Bossing It: For Emma Astaire Leaders Aren't Born; They're Made

Having begun her career at the BBC, Emma Astaire worked in television production for over 15 years before joining Chrome Productions in 2019 as head of operations. In 2023, Emma was promoted to chief operating officer.

Prior to working at Chrome, Emma produced programmes for almost every major UK network, including the multi-award-winning Great British Bake Off, The Weakest Link, Holby City, Total Wipeout, and The Only Way is Essex. She joined Chrome from ITV, where she held a senior management position. In her current role, Emma is responsible for overseeing global operations and executing the company-wide strategic plan.

LBB> What was your first experience of leadership?

Emma> My first leadership experience was in my mid-twenties whilst at the BBC where I was responsible for running a casting team of eight people. We were tasked with casting 60 people for a TV show.

Something that surprised me about this initial experience (but perhaps shouldn’t have) was that everyone looked to me for an answer, so I had to learn how to manage people’s expectations, drive my team forward, and keep everyone motivated. As a leader, everyone will look to you to problem solve and having always had someone to refer up to it was a sharp learning curve! 

LBB> How did you figure out what kind of leader you wanted to be – or what kind of leader you didn’t want to be?

Emma> I took a lot of inspiration from the managers I’d had. I was constantly thinking back to things they did and didn’t do well, and this certainly helped shape the leader I became. There is a huge part of becoming a leader that’s trial and error. 

Initially, I thought in order to be successful, I had to be quite strict and micromanage, because I was under pressure to prove that I could be a good leader. I learned very quickly that that style doesn’t necessarily get the best out of people! It is a role that is constantly evolving, and I am a very different leader now to the one I was. 

LBB> What experience or moment gave you your biggest lesson in leadership?

Emma> I don’t think there was one defining moment, it’s more a number of factors that taught me about leadership. The first lesson I’ve learnt as a manager was about delegation, which you don’t necessarily learn as you’re moving up. I think it’s important to give people enough responsibility and space so that they feel ownership of their work. 

I also think it’s very important to create an open environment so that people feel comfortable talking to you. Sometimes, I think people can feel embarrassed about what they don’t know. As cliched as it sounds, I truly feel no question is stupid. We all have gaps in our knowledge. It’s crucial to show your team that there’s room for failure, which can be really hard. The expectation these days, especially in this industry, is very high, and the margin for error can be small. But that’s how you learn – from your mistakes!

I also think it’s important to care for your team personally and professionally, and to understand that if your colleagues aren’t happy or satisfied in one aspect, that other areas of their lives may be impacted. 

Finally, I think demonstrating that you have a strong work ethic. I think this builds respect and keeps people motivated. 

LBB> Did you know you always wanted to take on a leadership role? If so, how did you work towards it and if not, when did you start realising that you had it in you?

Emma> Yes, I always wanted to take on a leadership role, and I think I strived at the beginning of my career to learn as much as I could by surrounding myself with people I admired and respected. At the beginning, I had some experiences with people who weren’t good leaders, and it was miserable but also a good barometer for what kind of leader I did not want to be.

I think the leaders who had the greatest impact on me are those that made me feel good about myself. So, I’ve carried that with me, and I always try to think, ‘How can I make my team feel good about themselves?’ Even if it’s a learning moment or a tricky situation, I think it’s really important to keep the team’s confidence up. Sometimes leaders can get so focused on achieving success that – if there’s any kind of hurdle or snag – they can make others around them feel that they’ve failed. 

LBB> When it comes to 'leadership' as a skill, how much do you think is a natural part of personality, how much can be taught and learned?

Emma> I think leaders aren’t born; they’re made. Experience makes a good leader; I don’t think it’s something that you fall into, it’s something you learn and are constantly honing and adjusting. 

One of the things I think is important is self-reflection and awareness. I think it’s easy to reflect on what your team could have done better, for example when conducting appraisals, but actually reflecting on what you could have done better makes you a more effective leader. Asking for feedback is really important to help you grow and learning how to be self-aware. 

LBB> What are the aspects of leadership that you find most personally challenging? And how do you work through them?

Emma> I think negotiating conflict is a challenge that doesn’t gets any easier. It’s always tricky. In any job in any industry, you’ll come up against people who are tricky to deal with, and sometimes conflict does happen. So, learning how to manage that can be a challenge. 

LBB> Have you ever felt like you've failed whilst in charge? How did you address the issue and what did you learn from it?

Emma> I think at the beginning once I’d told people my expectations, if anyone dropped below that I found it unacceptable. In hindsight, I don’t think that’s an effective way to manage. So, I think listening and problem-solving collaboratively with people, rather than showing disappointment if someone didn’t meet my expectations is a much more effective way of keeping people motivated.

LBB> In terms of leadership and openness, what’s your approach there? Do you think it’s important to be transparent as possible in the service of being authentic? Or is there a value in being careful and considered?

Emma> I think you always need to be careful and considered. One of the hard things about being a leader is that sometimes you’re privy to information that other people are not, and therefore you must strike that balance of what is appropriate for people to know and when, and you have to think how that will make people feel. 

There’s also a balance to showing vulnerability, that you’re human, and don’t know everything, but at the same time ensuring your team feel that you have their back and that you know the direction you’re going. I think it’s important to be open with your team and create that atmosphere, but as a leader, you also need to show your team that you can captain the ship.

Again, I come back to self-awareness and just being aware of your own strengths and weaknesses. Sometimes I think people look to leaders thinking they should be able to do everything, and that is just not the case. But that’s why you’ve hired your team – because they may be better at certain things than you are!

LBB> As you developed your leadership skills did you have a mentor, if so, who were/are they and what have you learned? And on the flip side, do you mentor any aspiring leaders and how do you approach that relationship?

Emma> I’ve had a couple of amazing mentors, one in particular that I worked with a lot before coming to Chrome who has always been on hand – even now – for a phone call if I need. I think this person really struck the balance between friendship, management, and partnership. There was a huge level of respect there, so I very much mirrored my leadership style on theirs. I respected them both personally and professionally; and admired the way they managed their team and the way they conducted themselves.

The operations team at Chrome is very small, meaning I have been able to focus a lot of my mentoring on one of my direct reports. She came into the role of operations manager from a completely different industry and role, so she had a big learning curve. It’s been very rewarding guiding her and seeing her grow into this role.

LBB> In continually changing market circumstances, how do you cope with the responsibility of leading a team through difficult waters?

Emma> I think having integrity in everything you do, making sure you’re always fair, ensuring that you’ve considered everything from as many angles as possible, and making thoughtful and good decisions. I think for people who aren’t leaders, it can sometimes be hard to see the bigger picture and understand all the factors that go into decision-making, so ensuring that your team knows you have deliberated on a decision and considered it from all angles is important.

LBB> As a leader, what are some of the ways in which you’ve prioritised diversity and inclusion within your workforce?

Emma> I’ve always felt that the more different voices and variety of strengths you have on a team, the better. When I’m hiring, I want to make sure I’m interviewing as many different kinds of people as possible to ensure the team has a good mix. At Chrome, we are lucky to have such a diverse mix of personalities that all work really well together.

LBB> How important is your company culture to the success of your business? And how have you managed to keep it alive with increases in remote and hybrid working patterns?

Emma> I think Chrome’s values – kindness, heart, agility, and edge – are a huge part of our success and come into every area of the business. Kindness and heart are things I take into consideration day to day as a leader, and I think being agile as a leader is really important, especially at a place like Chrome where every day is different. 

As far as remote working is concerned, just making sure you have check-ins with your team and making sure they feel supported. It’s also key that everyone is aligned, so even if people aren’t physically in the office, you’re all still on the same page.

LBB> What are the most useful resources you’ve found to help you along your leadership journey?

Emma> There is nothing like learning on the job! The more teams you manage, the more you learn. I’ve managed teams ranging from 50 people to one person. Management training is very helpful, more so because it gives you a moment to pause and reflect. I think the more self-aware you can be, the better leader you become. 

I’ve also found that it is important to encourage your team’s growth, while recognising that everyone’s journey will be different. Focus on your team’s growth, but also ensure you are continuing your own journey of growth. Also, stay inspired! If you yourself are inspired and engaged, you will inspire others.

LBB> Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Emma> Treat people well on the way up because you never know when you’re going to meet them on the way down. In the next job you take, someone who was your junior may be your manager, so treat everyone the way you want to be treated. You never know when you’ll cross paths with someone again.

Lead by example and take responsibility when you get something wrong. I think it’s important to show people that mistakes can be made, and you can recover from them. 

Support your team. If your team feels that you have their back, they will work 10 times harder because they know you’re in their corner.