Composed Under Pressure: Building Trust and Growing as a Leader in Tech PR
Sage is an organization filled with outstanding communications professionals who bring a diverse background of experience and expertise. We leverage this depth of knowledge through our Sage U program, an all-learn, all-teach model, to assist our team’s continued growth.
In this Q&A, Sara Lanphere, a longtime member of Sage’s PR team, reflects on the client relationships and memorable career moments that've shaped her, along with lessons on keeping composed under pressure, establishing trust through partnership and helping others feel supported. Sara also discusses her leadership goals, the importance of setting boundaries, and the value of digging in when challenges arise.
Q&A highlights:
Q: How did you find your way into public relations and technology communications?
When I was preparing for college, I thought I’d study music. I played the upright bass and, at one point, imagined myself performing in an orchestra. But when it came time to complete auditions, I realized it wasn’t the path I would pursue.
Instead, I applied to communications schools and attended Syracuse University. The communications program exposed students to several disciplines, including advertising, graphic design, journalism and public relations. PR stood out to me, so I pursued it and completed several internships before graduating.
My first role after college was on a tech PR team. I enjoyed taking complex topics and figuring out how to make them matter to everyday people. That experience set me on a path in the tech comms sector and eventually led me to Sage.
From the beginning, Sage’s positive, solutions-focused approach and commitment to delivering results resonated with me. It seemed like a natural fit, which is a big reason I stayed.
Q: What have been some of your most rewarding client experiences?
Some of my best experiences have come from building strong client relationships and growing the work together.
Tough client situations often turn out to be the most rewarding. When you’re challenged to work hard, learn new things and try something you're not comfortable with, you often end up with a better relationship and a chance to grow.
The best client work feels like a partnership. When both sides trust each other and work toward the same goal, the relationship becomes much more rewarding. It makes starting work every morning exciting and fun.
Q: Which moments in your career have been especially memorable?
Early in my career at Sage, we worked with the S&R Foundation to publicize a series of classical music concerts. We wanted to bring music reviewers to the performances, but reaching the right contacts was difficult.
After a great deal of persistence, we connected with a reviewer from The Washington Post. The resulting article appeared in print with photographs, and the concert series sold out hours after it was published.
That experience has always stuck with me because it demonstrated such a direct connection between our work and a real, meaningful result.
Another memorable moment was attending NVIDIA’s GTC event in 2018, before AI was the technology of the day. There was so much excitement and energy around what their technology could make possible that it reminded me why I love working in tech PR.
My takeaway from experiences like that is to accept opportunities to engage more closely with a client’s work. They can teach you something new and reinvigorate your energy for what you do.
Q: What keeps you interested in tech PR?
I like seeing how technology can make a difference in people’s lives. That’s especially meaningful when we work with companies whose technologies support government agencies and the people those agencies serve.
Technology itself also changes constantly. The capabilities we are discussing today can be very different from what we were talking about a few years ago, which keeps the work interesting.
At the same time, not every change happens quickly. I remember talking about cloud adoption early in my time at Sage, and it’s still a major topic today. Other technologies appear, generate notable attention and then disappear much more rapidly.
Q: How do you hope to continue growing as a leader?
The people I work with matter a lot to me, and I want to keep improving as a leader. I want to understand better what motivates people, help them enjoy the work they do, and create an environment where they can grow.
I also want to become a stronger speaker and a more captivating storyteller. It doesn’t always come naturally to me, but I admire people who can hold a group’s attention with a good story. It’s a skill I’d like to continue developing throughout my career.
When it comes to leadership influences, I try to learn from everyone. Sometimes that means recognizing qualities in people I enjoy working with and trying to adopt them. Other times, I learn from tough experiences and think about what I’d do differently next time.
I want to feel understood, so I try to make sure my coworkers feel understood, too. People do their best work when they feel cared for and supported.
Q: What advice would you give someone early in their career?
Sometimes, you simply need to dig in. Putting in a little extra time at the beginning of an assignment can make a big difference later. That preparation helps you understand the work, spot problems early and get better results.
At the same time, it’s important to set boundaries and make time for yourself. I’m open about when I need family time. I let my team know when I’ll be offline and, if needed, I’ll check back in later in the evening.
Setting boundaries can be tough, especially when you’re just starting. But if you’re doing your work and communicating well, it’s both reasonable and important to protect your time outside of work.
Q: What might people be surprised to learn about you?
People often say I’m calm and composed, but that’s not always true in my daily life. At home, we’re often rushing to get out the door, and there’s plenty of chaos. I’m still surprised when someone tells me I seem like a naturally calm person.
