Natalie Robinson, founder and CEO of OneUpOneDown, recently joined Overworked to Incredibly Impactful to share her insights into the challenges and opportunities of leading start-ups and small businesses. Having also participated in a Being Leaders program, Natalie discusses how the practical tools and resources from the workshops have helped to shift her mindset as a leader of leaders.
There are intricacies that apply to running a small business that are not necessarily applicable to leading larger organisations. That is not to say that one is more difficult than the other, however recognising the varying approaches is often overlooked. We tend to fall into the mindset of ‘leadership is just leadership’, regardless of the environment we operate in. As Natalie alludes to throughout the interview, there is a perennial challenge for leaders of start-ups, in balancing the need for immediate output and progress and maintaining a visionary view to the future. Among this balance is the need to prioritise people, which according to Natalie, is paramount in growing any small business.
‘The workshop made me realise that my main responsibility as a leader is being responsible for the people who are part of the company,’ Natalie reflected.
LISTEN HERE: Overworked to Incredibly Impactful – Industry Insights – Natalie Robinson
With years of experience across the finance industry and more recently working as an entrepreneur in a range of start-ups, Natalie feels there is a clear role for the leader at any level, and that is to focus your energy on your people. This rings truest, she reflects, in people who are in leader-of-leaders roles, where you are no longer attached to the detail of the projects.
With OneUpOneDown continuing its global growth, Natalie has interacted with senior leaders from a variety of industries and organisations around the world. Whilst it can be hard to succinctly summarise what makes an effective leader, Natalie shared some of the common traits that she has witnessed from these leaders.
Check out the inspiring work of OneUpOneDown HERE.
‘The thing that I observed that is consistent is authenticity and openness…the leaders don’t believe that they have all the answers. They have a good ability to listen to people, a curiosity and an openness and a level of experience that means they can turn those insights and organise them amongst people,’ Natalie said.
As a startup founder and strategic marketer, Natalie is driven to create value by using new technologies to solve problems and working out how to create sustainable business models. With the rise of OneUpOneDown a testament to Natalie’s ongoing pursuit, she is passionate about people and the growth that is achieved through authentic, mutually-beneficial relationships.
LISTEN HERE: Overworked to Incredibly Impactful – Industry Insights – Natalie Robinson
Being Leaders delivers a leadership development program, working with people who are navigating their leader-of-leaders role. Based on the concepts in the Amazon best-seller, Becoming a Leader of Leaders, the program provides practical tools and resources to help people transform from overworked to incredibly impactful.
Transform your people from overworked to incredibly impactful.
Contact Being Leaders to find out more.
