Acting and leadership seem like entirely separate domains at first glance. Still, upon closer examination, it becomes evident that the skills and qualities of a talented actor can significantly overlap with those of an effective leader.

In this episode of Frontline to Boardroom, I talk with Claire Baldwin, a former member of the Royal Australian Navy whose career highlights include deployment in the Middle East, roles in Navy Culture, and key staff positions before she pursued an acting career. 

Throughout the conversation, Claire emphasises that the skills she developed as an actor have served her well in leadership roles. The ability to communicate effectively, inspire and motivate others, and adapt to change has been instrumental in her success.

This episode of Frontline to Boardroom serves as an inspiring testament to the transformative power of diverse experiences and the valuable lessons they bring to leadership. Let's dive in!

WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE:

• What made Claire join the Navy (02:13)
• Leadership influences in Claire’s life (07:22)
• The importance of connections in leadership (11:08)
• The most important lessons Claire learned in the Navy (12:10)
• Being a leader - what’s the toughest thing about it? (14:48)
• The role of self-awareness in leadership (19:37)
• Why did Claire leave the Navy to pursue acting (24:22)
• Vulnerability in acting vs. Vulnerability in the military (32:58)
• How to communicate without saying a word (38:15)
• The importance of being deliberate as leaders (41:11)
• Claire’s ultimate advice to those who want to take leadership roles (42:49)
• Resources Claire has used to her advantage as a leader (44:41)
• Transitioning from the Navy to the corporate world (46:53)
• Rapid-fire questions with Claire Baldwin (57:15)

Quotes

“Names, titles and ranks don't equate to experience, to subject matter expertise, to having the best idea at the time, to be in the person with the right answer.” -Claire Baldwin

“People can see through, they can see through fake and they can smell fear. So when you walk in with an armor on and not feeling very confident, and you try and hide it, people generally see it.” -Claire Baldwin

“The answer is not in your email inbox, and it's not on your to do list. It's in the conversations you have with people and the connections that you make with people.” -Claire Baldwin

“One of the things that I've learned from acting is that presence is understanding the messages we communicate and how we can communicate, whether that be through body language, or even micro expression. And how we can use that as leaders to our advantage in the moment with other human beings.” -Claire Baldwin


“In the busy world that leaders live in right now, we so often rush from one thing to the next. We're not actually thinking about how we're turning up.” -Martin Brooker

“There are real opportunities just to sometimes to slow down, stop, and take notice of how you're turning up.” -Martin Brooker

“It's challenging to look in the mirror when you realised that your own self-leadership is not attractive to you or to other people.” -Martin Brooker


RESOURCES

• Essentialism by Jeff McKeown
  
  

WHERE TO FIND CLAIRE BALDWIN

• Connect with Claire on LinkedIn.

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