'The biggest thing I've learnt from him is humility': CEO Natalie Egleton on Ian Sinclair

Ex-National Party leader Ian Sinclair, 89, is the inaugural chair of a foundation that grants money to rural and regional communities. He's guided CEO Natalie Egleton, 43, on both boardroom dynamics and family balance. 

"I’ve grown and learnt immensely from Ian, even down to my parenting."Credit: Simon Schluter

NATALIE: I'd only had a distant engagement with Ian at board meetings and lunches before I stepped into my role as CEO at the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal in 2015. I did wonder how we'd transition to a chair-CEO relationship, which requires a high degree of trust and understanding.

From day one, he gave me a lot of confidence. He has this lovely way of checking in. He would ring me every week and ask questions that prompted me to think without ever directing me or getting mixed up in operations. He set that tone quickly. The relationship is in a cone. We'll talk about things I can't talk about with anyone else – staffing, partnerships – and he gently allows me to find my own way while guiding me, doing it in such a subtle way that you almost don't know it's happening.

I was mindful of the significant age difference between us. It's generational. He's not one to espouse his wisdom or big-note himself but sometimes he's a step ahead. Still, he would never say, "I've seen this before." He allows me to come to a conclusion he might have foreseen.

The biggest thing I've learnt from him is humility. He's a stately figure but he is seriously humble. He could name-drop, he could use his influence, but he doesn't. He is very respectful of every single person he engages with. He calls himself a bushie and that's it. I think when I stepped into my CEO role, I got inflated at times, got on my high horse. He's taught me to keep the ego in check. He has a deep sense of service.

I've grown and learnt immensely from Ian, even down to my parenting. Because I'm away a lot, I'm not dealing with the stuff you get caught up with running the house. I am more attuned to the learning needs of my daughters [aged seven and nine], their development. I'm not sure how comfortable Ian is with the fact that work takes me away from my family. He was widowed with young kids. He knows what it's like to juggle. He is empathetic, often asking if the travel schedule is okay.

The Foundation is going through a big growth period – we have received a $15 million grant from the federal government for drought relief – and that requires a new skill set from me. I need to pick up a few more of Ian's skills in dispersing leadership. He brings a steadiness. I know Ian won't be there forever – he is in his late 80s – but we need him now.

IAN: Natalie came to the Foundation as a program manager in 2012. When she applied for the role of CEO, we could see that she understood the organisation; her concepts of the future were most impressive. She'd been living in the bush and understands country people. Her vision as CEO is being turned into reality. That's what's characterised Natalie.

I was a federal minister for 20 years, National Party leader, and so on. I've had a bit of experience in chairing meetings. It does all help. As I see the role of chairman, it's not to do the job of the person responsible, but to make sure they do it. I try to get the best out of people, to challenge them to think about a topic in a different way. I don't tell them what to do; I prefer to ask a question so they see the issue. Natalie is very good. She comes up with the right answer. If it's not the right answer, then I'll probably ask more questions.

We have weekly catch-ups on the phone. We cover what's been happening in the office, what's been happening with the programs, in the service delivery. We'll discuss whether or not something should be taken to the next board meeting. We'll discuss the staff structure necessary to deliver things; what money has come in; what donors we'd like to attract; which ones we've failed to attract, and why.

In the beginning, we would talk about specific issues. Now we are looking at the overall concept. Natalie has grown with the Foundation. She is tremendous in managing the office, the money and its delivery, the way the board interacts and the way the staff is structured. She has a capacity to think wide.

Natalie set up our Tackling Tough Times Together program, designed to provide medium- to longer-term help. It might be a kid who has psychological damage because their whole town has gone up in flames, someone in a drought missing out on an education because they stayed on the farm to help dad, a women's pampering day to help with isolation. With Natalie's help, we've been able to show longer-term help is as important as water and roads.

She has a very personable manner, she's good with a microphone, good on paper and likeable. She can be quite determined but does it with a smile. We haven't had many disagreements but occasionally we don't agree on the way she's directing things. She argues for her case, as one would expect, but she listens too. I've never seen her lose her temper.

When we first considered Natalie's suitability for the role, we did worry about her having young children, and how she would maintain family responsibilities. I very much admire the way she's managed both roles – she's done extraordinarily well. Sometimes she brings her family to award nights or functions, and it's wonderful to see how proud they are of her. It impresses me enormously.

My plan is to retire. It's time for me to move on. But I'll be in the background, willing and ready to help Natalie. I'm very proud of her. She's outgoing, self-contained, a good mum and a caring person. She's also a wonderful CEO.

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