Bossing It: Leadership and Empathy with Julie Dormand
With over twenty-five years’ experience in marketing, CRM/customer experience, advertising, and business management Julie has a reputation for leading awards-winning creative agencies including The Works and the first CX Agency, MercerBell. As agency lead, Julie has helped blue-chip brands such as Qantas and Visa to unlock their customer potential. With a people-first leadership approach, Julie has a passion for creating human connections that unlock potential of people, teams and businesses. A key industry contributor her leadership has been acknowledged with the coveted AC&E Jon Clark Outstanding Contribution Award and Mumbrella Industry Leader of the Year 2019.
Jules is managing director at The Works, is chair of the Advisory Board for Ellipsis Loyalty and a mentor for Mentor Walks Australia. With a passion for networking Jules is the founder of The Friday Lunch Club, a Senior Leader networking group for the Sydney North Shore and Northern Beaches LGA’s.
Jules brings a mix of business mind and empathetic nature. She believes in daring leadership, the value of human connections and making business fun.
LBB> What was your first experience of leadership?
Julie> Thinking back, I might have shown my first signs of leadership at just four years old when I wrote a letter to my older brother's teacher, insisting he be excused from drinking milk at morning break because it "made him sick."
Or maybe it was when I organised a gymkhana to raise funds for Cancer Research, driven by the emotions I felt when my beautiful Auntie Liz was battling cancer.
Potentially, it was when I joined a group of girls who started attending an all-boys school at 14, showing every day what it meant to be female and breaking down stereotypes for the male students there.
In all of these scenarios, I was leading in some way.
If we go by the Forbes definition of leadership as “a process of social influence, which maximises the efforts of others, towards the achievement of a goal,” then we are all learning and practicing leadership from a young age, influenced by parents, teachers, and friends, and then leading others in my responses and decisions.
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?
Julie> I didn't think of myself as a leader until much later in life. My focus was more on what kind of team member, employee, and human I wanted to be.
Later on, I was lucky to come across Brené Brown's work, particularly "Dare to Lead." Completing the Dare to Lead Certification was a game-changer for me. It highlighted how every word and action can profoundly impact others. That’s when I started realising the importance of leadership and the significant role I played in my job. I made a pact with myself to be a brave leader, to face tough conversations head-on, to be clear and honest because it’s kinder in the long run. Daring Leadership became one of my core values.
Through my career I have observed others—their treatment of people and how they led teams. The question "what kind of leader did I want to be?" is tricky. Initially, I found it easier to see what I was not, comparing myself to other leaders and their traits that I couldn’t mirror. They are funny, smart, political …. I felt I could not match this.
An important conversation with a mentor changed my perspective. They reminded me to think about what strengths I had that others might lack. I realised that my empathy, care and ability to make things happen were just as valuable. Understanding who we are and what we bring to the table is crucial in developing our personal leadership style.
LBB> What experience or moment gave you your biggest lesson in leadership?
Julie> Being an agency CEO during COVID was an intense learning experience. The pandemic forced people to revert to basic needs for psychological safety and health, at the bottom of Maslow's hierarchy of needs.
I learned that pushing people to achieve lofty goals isn't feasible until they feel safe and secure. Everyone reacts differently during such times, with varied concerns. Empathetic leadership was essential. We faced fear, conflicting opinions, and the need to adapt to digital and remote work.
This period made me a better leader—more aware of people's needs, more thoughtful about their feelings, and more open to differing opinions. I learned to listen deeply, which became crucial for finding answers and deciding on actions.
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?
Julie> At the start of my career, I focused on doing my job well. I didn’t aim for the top or to change the world. My vision was short-term, all about doing a good job and meeting immediate goals.
If not for amazing sponsors, mentors, and leaders, I wouldn’t have realised my potential. The most powerful thing we can do when leading people is to help them see their capabilities and push them beyond their self-limiting beliefs.
I started to believe in my potential when others put me in challenging situations, having the confidence in me being able to handle them. Their belief in me pushed me to step out of my comfort zone, try new things, and realise I could do more than I thought possible. I realised that I could be a leader through others seeing it in me first.
Now, I strive to help others see their potential and reach it because many people are more capable than they realise, and I love watching them succeed.
LBB> When it comes to 'leadership' as a skill, how much do you think is a natural part of personality, and how much can be taught and learned?
Julie> In the context of leading people and teams, there’s a misconception that empathetic leadership is innate. However, if the skills come less naturally, you have to first believe in the importance of learning the human side of leading people and be willing to take on feedback, self-reflection and do the work. I’ve seen coaching work to help people successfully build out people leadership skills.
To become a good leader, we need to examine ourselves honestly, embrace vulnerability, and commit to making necessary changes. Awareness of our weaknesses and willingness to have open conversations are key. It’s not easy, as it requires setting aside ego and long-held beliefs, but it’s the hardest and most rewarding work we can do.
LBB> What are the aspects of leadership that you find most personally challenging? And how do you work through them?
Julie> Leadership is about balancing vision-sharing with hands-on help. It’s an art to know when to be collaborative and when to be directive. Too much collaboration can stall decisions, while always being directive can alienate the team.
I believe in honesty but sometimes you can’t share everything, as it might be harmful or the wrong time. Handling these moments is challenging.
It’s always worth having a couple of people in your team who are willing to give you the honest feedback and to get counsel from in these circumstances.
And when we are sharing information, always asking ‘why am I sharing this information? What does it mean to the team? How might it be heard?
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?
Julie> I’ve failed many times. Someone said to me that Olympian athletes need only one win to be considered great, despite many failures.
Failed to win the pitch. Failed to motivate the team. Failed to notice a struggling staff member. Failed to deliver feedback. It’s endless. But we need to reframe these failures—they’re part of our lifelong learning journey. I’ve learned to reflect daily on what went well, what didn’t, and what I can do differently next time.
I also ensure to celebrate my wins, giving them as much airtime in my mind as my shortcomings.
LBB> In terms of leadership and openness, what’s your approach? Do you think it’s important to be as transparent as possible in the service of being authentic, or is there value in being careful and considered?
Julie> Considered transparency, every time.
Speaking our mind without thinking often comes from our biased, System One, intuitive thinking. Is it really the truth? By engaging our System Two deeper thinking, we can see multiple perspectives and sometimes this can change our point of view on the situation.
After consideration, I always aim to be as transparent and open as I can.
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?
Julie> Mentors are like books on a shelf—some you read once; others impact your life deeply.
My first mentor was through a formal program. She was the chair of NRMA Motoring and Services when I first became a managing director. As a female leader ahead of her time, she made me feel anything was possible and that the decision I was making were right. She taught me not to compartmentalise my work and home selves—they are interconnected.
Now, I have informal mentors—an ex-boss, a career coach, peers, and network connections. It’s casual, often just asking for a coffee and a chat.
I mentor others in various ways: set programs with my team at The Works, one-off mentorships through The Marketing Academy, and Mentor Walks. It’s up to the mentee to own the conversation and be clear about their needs. In turn I commit to offering honest, supportive guidance to help them achieve their goals.
In continually changing market circumstances, how do you cope with the responsibility of leading a team through difficult waters?
My values are connection, daring leadership, and fun. During tough times, I check in with these values.
Am I being brave and transparent in my leadership?
I struggle with asking for help or admitting when I’m struggling. Resilience comes easier than vulnerability. Because of this, I prioritise spending time with close friends and family for support.
Fun is my version of meditation. Amidst challenges, I make sure to enjoy live music and let my hair down. It helps me stay strong and fulfilled and reminds me that life is for living.
LBB> As a leader, what are some of the ways you’ve prioritised diversity and inclusion within your workforce?
Julie> Early on at The Works, I helped establish 'The Significant Futures Collective,' a group of aspiring leaders who provide insights and help evolve the agency. This cross-agency group has positively influenced new D&I programs, focusing on hiring from less privileged backgrounds.
We’ve shifted from set public holidays to allowing people to take days off for holidays they connect with.
I actively speak on panels about neurodiversity, parenting, and gender equality. We signed up for the Mums in Ads initiative, making every job part-time negotiable and enabling flexible working practices.
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?
Julie> Our culture at The Works is everything. It makes us unique, retains top talent, and earned us a 93% NPS in the WRK+ Best Places to Work survey.
Culture goes beyond foosball tables and social events. It’s in our behaviour and how we treat each other. We score highly in being welcoming, caring, and having a leadership team who are open to giving an honest answer to any question.
To maintain this culture, we ensure the team comes together in the office twice a week, and as smaller teams on a third day. This togetherness builds the deeper connections that are required to build trust.
We continually adapt our culture based on team needs. We added an in-house coach, offer stress coaching, and hold weekly team lunches. An anonymous 'ask a partner' Q&A ensures every staff question is answered honestly.
Ultimately, our culture is about our team’s input and their commitment to making it special.
LBB> What are the most useful resources you’ve found to help you along your leadership journey?
Julie> The most valuable resource is undoubtedly a strong network. You build this with every interaction, so it’s crucial to invest time in it consistently, not just when you need something (people can sniff out opportunism a mile away!). Give as much as you take, and you’ll find your network rewarding you tenfold.
As an avid reader, I’d highly recommend:
Brené Brown - Dare to Lead: Her insights on vulnerability and courage are game-changing.
Liz Wiseman – Multipliers: This book teaches how to amplify the intelligence and capabilities of those around you.
James Clear – Atomic Habits: It’s all about the power of small, consistent changes to achieve remarkable results.
These resources, along with a supportive network, have been instrumental in shaping my leadership journey.
