In this episode of The Courage to Lead Interview Series, I sat down with Belinda Sinclair, National Sales Director at Domain Australia, to explore how gratefulness, team growth, and high-performance culture intersect in leadership. Belinda’s story is a masterclass in modern leadership—one that’s values-based, results-driven, and deeply human.
A Quiet Achiever in a Fierce Market
Belinda Sinclair leads a national sales and agent partnership team at Domain, Australia’s leading real estate platform. With a team of over 100 across Australia and New Zealand, she thrives in one of the country’s most competitive industries, going head-to-head with the market heavyweight, realestate.com.au. But what sets Belinda apart isn’t just her market strategy—it’s her approach to people.
“I focus on helping my team achieve what they need to, rather than making myself look good.”
From her earliest leadership influences—her parents instilling coaching, mentorship, and goal-setting—Belinda Sinclair has carried a servant-leadership mindset into corporate life. Her leadership philosophy centres on purpose, opportunity, and empowering others.
The Power of Grateful Leadership – Belinda Sinclair
One of the most touching parts of our conversation was Belinda Sinclair’s story of being promoted into a leadership role two weeks before maternity leave. It was an act of trust from her leader, and it set a lifelong benchmark for how she would lead.
“That decision wasn’t easy for him to make—but it was values-based. It taught me how powerful principled leadership can be.”
Gratefulness—often seen as a soft trait—is one of Belinda Sinclair’s superpowers. She models it personally and expects it professionally. In her words, “If I’m creating an environment where people can thrive, I expect they feel grateful for it too.”
Growth Through Setbacks
In a standout moment of the episode, Belinda Sinclair shared how she didn’t get the national role when she first applied. Instead of reacting emotionally, she booked feedback sessions with the entire interview panel—something most people never do.
“I asked: what can I do better next time? And then I acted on it.”
That feedback included a perception gap around her strategic thinking—despite strong on-paper results. Her solution? She spent a year learning directly from Domain’s Head of Strategy and returned to secure the national role.
Building a Diverse, Dynamic Team – Belinda Sinclair
Belinda Sinclair isn’t afraid to admit when hiring decisions don’t go to plan. One external hire didn’t work out—but instead of retreating into “safe” recruitment, she doubled down on building diverse teams. Her emphasis is not just on visible diversity, but diversity of thought and style.
“I caught myself liking a candidate because they reminded me of me. That was a red flag.”
She now actively hires people who challenge her assumptions—people who ask hard questions, bring new perspectives, and elevate the team’s strategic thinking.
Accountability + Humanity = High Performance
While Belinda Sinclair is deeply people-focused, she doesn’t shy away from performance conversations. In fact, she sees high expectations and support as two sides of the same coin.
“Just having a supportive, high-morale team isn’t enough. You also need ambition, accountability, and consequences when standards aren’t met.”
Whether it’s weekly metrics, pipeline reviews, or tough underperformance conversations, she balances high challenge with high care—creating an environment where teams want to deliver, not because they have to, but because they’re invested.
Belinda Sinclair – Final Leadership Advice
When asked to leave us with her top three leadership principles, Belinda offered:
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Be an inspiring leader, not just a results leader.
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Lead with selflessness and service, not ego.
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Embrace a growth mindset—continually seek feedback, reflect, and level up.
And finally, Belinda Sinclair leaves us with a timely warning:
“I worry that in leadership today, we talk the theory but don’t act on it. Your team sees what you do more than what you say.”
Listen now to Belinda Sinclair on The Courage to Lead Interview Series.
Discover how courageous, values-based leadership can reshape teams, careers, and businesses.