Seasoned strategist and grants/tenders specialist Robyn Baker traces her journey from starting at Brisbane City Council in 1980 to becoming a sought-after advisor who helps SMEs secure funding and scale with confidence. She reflects on breaking through as a woman in a male-dominated environment, fueled by mentors who pushed her into stretch roles and modeled strong leadership. Robyn shares practical stories of resolving team conflict, supporting distressed staff, and transforming tense relationships into deep trust, highlighting the importance of psychosocial safety and genuine care at work. For her, real influence is built on authenticity, word-of-mouth trust, and the responsibility that comes when people act on your recommendations, with leadership success measured by whether you leave the workplace better than you found it.