Latest / PCMA Convene Podcast / Convene Interview: Running Into the Unknown: Natalie Dau’s Blueprint for High‑Performance Leadership
Transcript
- Convene Podcast Transcript Convene Interview, ep. 20 *Note: the transcript is AI generated, excuse typos and inaccuracies Magdalina Atanassova: This is the Convene Podcast. Today we're exploring what it really takes to push beyond your limits, stay grounded in moments of uncertainty, and turn a personal mission into a movement that brings people together. My guest is convening APEX keynote speaker Natalie Dow, a Guinness World Record holder, endurance athlete, and creator of Project 1000. Nathalie has completed two separate 1000 kilometer runs across Southeast Asia, running the equivalent of two marathons a day while raising funds for underserved youth. And she has won every ultra marathon she has ever entered. In this conversation, we talk about the mindset that carries her through the hardest moments while embracing risk, fused high performance, and how leading with vulnerability can transform teams, communities, and the experiences we create. We start now. Hi, Natalie, and welcome to the Convene Podcast. Natalie Dau: Thank you very much for having me. Magdalina Atanassova: Running two marathons in a day for 12 days requires extraordinary resilience. What mental frameworks or internal scripts do you use when your body and mind both want to quit? Natalie Dau: Yeah, I think for me, in those extreme moments of pressure, when my body's screaming stop. And my mind's saying give up, that it's really truly what I learned that I'm made of. So it's about facing that challenge, hitting a wall, but you're still finding a way to push through, even when you feel like you can't. And for me, my whole mindset before I even started was that giving up wasn't an option. I had taken that off of the table. I would make it to that finish line even if I had to walk 247 to get there. And I think, you know, I just kept telling myself in those times to try and put it into perspective. You know, I'm not saving lives, and I'm not going to the Olympics. I'm out here doing this crazy thing, but it was me that had chosen to be there, and no one was making me do this, so. So that's sort of what I was repeating to myself the whole time. Magdalina Atanassova: Wow. And on top of all that, you've won all 13 ultramarathons you've entered. So. So what separates elite performers from highly disciplined, hardworking individuals? You think? Natalie Dau: Yeah, I think self mastery is key. So there's hard work, but then there's, you know, self mastery is something that's on top of that and just the ability to push on no matter what. And I also think a key to that and any. Any sort of high performer is consistency. It's doing those boring things that people don't notice that aren't glamorous, that that don't get you the immediate accolades and that are really the hard work things. And I think although hard work is important, you also have to put yourself out there and be willing to put it all on the line and be willing to fail. So I think that's the key difference. Magdalina Atanassova: And speaking of self mastery, you've described risk as a catalyst for high performance rather than something to avoid, which really kind of stuck out for me. So what's one risk you took that changed everything? And how do you evaluate whether a risk is worth taking? Natalie Dau: Yeah, so I think if I use Project 1000, I think that was, you know, the most recent, biggest risk of my life that I took at, you know, 52 years of age. And I had no idea of what I was doing or where it would lead. All that I knew is that I wanted to prove something, and that was the driver at the time. To me, the downside seemed insignificant to that, and the upside was, you know, in the end, mindblowing. You know, never in my wildest dreams did I think, you know, I would become a world record holder, you know, have a documentary, win awards and be shown, you know, around the world or get the keys to a city. And most importantly, never did I think that would have such a positive impact on people around the world. So I think taking a risk is definitely, definitely worth it if the intention is there. Magdalina Atanassova: And you mentioned also not being afraid of failure, right? Natalie Dau: Absolutely. I mean, if you go in being afraid before you start, then I think your chances of failing are definitely much higher. Sometimes ignorance is bliss. Magdalina Atanassova: I love that. So for people listening who feel overwhelmed by change and, you know, it can be personal or professionally, what's one small practical decision they can make today to begin building creative resilience? Natalie Dau: Yeah. You know, I have a theory that everything we do, and even if it comes down to my training with my runs, that one third of my runs are average, one third are fantastic, and one third not so good. So I think that's in life, you know, we can break things down almost to, I'm having a great day. Tomorrow is not so good. The one after. Let's see. So with that, I take away, and I tell anyone to take away that pressure to perform perfectly day after day and replace it really simply with, I did what I could do today, and that is enough. So today, if Your best is 20% and that's all you could do, then that is good enough. Tomorrow, maybe it's 90%, then that's good enough. So I think just taking that perfectionism away helps People actually get started and achieve more rather than using that as an excuse. They're waiting for everything to be perfect before they start or before they go and do that thing. But really just get started and take one step after the other and your best is good enough for today. Magdalina Atanassova: And that touches on the consistency you mentioned, right? Doing the boring things that are not glamorous, but when you do them day after day, then they stack up and. Natalie Dau: Make a difference 100%. You know, if you think I've got a goal and you think about it in a year, but actually if you do all those things over a five or ten year period, it's life changing. So it can be one tiny little thing you do for 15 minutes a day that actually has a massive impact on your life in three or five years time. So don't discount the little things ever. Magdalina Atanassova: For me, events and endurance sports both involve navigating unpredictability. Right. There's weather, logistics or human behavior. What did you learn about adapting to uncertainty that event leaders can apply when things don't go as planned? Natalie Dau: Yeah, I think both. You know, when I'm doing a massive project and then with event leaders, it's really the same because I'm actually, you know, executing an event almost with some of the things I do. So it's really understanding that you can only control the controllables and you have to let go of everything else. You know, I always say when I'm doing these things, you expect the unexpected and having a growth mindset of adapting and not even thinking about the things that might go wrong that most of the time don't. But you know, just putting that one foot in front of the other, being present now and dealing with what you can have impact on now and, and not thinking too, too far ahead. We all love to plan, which obviously is. But really the only things that you can control are in the here and now. Magdalina Atanassova: Especially when you're in the middle of the event right when it's happening, then it's really this second is what matters now. And then you think about the rest. Natalie Dau: Exactly. Right? Yeah. It's being present 100% of the time. Magdalina Atanassova: And you talk about finding the signal in the noise and I love that. So in the events, industry leaders are bombarded with demands and decisions. So what practices help you tune out noise and stay locked on the most important signal? Natalie Dau: Yeah, so for me it's almost automating as many small decisions as possible. So for me, if I look at, if I'm running one of these big events, you know, like these thousand kilometer journeys, it's like what I wear, what I eat, the secrets of my morning, all of, all of those small decisions are taken out and it's just what I do every day. So therefore I save that mental bandwidth for the high stakes signals. So you know, focusing on the outcome that I want, not the problems. And you know, for anyone, the noise is always going to be loud, but the signal is the choice that you get to make every single day. So you choose what the signal is and you own that choice and you don't make excuses around it. But I think it is really, you know, focusing that mental bandwidth on those big signals that you choose and is. Magdalina Atanassova: There in the planning process. Do you use AI? Because you know, AI, we speak about AI now all the time. So have you found a way to implement AI to take away some of those small decisions, you know, to automate your processes somewhat? Natalie Dau: Yeah, for me because mine is quite physical. I generally, mine is just habitual now over years. So if I, you know, I, you know, wake up 3:34 o' clock in the morning to go for my run, I will put my clothes and shoes out and my sunglasses and know what podcast I'm listening to the night before. So I just have to roll out of bed and execute the next day and my mind is clear. So you know, that's advice I always give everyone is just get rid of that low hanging fruit. You know, it should not be taking up any mind share and just move forward. But when it comes to planning, you know, we try and AI where we can, you know, even if it's calculating what we need or you know, routes or whatever. So, so definitely in the bigger tasks, but for the smaller tasks I just find, you know, that's where you build meaningful habits. Magdalina Atanassova: And Project 1000 that you mentioned wasn't just a physical fit, it really became a movement with deep emotional resonance. What can event professionals learn from your journey about creating experiences that truly move people? Natalie Dau: Yeah, I say lead with vulnerability, not with victory. So engagement, you know, for anyone, especially an event is always about highlights real. The highlights real, you know, but resonance is really found in the struggle. And so I think for me, by sharing the realities of my 1000 kilometer journeys, the pain, the exhaustion, the moments of doubt, the community just didn't watch a feat. They actually felt the weight of it and felt part of it. So you know, for event organizers, I would say, you know, it's okay to stop aiming for that flawless execution at the expense of authenticity. Share failures, share the in progress journeys and Incorporate, like even behind the scenes storytelling, because then, you know, then you're, you're opening people's experiences and you advocate. Magdalina Atanassova: Exactly in that kind of spirit for, you know, people to build a platform first, not a pedestal, and shift the focus from the individual to the collective. So how can event organizers use this idea to foster more community collaboration and shared ownership in their experiences? Natalie Dau: Yeah, I mean, a pedestal puts one person above the rest, but a platform lifts everyone up. So for me, if I use the analogy of my runs, I encourage others to join first segments of the run, making them co creators of the journey rather than just Spectators. And Project 1000 allowed people to donate to Cheer Online to run a few kilometers. So everyone found their own personal entry point into it. You know, it then resonated because all of a sudden it wasn't this solo endurance test, it was a vehicle for social impact. And people are moved when they see participation as a contribution to a larger narrative or a solution to a problem. So I think, you know, event organizers can do the same, create tiered levels of engagement so people can opt in and feel part of something at their, their own comfort level, but they get to control what that looks like and from a social impact point of view, you know, integrate that, you know, with meaning. And as a sort of North Star goal, rather than, oh, it's a side note or a charity booth, it needs to be part of the DNA of what you're doing and then that's when it's genuine and only then is when people will truly buy in. Magdalina Atanassova: Yeah, I can definitely see this in events when you open a bit of room for the attendees to build their own journey and how much more engaged they become. Natalie Dau: Yes, exactly. Magdalina Atanassova: And same on your long distance runs, you really relied heavily, like you said, both on team support, but also on community energy. So what has this taught you about the power of behind the scenes teams and how does this translate to event professional whose work is often invisible but quite essential? Natalie Dau: Yeah, so let me just say I would not have made it to any of the finish lines without my team or community. You know, they managed everything so I could focus solely on running. And for anyone, high performance is a result of low friction. Right. So the smoother the invisible work, the more the, the leader can excel or be successful. So I literally had to trust my team with my life, you know, zero micromanagement. And I think empowering a team to perform and have ownership over their specific domain is where, where it's really powerful. So I would say to organizers, make it a priority to Highlight the unseen wins and people create feedback loops where the behind the scenes team can actually see the direct impact of their work in real time and then they feel much more part of it. And trust your team, trust your team with the result you need and let them use their expertise to build the path to get there. Don't tell them what the path is. So I think, you know, so making them much more an integral part of the success is key. Magdalina Atanassova: I love that. And exactly how, how to be also vulnerable and let let loose, like lean on them and trust that they will take care of what needs to be taken care of. It's quite powerful. So tell me what's next for you? I know one of the things that's next for you is APAC's event PCMA APAC will have you as a keynote. But what else is there? Natalie Dau: Yes, I'm excited and that will come after my next run. So I'm going back on International Women's Day to start my run. I'm going back to try and break my world record which is fastest time on foot, Malaysia Peninsula. So at the moment My record is eight days 46 minutes. I'm trying to get it down to seven days. So that will mean running about 105, 110 kilometers a day. So yeah, we'll see. But yeah, the pressure is real for, you know, obviously running for a cause again to create some change in different communities, have my team with me and have a lot more people joining and, and hopefully, you know, it will translate into doing some good in the world. Magdalina Atanassova: How are you engaging your community now? Are they prepping with you? What's, what's the vibe? Natalie Dau: Yeah, so everything is pretty much social led and there's some, and we're doing some in person events in Singapore, but I'm starting now, you know, to share what my preparation looks like. I'm very open and honest. I think after the first one, as we said, you know, I'm, I'm an open book. Everyone's seen me cry on camera many times so there's nothing left to hide. And I think it's, it's, you know, talking about your fears and getting people to buy in and you know, understanding why you're doing this too. So getting people to share my vision of and you know, they've seen in the past the children that we've impacted and so reminding them that this actually is not just about me, but it's about creating social impact and having greater good in the community and they too can be part of that. Magdalina Atanassova: What's your biggest fear? Natalie Dau: Not finishing. Yeah, not finishing. So as much as I said I take failure off the table, I'm scared of an injury or I'm scared of something that I can't control. But, you know, here I am saying control the controllables, but it does sit in the back of my mind, so I just don't, you know, I choose not to think about it more than anything and just put my head down and get on with it. Magdalina Atanassova: And I'm sure you're just focused on the prep that you need to do and that's it. Everything else is tuned out. Natalie Dau: Yes, exactly. Magdalina Atanassova: That's quite vulnerable of you saying that you have a fear of what's coming and it's just four weeks away, and vulnerability is a central part of your storytelling and leadership. So for event leaders, how can vulnerability strengthen their impact, presence or connection with attendees or staff? Natalie Dau: Yeah, I think so. During Project 1000, I found vulnerability was actually my greatest tool for connection. It definitely was not a weakness. You know, when I'm 600km into a run and covered in sweat, you can't hide your struggle. You know, being open about that pain, you know, actually didn't make me look weak. It made me more relatable to others and more inspiring, they said. So I think when a leader admits this is a massive challenge, I'm feeling the pressure too. It gives their team permission to be human as well, and it shifts that atmosphere from fear of failure to collective problem solving. And that's what we found in our team. People don't want to be lectured by this person on a pedestal that seems to have it all together. They want to be inspired by someone who's navigated some stuff that they can relate to. And vulnerability is that bridge that turns that spectator into a follower and into a team member. And I think for event leaders, admitting that you don't have all the answers empowers your team to really step up, and it strengthens your connection with them, you know, and. And also valid. Validates their essential role in the. The project as well. So I think with all of those things, you know, we're always told to toughen it up and brave face on, but I think sometimes open and honest conversations of what's needed and. And amazing results and the most amazing bonds. Magdalina Atanassova: I agree 100%. Every time when you see a leader who's saying, help me, it feels so much more human. Right. You're so much more connected. Well, was there anything we didn't mention? We definitely should before we wrap up, you think? Natalie Dau: No. I think, you know, if people want to follow along before, before I get to meet everyone in person, they can do it my social media, which is just Natalie Dow and they'll get a sneak peek into some of the topics that we'll be covering in my keynote during the conference. So I'm excited to meet everyone in person. Magdalina Atanassova: That's lovely. And I'll definitely include links to your website and an account so people can quickly find all the information they need and how to follow you. Oh, Natalie, that was lovely. Thank you so much for all the energy and inspiration and good luck keeping my fingers crossed that you finish exactly as you envision it. Natalie Dau: Thank you very much. And thanks very much for having me. It's been a pleasure. Magdalina Atanassova: My pleasure too. Thank you. Remember to subscribe to the Convene Podcast on your favorite listening platform to stay updated with our latest episodes. For further industry insights from the Convene team, head over to PCMA.org/convene. My name is Maggie. Stay inspired. Keep inspiring. And until next time.