Natalie Dickens on Finding Your Authentic Leadership Style

From an unexpected start with a fashion degree, Natalie Dickens found her future in music supervision and publishing, spending the last 25 years crafting the perfect soundtrack for advertising campaigns. She's enjoyed it all – from the golden age of jingles to today's world of bespoke scores and commercial syncs.

In 2003, she teamed up with Steve Spiro to launch Felt, later expanding with a game-changing advertising catalogue in 2010. Her love for iconic British advertising led to acquiring the Johnny Johnson catalogue – home to those earworms we all know and love, from 'Beans Means Heinz' to 'Captain Birdseye.'

Felt's innovative spirit shines through Music For Headphones, its immersive label creating 360 audio experiences that now soundtrack journeys on British Airways and IAG airlines. Along the way, Felt has picked up some nice accolades – including a Campaign Gold, Cannes Lions (Palm D'or, Glass), and LBB's Immortal  Award.

Beyond running Felt, Natalie has contributed to the wider industry through her roles on the PRS Production Music Advisory Group and International Production Music Group board. 

Felt is now pushing boundaries with 'Hear There Everywhere' – a new venture into immersive event spaces, launching in 2025.

LBB> What was your first experience of leadership?

Natalie> My first experience of leadership came organically through Felt Music's growth. Without prior experience, it was a baptism of fire – juggling roles as the main income generator, music supervisor, FD, HR manager, MD, and head of pencils! The pace was relentless, with no time to even contemplate the madness of the challenge.

I made mistakes, but what defined this period was the resilience to learn and keep moving forward. This hands-on experience taught me that effective leadership emerges from a genuine commitment to growth and willingness to learn alongside the team.

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?

Natalie> My leadership philosophy has been shaped through years of careful observation. By witnessing both effective and ineffective leadership styles at Felt over the years, I've honed an approach that I believe brings out the best in our team.

Through this first-hand experience, I've come to believe in fostering a collaborative and dynamic environment where creativity can flourish.

My leadership style centres on empowering team members to take initiative while providing a supportive framework for growth. Rather than taking a dictatorial approach, I strive to lead by example and create an atmosphere where every voice matters – from industry veterans to emerging talent.

I'm committed to building a culture that balances structure with creative freedom, allowing our team to think outside the box while maintaining professional standards. What I don't want to be is a rigid, top-down leader who stifles innovation or creates hierarchical barriers.

Instead, I aim to nurture an inclusive environment where cross-generational perspectives are valued and team members feel confident contributing their unique insights.

The music industry is constantly evolving, and I believe our leadership style should reflect that dynamism. By encouraging open dialogue and celebrating diverse viewpoints, we can maintain the youthful energy that keeps our company innovative while benefiting from the wisdom of experienced professionals.

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

Natalie> My biggest leadership lesson came when we hired a senior manager during rapid growth. Despite having technical skills, they weren't the right cultural fit – a rushed decision that had significant impact. We lost valuable team members and our workplace atmosphere suffered.

This experience taught me that while technical skills matter, cultural alignment is crucial. Though recovery took time, it led to more thoughtful hiring decisions and ultimately resulted in our strongest team yet. The shift from those difficult times to our current creative, unified environment reinforced that maintaining cultural integrity is essential for long-term success.

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?

Natalie> I believe leadership is a blend of innate qualities and learned skills. While certain personality traits might give someone a natural starting point, the core skills of leadership – communication, strategic thinking, empathy, decision-making – can absolutely be developed and refined through experience and conscious learning.

The key is authenticity. I've found that when individuals discover their own leadership style, one that aligns with their natural strengths rather than trying to fit a predetermined mould, they often exceed expectations.

This has reinforced my belief that everyone has leadership potential – it's about finding your own voice and approach rather than conforming to traditional leadership stereotypes.

What's particularly interesting is how introverted, contemplative individuals often make exceptional leaders once they find their authentic leadership style. Their thoughtful approach and depth of consideration can bring a different kind of strength to leadership – one that's focused on careful decision-making and nuanced understanding of team dynamics.

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

Natalie> Having built the company from the ground up, delegation remains one of my biggest challenges – letting go of control isn't easy, but I recognise that empowering others strengthens the company. Maintaining work-life balance while managing leadership demands is also challenging; I'm still learning to set boundaries and trust my team more.

Having difficult conversations never gets completely comfortable, but I approach them with transparency and empathy, focusing on constructive solutions. Perhaps the biggest challenge is staying strategic while managing daily operations – it's about finding the right balance between being hands-on and maintaining the broader perspective needed for leadership.

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?

Natalie> Most of my moments of perceived failure as a leader have centred around team dynamics and communication. I often reflect on staff-related situations, questioning if I communicated effectively, ensured everyone felt heard, or missed important signals.

I've learned to view these challenges as growth opportunities rather than failures. Each situation has helped refine our communication processes and made me more attuned to team dynamics. Effective leadership isn't about getting everything right initially – it's about acknowledging when things aren't working and adapting.

The key lesson has been that maintaining open communication channels and regular check-ins prevents issues from escalating. Creating an environment where people feel comfortable sharing concerns early is essential.

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?

Natalie> While I haven't had traditional mentors, I've built valuable relationships with senior management professionals across the industry, sharing experiences and discussing common challenges.

I naturally find myself mentoring Felt alumni as they establish their own ventures, and interestingly, these relationships often evolve into mutual mentorship situations where we learn from each other's experiences.

It's shown me that valuable guidance often comes from honest conversations with peers facing similar challenges, just from different perspectives.

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

Natalie> Leading through challenging market conditions is about striking the right balance between emotional support and practical action. My approach centres on pulling the team together and fostering a collective mindset – we face challenges as a unit, not as individuals.

I believe the key lies in creating an environment where emotional support and encouragement go hand in hand with focused problem-solving. When faced with difficult circumstances, I work to rally the team's collective intelligence and creativity. Rather than shouldering the burden alone, I find that encouraging everyone to contribute to finding solutions not only leads to better outcomes but also strengthens team cohesion and resilience.

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

Natalie> Rather than viewing diversity and inclusion as initiatives that need to be prioritised at specific moments, we see them as constant considerations that inform our everyday decisions and shape our company culture.

It's about maintaining an organic balance that enriches our creative output and strengthens our collective voice in the industry.

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?

Natalie> Company culture is utterly crucial to our success. With hybrid working, we've found that having everyone in the office three days a week at the same time is essential. We're deliberate about scheduling and sticking to meetings and socials, ensuring we stay as connected as possible.

This structured approach to togetherness helps maintain our collaborative spirit while adapting to modern work patterns.

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

Natalie> I’ve enjoyed attending The Do Lectures. Also being a member of Vistage, an executive coaching group, has been a valuable resource in my leadership journey. It's helped me refine both how I think about our business and how I present ideas around growth and development.

The experience has particularly enhanced my ability to think strategically about our team's future and development paths. Importantly, having other senior business owners to share experiences with and troubleshoot issues has been invaluable.