A world leader's simple trick to win trust

Picture this: Your team just missed a critical deadline, stakeholders are demanding answers, and your inbox is overflowing.

Now imagine facing a national crisis where lives are at stake.

While our daily challenges might not match the scale of running a country, Jacinda Ardern's leadership approach offers invaluable lessons for every leadership moment — whether you're running your first team meeting or addressing the board.
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The crisis response that changed everything

In the wake of the Christchurch shootings in New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern did what no one expected. Instead of making speeches about security and revenge, she showed up wearing a hijab, sat with grieving families, and spoke three words that resonated globally: "They are us."

But here’s what made her different: She didn't stop at empathy.

Within 72 hours, she:

• Announced new gun laws
• Met personally with survivors
• Laid out a concrete reform plan
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Breaking the "woman leader" double bind

We've all heard it before:

• Act tough? "She's too aggressive"
• Show emotion? "She's too soft"

Ardern's response? She refused to choose. She made it clear that women leaders don’t need to fit old labels. They can be both strong and kind.

In your daily leadership:

• When a team member consistently misses deadlines: "I care about your growth, and that's why we need to have a direct conversation about performance. Let's understand what's happening and create a plan together."
• When announcing difficult changes: "I know this reorganisation creates uncertainty. I feel that too. Here's what we know, what we don't know yet, and what you can expect from me..."
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Your leadership toolkit: The Ardern Way

1. Crystal-clear communication

During COVID, she transformed complex policies into simple directives:

• No: "Level 4 restrictions are now in effect..."
• Yes: "Stay home. Break the chain. Save lives."
• She made it clear what people needed to do right now.
  
  

In your team:

• Instead of: "We need to optimise our cross-functional collaboration mechanisms..."
• Try: "Starting Monday, Product and Sales will have weekly check-ins. This helps us deliver better features faster."
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2. Real talk, real control

Remember her COVID updates from her couch in a sweatshirt? Or calling lockdown breakers "idiots" instead of "non-compliant individuals"? She stayed real, relatable and human, while staying in command.

You as a leader:

• During team retrospectives: "Last quarter was tough — I'm not going to sugarcoat it. Here's what I think we can learn, and I want to hear your perspectives too."
• In executive presentations: "The numbers aren't where we want them. Instead of complex explanations, let me share exactly what we're doing to turn this around."

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3. The power of explanation

Ardern always shared her reasoning:

In your role:

• When changing team processes: "Our current code review bottleneck means features take an extra week to ship. By adding two more reviewers, we can cut that time in half."
• When adjusting company strategy: "Our customer feedback shows we're losing ground in mobile. That's why we're reallocating 30% of our resources to mobile development."

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The results speak volumes

Under Ardern's leadership:

• 87% public trust during COVID—highest globally
• Fastest gun reform in modern history
• Economic stability despite strict measures
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The bottom line

Whether you're leading a team of five or an organisation of thousands, true leadership isn't about choosing between being strong or being understanding — it's about being both.

When you lead with heart and head, people don't just follow orders — they follow you.