Bossing It: Indigo Le Fèvre Stays Self-Aware and Never Gets Complacent

Indigo Le Fèvre joined The Romans in 2018 and hasn't looked back since. Alongside co-managing UK operations, she is responsible for overseeing some of the agency's biggest clients and has led on several of The Romans' most award-winning campaigns.

A former PR Week 30 under 30 (though she’s far ‘too old’ to still cling onto that title), Indigo's career has seen her specialise in fully integrated, multi-channel comms campaigns. Adept at working with numerous agencies and stakeholders across all disciplines, she works closely with her teams and clients to seamlessly deliver impactful work that surpasses KPIs.

With a broad client portfolio spanning the consumer lifestyle sector, her extensive experience includes universally loved brands such as LEGO, B&Q, National Trust, Duolingo, Airbnb and Snapchat.

LBB> What was your first experience of leadership?

Indigo> It’s 1997 and the Spice Girls had just released their woefully underrated track, ‘Stop’. The choreography is elite, dominating playgrounds and school discos across the UK. Each gaggle of girls is anxiously waiting for someone to take the lead; to step forward and declare with confidence that they’ve memorised the sacred moves and now, graciously, are willing to impart that knowledge to the rest of the group… I was that girl. 

Fortunately for my colleagues, my leadership looks a little different these days. 

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?

Indigo> At the start of my career, I vividly remember my brother saying to me: ‘you’ll learn more from the managers you don’t like, than the managers you do’. Now whilst I’ve had loads of influential and inspiring managers over the course of my career, that statement has undoubtedly shaped my management style and the principles I pride myself on.

Looking back, those moments when I felt uninspired, unappreciated, and unmotivated showed me exactly what not to do when wanting the best from my team. Honing that habit of self reflection has been so important.

In terms of having it ‘figured out’, do any of us truly have it figured out? I’m comfortable in the knowledge my leadership style will, and should, continue to evolve. I want to keep it fresh, stay self-aware, and never get complacent. The day I stop evolving is the day I become really bored… and probably a bit boring.

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

Indigo> For me, there hasn’t been one, singular defining moment; more a collection of vignettes. As I’ve grown into the role, I’ve realised that leadership isn’t about having a perfect formula; it’s about adapting, listening and being open to change. There’s always something new to learn from your team, from the challenges you face, and even more so from mistakes you make along the way. 

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?

Indigo> I spent the first six months of my career sleeping on the floor of my brother’s lounge to save money, before moving into a tiny studio apartment with a shared kitchen (an elderly neighbour would leave out food, which I thought was sweet until I discovered he attended BNP rallies… not my vibe.)

All I cared about in those early years was financial stability, so I grafted all day, every day with that in mind. I wasn’t thinking about being a leader; I just wanted to deserve that next promotion. 

And then, like any good self-fulfilling prophecy, the more I achieved those goals, the more I believed I could push further and climb higher. It didn’t take me long to realise my favourite thing about work was managing a team of my own - leading, supporting, collaborating, nurturing. I’ve said this for years, but my greatest achievements are those of my team’s. If they thrive, I thrive. 

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?

Indigo> There’s gotta be a Venn diagram for this somewhere… for the most part, I’d say it’s an innate, personality-driven trait. But I do believe there’s a lot to be said for learning or nurturing that skillset. That’s why I love our hybrid working model at The Romans: being together allows everyone, of every level, to learn by osmosis, drawing on the people around them.

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

Indigo> Delegating is definitely something I've had to work at. Call me a control freak, call me a perfectionist (I’d prefer the latter) but it’s taken time for me to accept it’s simply not possible to do it all. But by nurturing and investing time in the people around me, I’ve found that’s built my confidence in letting go and trusting the team to continually develop work I’m always proud of. 

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?

Indigo> Oh, absolutely. I’m a big believer in failing fast, as that’s where the room for growth really begins. Leadership isn’t about being perfect; it’s about owning those mistakes, learning from them and taking action to do better next time. I try to encourage getting comfortable with vulnerability and creating a culture where mistakes aren’t feared, but used as a way to grow. And let’s face it, once you’ve made a mistake once, you won’t be making that same mistake again. 

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

Indigo> I don’t think there’s a universal approach here - it’s a fine balance between the two, and both approaches can still serve authenticity.

I champion transparency a lot at The Romans, but do always ask myself: what’s the value here? If I share this information, am I genuinely helping or enhancing a situation for this individual / team / the agency, or am I just offloading information that isn’t constructive or beneficial. The latter, to me, is poor leadership. So whilst I don’t advocate for withholding information unduly, I do always think about that end goal first. It's a good filter.

LBB> As you developed your leadership skills did you have a mentor, if so who were/are they and what have you learned? 

Indigo> When I was promoted to associate director, I allowed imposter syndrome to do its thing and spiralled. Cue being introduced to coach Maria Walker. Working with Maria was brilliant, but there’s one question that struck me more than any other. It was in response to me saying I felt like I was doing a terrible job and getting everything wrong. She simply said: ‘Has anyone actually told you you’re doing a bad job?’. Embarrassingly simple, but the introspection it prompted was game-changing. 

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

Indigo> Prioritising our people first and foremost is always the number one goal. And that doesn’t mean having all the answers, but balancing the hard stuff with empathy and making sure our team is reassured we’ve got their backs.

I’m always aware of the impact our leadership team has on the overall agency vibe, too. The agency’s barometer, if you will. Joe Mackay-Sinclair, founder of The Romans, once kindly described me as ‘talismanic’. Not only was that very generous of him, but it’s something that’s stuck with me; I feel very conscious of the privilege and responsibility that comes with that.

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

Indigo> Prioritising diversity and inclusion isn’t just about having diversity in the room or virtue signalling. It’s about creating a culture where everyone feels like they belong, their voice matters, and that they can show up as their authentic selves. It’s an ongoing journey, and there will always be more to learn and room to improve, but we foster an environment where we don’t shy away from those conversations. 

We’re proud to have worked with diversity facilitator, Bilal Khan, in addition to our ongoing partnership with People Like Us, an incredible organisation committed to elevating ethnically diverse professionals. We also have rigorous recruitment practices in place, ensuring we identify the strongest candidate for the job, irrespective of their demographics or lived experiences.

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?

Indigo> It’s essential. Our team works immensely hard, so we in turn go above and beyond to make sure they feel seen, heard, valued and appreciated, whilst having lots of fun along the way. 

Creating a solid company culture is one thing, maintaining it is another. The rise of hybrid working also coincided with our agency headcount trebling, so we’ve worked really intentionally to protect and nurture our culture with both those factors in mind. In fact, our staff retention is something I’m really proud of. You can’t expect to attract and retain the best talent in the industry without being prepared to cultivate an environment they thrive in. That will always be one of our top priorities. 

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

Indigo> I’d love to tell you I've read a bunch of books, listened to podcasts, streamed TedX Talks and can quote Simon Sinek by heart, but that would be disingenuous. (What can I say, I’m a fiction girl through and through).

There’s no shortage of leadership advice out there but, for me, the most valuable resources of all are the people around me and a healthy dose of self reflection. No book or mentor can fully prepare you for everything leadership throws your way. The best resource is just getting stuck in and figuring it out as you go.