Sixer Spotlight with Sara Quagliaroli

^ LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW ABOVE ^

Ever wonder how a fully remote workplace thrives without traditional managers? In today’s Sixer Spotlight, we’re joined by Sara Quagliaroli, a self-management coach at Agile Six. Sara gives us an in-depth look at how self-management drives personal growth and team success in this unique, fully remote environment.

She explains how principles like trust, empathy, and self-awareness foster collaboration, informed decision-making, and meaningful contributions to team goals. Sara also delves into the challenges and rewards of self-management, the role of values, and offers practical advice for navigating its complexities. Join us to discover how self-management can transform team dynamics and drive both personal and collective growth.

Meet Sara Quagliaroli

My Background and Journey to Agile Six

I am a wife, sister, daughter, novice potter, and New Englander by location and spirit. I am a permaculture enthusiast, coach, teacher, friend, and civic tech explorer.

Q: You've been in the coaching space for over a decade. You have a master's in higher education administration and a doctorate in education leadership. Did you ever think you would be a self-management coach for a civic tech company?

A. All of those words that you just shared with me are new to me in the last five years. I'll admit there's not much of my career that was premeditated then or now. I think the thread through everything has been the people focus, the human focus. Before I really understood what a coach was, way back when I was starting my career, the orientation was definitely towards being present with people, understanding where they are, and helping them get to where they want to be.

Landing at Agile Six, my first role here was as a user experience researcher, and it was really rewarding to have the opportunity to hear from folks who are serving Veterans and figure out what they need to spread their knowledge and expertise to make the lives of the people they serve better. Finally, landing in this role as a self-management coach, I have the accumulation of all that learning and am present for folks who are here—they are purpose-driven and want to have a work-life where they can unfold and be more of themselves and have the energy at the end of the workday to bring home to their families and to their communities.

How can I support them in guiding them from where they are now to where they want to be, particularly as it relates to having a self-managed, balanced, engaged work life?

Understanding Self-Management

Q: How would you explain self-management to someone unfamiliar with it? Can you share the unique benefits and challenges?

A. Self-management is how we intentionally human together. One of the myths of self-management that I find myself revisiting with folks all the time is, “Oh, it’s the self; I’m out there, and I need to figure it out on my own.” But really, it is about knowing myself as a human—what I need, what I'm aspiring towards, and what my values are. Am I living them? It’s also about practicing empathy and being actively aware of who's here with me. How are we working together? How are we communicating? How are we swimming together towards this shared goal that we have? And how can I act based on my own needs while responding to the needs of the individuals around me and understanding who we are as a team together?

I think it's really challenging because, from a communication standpoint, there's a lot that happens between how I communicate something and how you receive it. One of the most frequent conversations I've had lately is, “How can I improve the relationships that I am in? How can I pour energy into the connections I value in order for us to have a productive working relationship, and also feel like we can bring our whole selves to the workspace because that's a value we have?” But it's also really hard. Humaning is hard.

Exploring the Benefits of Self-Management

Q: What are the benefits?

A. Sometimes the challenges are the same as the opportunities. When we have the opportunity to learn more about ourselves and each other, it can take a long time for me as an individual and us as a company to really reflect, codify, and put into words what this unfolding process is. We've been talking about Reinventing Organizations, Frederick Laloux's book, which discusses self-management and wholeness, and how we create an environment where someone can come in and become more of themselves. It's hard. But if I have the resources, tools, and support that I need, I feel like a self-managed environment has a greater capacity to offer that type of life-generating experience than other cultures by default. There are obviously challenges and barriers in every workspace, and Agile Six is no exception to that.

Back to the benefit piece, personal growth is unique, and at Agile Six, we respect that everyone's perspective on personal growth and how they get there is different. I think that's where coaching comes in, helping you understand where you are and where you want to go. The support is different, and the journey is different. I think that's what makes my job fun and exciting, and what I love most about being here is being in connection and community with people.

Navigating Challenges in Self-Management

We use the term self-management in many different ways. So, for the purpose of our conversation, self-management is the whole umbrella—how people make decisions based on the information they have, the context, their needs, and the needs of people around them.

Self-organization is about how you do that as a team. That's the dynamic of self-management and self-organization. I have to bring myself intentionally to contribute to the success of a self-organizing team, and everyone has a different set of needs that must be met for the goal of that self-organized team to be met.

Q. What's your best advice for navigating self-management at Agile Six?

A. I think, particularly for folks who are new, my best advice is to practice patience and self-compassion. Something that people tell me all the time, particularly those who have been here for a year or more, is that it takes time to deprogram from the expectations of previous work environments and the mindset of having to perform in a certain way when the emphasis is on individual incentives, not collective ones. That's not really the way we work and operate here.

I think one of the very first self-management challenges that folks have when they come to Agile Six is the 'hurry up and wait' aspect of government contracting. For most people, the whole first week is spent gathering information to move through the background check process. Then there's an extended period of time after that where they might not have all the keys to the kingdom yet to access the tools they need to start contributing to work. That can feel really frustrating because, in previous work environments, people are expected to start delivering on day one. Here, you might have a really busy first few days, and then it might feel really quiet for a while. Think about how you may navigate that.

The basic practices of self-management apply here: don't wait to ask questions, don't wait for permission, and don't wait to be given direction. Make connections with your team, and take the opportunity to get involved with other things happening in the company, if that’s something you’re interested in. If you're interested in making more connections, talk to someone you trust that you've met along the way to see if you can get support in doing that.

The Role of Empathy and Self-Awareness

Q: Can you tell us what role empathy and self-awareness play in our work environment?

A. The practice of self-awareness, self-compassion, and empathy are just that—they are practices. What am I feeling, and what beautiful universal human need is this connected to? If I'm having a really hard conversation with someone, or maybe there was a meeting that just didn't go well, and I walk away and think about how I'm feeling, it's like, you know what? I just wanted to be able to contribute. I wanted to be able to provide value. I was looking for support in that moment, and just taking that moment to reflect and think about what's actually going on for me helps me de-escalate and see something from a different perspective so that I can more clearly think about what my next steps are.

From an empathy standpoint, think about what was going on for them. They're also having their own journey and want to contribute and provide value. I can still feel what I'm going to feel about that interaction, but I've at least started taking some guesses about what's going on with them and seeing their humanity before jumping in. When that conversation happens, I go into that empathy practice with them, guess what's going on for them and listen to what they tell me, share what's going on with me, and then see if we can negotiate a way to move forward together.

Fostering Trust

Q: Trust is important here. How do we build a community of people who trust each other in a self-managed environment?

A. We talk a lot about leaning in and assuming positive intent, and we talk about, as a company, starting from a place of trust. I think there are many aspects of how we relate to each other where we can do that. If the company has hired you, you're going to get the company credit card. You can make decisions about how you use wellness time or what office supplies you need or professional development.

Whether you're coming into a new team or an existing team, you need to fly the plane while you're building it. You're also trying to get to know everyone and what they're about. They're trying to get to know you. There are all these little opportunities that can build trust or take trust away.

Lately, I've been talking a lot about feedback as a mechanism for building trust. There's so much work that has to happen before you can get to a place of trust, where you can lean in and start to have those conversations.

If I'm going to give you feedback and anticipate that you're going to hear me, you want to know that I care about you as a person. There are so many little behaviors or things that we do to build up that sense of, “I know this person cares about me as a human.” When things get hard or things get sticky, we can lean in and dig together. But there's a lot of work that has to happen first.

The Role of Listening

Q: What role does listening play?

A. It's the starting point. That's the foundation. We had a workshop with some folks and talked about nonviolent communication, of which one of the foundations is empathy. The key to empathy is listening; it's being present for that person. It's listening to understand, not to respond. It's reflecting back to show that I hear you and see you, and then giving them the opportunity to share: How can I support you next? Do you need me just to listen? Do you need support? Do you need help with problem-solving? You can't get there until you've stood with them, and it's hard, right? I've been doing this for a long time. It's just something that we always have to be checking with ourselves and paying attention to.

Values and Culture

Q. Agile Six has five core values: purpose, wholeness, trust, self-management, and inclusion. Which one resonates with you the most and why?

A. That is easy for me. Inclusion. It’s the last value on the list, and for me, it's there because it bolsters all the other values. If someone doesn't feel included or like they have an opportunity to contribute, none of the other values are possible. You can't build trust. You can't bring your whole self to work. You can't feel aligned with purpose. It's hard to self-manage because you feel not included, and that's not a foundation to start from.

Q: Talk about the challenges of aligning values and self-management at work.

A. Living our values in civic tech is essential. There are a couple of challenges, such as when values aren't aligned here; that's when everything falls apart. Self-management is about living a life intentionally aligned with our values and the ability to manage many things. But it's a journey, not a destination. We're always learning as individuals and teams, and we need systems, practices, and rituals that acknowledge and welcome that continuous learning.

Q: Let's talk about the company culture at Agile Six. How would you describe it?

A. I would say that we are evolutionary. But it's messy and can feel nonlinear sometimes. What I appreciate most about Agile Six is that I do believe we are a learning organization. That's what I would say first. I joined the company about four and a half years ago. I was probably employee 32 or 33; we're at around a hundred now. We learn, we sense and respond. We have these core values that have evolved over time, and I do think that we are a place where people hold these at the front of mind. I work alongside folks who operate with a lot of humility. We operate with the perspective that we're not always right, and oftentimes there is disagreement, but we work together to get to whatever the next evolution is going to be. Everyone at the company has the potential to contribute, and that is a learning organization.

Rewards and Challenges

Q: What's the most rewarding part of your job?

A. The most rewarding part of my job is when I'm having a conversation with someone, we get to the end, and it’s just not what I expected at all at the start of the conversation. I love the opportunities where, anytime you have a different configuration of people, the opportunity for what that space can create is totally unique and different. It's a privilege of my life to be alongside people for their own human journeys.

Q: What's the most challenging part of your job?

A. I think the easiest part of my job is helping someone else navigate a challenge. But the most challenging part is managing myself.

The Role of Feedback

Q: How does feedback play a role in self-management and team dynamics?

A. It's a really interesting question because part of the decisions we've made around establishing our self-management culture is not having a performance management system. There's no formal twice-a-year meeting where I sit with my manager, and they tell me where I have exceeded or met expectations. One of the things people tell me early on, or even if they've been here for a while, is that they just want to know if they're contributing in the way that the company or their team expects. Just because we don't have performance management doesn't mean that we don't need a system.

I think it's something that we are slowly building, and a sense-and-respond approach has fed a lot into how we think about the type of feedback culture we want to continue to grow. We acknowledge that feedback is a type of communication that's essential for building trust and helping teams grow together.

As a member of the people operations team, we're always thinking about how we can provide people with tools to help them get the information they need from their team in order to grow as individuals and as a team.

Growth and Development in a Self-Managed Environment

Q: Without traditional managers, can you tell us what growth and development look like?

A: One of the questions we get the most, as folks are deciding if they want to come here or once they arrive, is: “How do I grow at Agile Six? If we don't have managers, what does that mean for my growth as an individual, both personally and professionally?” Yes, it looks different here than at other places. There are opportunities to do different kinds of work on different teams, depending on where you are in your career, including applying for opportunities that might be more senior than the one you're in right now. Ultimately, when it comes to growth and self-management, it's about creating the context for continuous learning. I think the goal is to create an environment where we are always challenged and learning, but also supported in having each other's back in that learning.

Seeking Support & Advice

Q: In moments of challenge, what advice do you have for Sixers who are seeking support?

A:  In those moments of challenge, going back full circle to what self-management is, my advice is always: don't wait to ask the question, don't wait to get the support. If you're not getting the support you need, keep asking the question. Everyone has their own unique web of support, and it starts even before onboarding. For most people, most of the time, Nico is the person at the gate, making sure that you have everything you need to be ready for your first day and helping us bring all of the supports together.

In addition to a comprehensive onboarding experience, new hires are paired with a "buddy"—a Sixer from outside their project team—and strategic connections selected by practice area coaches. This system offers diverse perspectives and insights, ensuring new hires feel included in both their team and the Agile Six community, fostering a supportive and inclusive environment from the very beginning.

We have a great team of folks who are helping people with agency onboarding. For those new at civic tech, there's a lot of information that you have to pull together to get cleared to be on government projects, but there's support. A quick Slack message or a Zoom call are ways to help people guide people through that process. You have your individual team, you have your team coach, and every team also has an account strategist connected to your project. This strategist has an in-depth understanding of the contractual requirements that your team is helping to fulfill and helps to create those relationships with partner companies where other teammates might be coming from and government clients. In my role as a self-management coach, I work with folks proactively and reactively, providing individual support on their self-management journey.

Something I appreciate most about Agile Six is that anyone can ask anyone for advice. As Sarah Knopp mentioned in her spotlight, you can just reach out and ask an executive or any other person a question. There are no arbitrary walls here.

In self-management, when in doubt, ask. There's no expiration date on questions. Obviously, with self-management, there's a certain expectation that we're all in the driver's seat, but there are lots of other seats in the car. We're never alone. There's always someone to lend a hand, answer a question, or give advice or guidance if you're in need of it.

Dan Levenson, President of Agile Six, often says, "Don't fall down in a crowded room." If you're having moments of challenge and that rope hasn't been thrown to you, if you call out, that rope will come. We’ve got your six!

Reflections and Final Thoughts

Q: What would you say to someone who's looking to get into civic tech and work for a fully remote company like Agile Six?

A. There's so much potential to do good work, grow, and meet incredible values-aligned people. If you want to come to a workplace where people respect the expertise you bring, care about you as a human, and want to collaborate while leaving the competition at the door, this is the place for you.

Q: Are there any final thoughts you'd like to share?

A. I think the honor and privilege I have come from watching individuals and teams grow into purpose together and having even a small role in helping them on that journey—having relationships that are meaningful, doing work that's meaningful, and living balanced existences where they have the meaningful lives they want to have outside of work.

I've never been more optimistic about where we're going and how we're continuing to grow into our purpose—as a coach, as a member of a support team, and as a Sixer. I see a clear pathway forward for continuing to do meaningful work, learning together, and growing in our empathy and self-compassion to have the most human experience possible.

Sixer Spotlight is an ongoing series to share the stories of our team. If Sara’s story piqued your interest in a career with Agile Six, explore our open roles.

Disclaimer: This blog post is a summary of the interview with Sara. To access the full audio interview, please visit the top of this page.