In this edition, part of our Leadership theme, we speak with Natalie Burns, strategy partner at UnitedUs, about the evolution of her leadership style, navigating power dynamics, and making space for vulnerability at work.
For Natalie Burns, leadership isn’t about status — it’s about trust, transparency and championing others. From her early experience running TEDxBrighton to her current role as a partner at brand agency UnitedUs, Natalie has built her leadership style on collaboration and care.
Her journey has included moments of radical honesty—from negotiating shared ownership of the agency to openly discussing miscarriage and motherhood with her team. In this candid Q&A, she shares how her perspective on leadership has evolved, why power dynamics deserve closer scrutiny, and how we can better support women in leading on their own terms.
What does leadership mean to you, and how has your approach evolved?
For me, leadership has never felt like a top-down directive. Even when I was running TEDxBrighton in my early twenties, I saw my role as more of a ‘shepherd of volunteers’. It was about understanding the constraints, recognising the diverse talents around me, and guiding everyone towards a shared, impactful outcome. I believed then, and still do now, that true leadership lies in nurturing and celebrating the skills of others, providing the frameworks for them to achieve their very best.
My journey to leadership at UnitedUs was also unconventional. I joined as an employee, and it wasn’t until a few years in, having rediscovered my confidence, that I approached my now business partners with a proposition: either we take shared ownership and grow this together, or I’d need to forge my own path. Again, I saw leadership as bringing a complementary skillset to the table, building a foundation for collective growth.
The key evolution in my approach lies in the weight of experience I now carry. Back at TEDx, everything felt like a limitless possibility, and my leadership was perhaps characterised by an almost naive self-assurance. At UnitedUs, it’s about navigating both the exhilarating highs and the daily realities of building an impactful agency. This requires a much deeper level of personal investment and a greater awareness of the lives and experiences of my team.
In recent years, particularly navigating the difficult journey to becoming a mother, I’ve learned the profound importance of vulnerability in leadership. Sharing my experiences – the miscarriage, the TFMR, and finally, the joy of welcoming my daughter – wasn’t easy, but it was crucial in fostering a culture of trust and empathy within our team. I needed them to know they were my village, and that meant being open about the challenges I faced. This transparency, underpinned by clear processes and accountability, has become a cornerstone of my leadership at UnitedUs.
Have you faced any challenges as a woman in leadership?
Like many women, I’ve experienced the frustration of having an idea or insight gain traction only when echoed by a male voice. However, something less discussed, and something I’ve been acutely aware of, is the dynamic where some men in power can actively enjoy receiving advice from women, particularly younger women. Growing up with a significant age gap between my parents gave me an early insight into these kinds of power dynamics, both personally and professionally.
In these situations, you develop a heightened self-awareness. You become attuned to the motivations of your stakeholders, understanding why they might be particularly receptive to your input and whose interests are being served by nurturing that dynamic. For me, this has often meant proactively flagging potential ‘interesting’ power dynamics with my colleagues – who, more often than not, have already picked up on them too. It necessitates a strategic approach to stakeholder management, ensuring I can operate effectively as a leader without inadvertently placing myself in a vulnerable position. Sometimes, it feels like a subtle form of ‘corporate chaperoning’ becomes necessary.
Beyond these external dynamics, I believe the creative industries, while still needing significant improvement in female representation at senior levels, are generally more open to diverse voices than some other sectors. However, significant barriers to career progression for women in our industry remain, particularly around motherhood and ageism. The pursuit of ‘young talent’ can inadvertently disadvantage women who often take on primary childcare responsibilities. The stereotypes associated with parenthood – ‘baby brain’, for example – reinforce a false perception that parents become culturally irrelevant or less creative. This is simply not true. As leaders, we have a responsibility to challenge these narratives and reframe our understanding of parenthood and age within the creative landscape.
What’s the best or worst leadership advice you’ve received?
The best leadership advice I ever received came many years ago from a client and friend named Lorne, who recommended Ricardo Semler’s book ‘Maverick’. This book, with its wonderfully dated 90s cover, had a profound impact on me. It champions the idea of devolving autonomy and power to teams at all levels, allowing them to make decisions that directly affect their work. It’s a powerful manifesto for decentralisation and fostering initiative, and the lessons I took from it about culture and empowerment still inform my approach today, both within UnitedUs and in my client work.
Another piece of wisdom I’ve gained over time, rather than a specific piece of advice, is that successful leadership isn’t about clinging to people indefinitely. It’s about being the right influence for a specific chapter of their lives, one that propels them forward. Sometimes, that means people stay and grow with the business, which is fantastic. But equally, it’s a success when someone leaves because they are ready for their next adventure. For me, the goal is to lead a business where those who remain do so because they are continuously learning and developing, and those who depart do so because they are prepared for their next step.”
How can we encourage more women to step into leadership roles in creative industries?
I believe there are several concrete steps creative organisations can take to foster a more inclusive environment where women feel empowered to pursue leadership:
Firstly, we need to fundamentally rethink how we support women through the entire journey of fertility, conception, pregnancy, and their return to work. This means actively listening to people with lived experience, supporting initiatives like the Miscarriage Association’s Pregnancy Loss Pledge, implementing clear breastfeeding policies, and, crucially, normalising a culture where individuals feel comfortable discussing their life experiences and requesting reasonable adjustments. As someone who has navigated pumping in less-than-ideal workplace settings, I know firsthand how many companies still aren’t equipped for these realities.
Secondly, we must be far more conscious of the stories we tell, not just about women, but about parenthood and age. We need to actively challenge ingrained assumptions and make deliberate choices about the narratives we promote within our culture. Stereotypes like ‘baby brain’ have tangible negative consequences and need to be actively dismantled.
Finally, women who are already in leadership positions have a critical role to play. We need to lead by example, even though it often requires significant energy and vulnerability. Sharing our journeys, reaching out to and supporting other women, and building a network of diverse experiences are essential for creating a ladder for others to climb. It can be lonely, so seeking out connections with other female and mother leaders you admire can provide invaluable support and confidence to shape your own leadership journey.
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