Just One Learning Bite

Book: ‘A Different Kind of Leadership’

“My whole short life I had grappled with the idea that I was never quite good enough. That at any moment I would be caught short, and that meant no matter what I was doing, I had no business doing it. That’s why I believed mine was a personality better suited to work behind the scenes. I was the worker who quietly and steadily got things done. I wasn’t tough enough to become an actual politician. My elbows weren’t sharp enough; my skin was too thin. I was idealistic and sensitive.
But it turned out my fear of failing, of letting people down, was overshadowed by a grinding sense of
responsibility. And so, as unlikely as it had once seemed, I became the deputy leader of my party, then
leader, and now, possibly, the next prime minister.”

Feel like reading that again? I know I did.
This is the (opening) quote (page 3) in Jacinda Ardern’s Book, ‘A Different Kind of Leadership’ – our first Learning Bite for 2026.

For those of you who might be thinking ‘this name is familiar, but not sure who she is’ – she is the former Prime Minister of New Zealand.
Who led a nation through a terrorist attack, a volcanic eruption, and a global pandemic.

And who opened her memoir by saying she thought she wasn’t tough enough.
That she was too sensitive.
That her skin was too thin.
Sound familiar?

It’s no accident I decided to open our Learning Bite series with this book. I believe Kind Leadership IS the only REAL Leadership model that works long term.
One that, believe it or not, we have seen in action, we have seen the results of, we have witnessed working.
One that helps us grow.
One that’s a different kind of power.
One that’s not louder, harder, armored.
One that’s – SURPRISE! – human!
I believe that’s the leadership this world needs. KIND.

An inspirational read, especially for those of you who want to Lead Different – whether at home, or at work or both!

My top 5 takeaways, in quotes:

1. Don’t toughen up.
Someone once told her:
“Promise me you won’t try to toughen up, Jacinda. You feel things because you have empathy, and because you care. The moment you change that is the moment you’ll stop being good at your job.”
Yes, emotions ARE the #1 indicator that 12 care: about the topic, person, relationship, issue, results, etc…

2. Your imposter syndrome is fuel.
“If you have impostor syndrome, or question yourself, channel that. It will help you. You will read more, seek out advice, and humble yourself to situations that require humility to be conquered.”
This blew my mind, because I realized it’s true! I call my Inner Critic ‘Buzzkill’ – at its worst, it kills my buzz and shuts me down; at its best, it becomes my Supporter BuzzBuild, and helps me prepare, learn, be excited about not knowing and experimenting.

3. Kindness is not soft. It’s power.
“Some people thought kindness was sentimental, soft. A bit naive, even. I knew this. But I also knew they were wrong. Kindness has a power and strength that almost nothing else on this planet has.”
I have so many stories that come to mind where the power of kindness stopped me in my tracks and filled me with admiration, joy, gratitude, happiness or all of them at once.
What’s a story that comes to mind for you?

4. External criticism can silence internal doubt.
“Hearing others insult me had begun to act as antidote to my impostor syndrome… I could feel how wrong their words were, in a way I’d never been able to when the doubts came from within me.”
I love this one so much because I still have a hard time with criticism – especially when it’s just criticism, not feedback (so when it doesn’t help me change what I’m doing wrong, it just tells me I AM wrong). This quote stayed with me, because it teaches me I can be kind AND resolute at the same time.

5. Doing your best is enough.
“But the happiness I felt now came from knowing simply that I had done my best. Whatever the challenge, whatever came at me, I had done my best. And that was enough.”
YES!

One last quote – which I’m leaving you with:
“All of the traits that you believe are your flaws will come to be your strengths. The things you thought would cripple you will in fact make you stronger, make you better. They will give you a different kind of power.”

Lead Different. With a Different Kind (of) Power.

What’s a learning bite you’d want to share?