training or other resources, helping people understand their value to the company, giving meaningful feedback, or altering procedures that don’t move their efforts forward, being an effective leader means putting our teams in position to use their unique talents towards shared success.

What is your favorite thing about Iowa?

Living in Iowa is incredible. Especially as you look at our business and industry, it feels like one big small town. We’re fortunate to have a business community that’s large enough to offer incredible diversity in perspectives and strengths, yet small enough that collaboration is second nature. There’s a shared commitment to working together to make our state stronger, and that sense of connection and collective effort is truly special.

Why are you a member of ABI?

Earlier this year, ABI came up in conversations with other HR professionals in the state several times in just a matter of a couple of weeks. I had, of course, heard of ABI in the past, but each of them talked about how beneficial ABI was to their businesses. Since joining I can absolutely say they did not steer us wrong. ABI has been invaluable helping the leadership of Country Maid make connections in the state and by providing information we can use to move our team and company forward.

Who do you look to for mentorship?

Early in my career a tremendously talented leader shared advice that stuck with me: “You’ll report to a lot of managers in your career. Some will be great, and some will be less great. But if you’re smart, you’ll learn something from every one of them.” I’ve taken that wisdom to heart, and it’s among the best advice I’ve ever received. While I’ve encountered managers who taught me what not to do, I’ve been fortunate to work with exceptional and brilliant leaders who’ve shaped my growth in countless ways. Although not formal mentors, their willingness to share information, provide guidance, and allow space for me to both make mistakes and to succeed has had a lasting impact. Their investment in my development has been instrumental in my journey, and I am deeply grateful for their influence.