Heart-led leadership is not soft. It’s strong. Photo / 123rf
Heart-led leadership is not soft. It’s strong. Photo / 123rf
Opinion by Tania McInnes
Tania McInnes is a respected Northland leader and facilitator, with extensive experience across government and community, championing authentic, inclusive, purpose-driven leadership
We are living in unprecedented times, and we can feel it.
On the upside, it is disrupting an outdated way of doing things, as we simply won’t be able to continue as we have.
This presents very real opportunities to move to a more aligned way of living,while highlighting the need for clear responsibility and transformative decision-making, which could well ripple across generations.
From the rapid rise of artificial intelligence to the uncertainty of global markets, from social division to immediate environmental pressures, the way we lead is being tested like never before.
Traditional approaches to leadership – built on control, competition, and short-term gain – are showing their cracks in ways we can no longer ignore. Something deeper is being called for.
That ‘something’ is heart-led leadership, which rather than being ‘new’ is an ancient way.
Heart-led leadership isn’t about being nice for the sake of it, or diluting accountability. It’s about leading with courage, clarity, and compassion.
It’s about seeing people, not as a resource, but as human beings with energy, creativity, and untapped potential. When leaders create spaces where people feel safe, valued, and genuinely connected, innovation flourishes. Trust builds. Communities thrive.
Because the stakes have never been higher. Research shows that employees across the world are disengaged, many questioning whether their work even matters.
Here in Aotearoa New Zealand, we feel it too, with the push for productivity often coming at the expense of people’s wellbeing. On top of this is the impact of AI, rapidly reshaping how we work, connect, and play.
But this isn’t just about business.
The call for heart-led leadership extends to our regional and national leaders as well. Our elected representatives, public institutions, and community leaders shape the systems that touch all our lives.
Their decisions ripple out across generations. Now, more than ever, we need leadership that is authentic, inclusive, and guided by values that serve people and place, not just politics and/or profit.
This is something I’ve lived firsthand.
My time in civic leadership taught me the weight of responsibility that comes when making decisions on behalf of communities.
While policies and plans are all very well and good, unless they are grounded in empathy, connection, and a genuine commitment to people’s wellbeing, they rarely deliver the impact our communities need and deserve.
Tania McInnes.
Heart-led leadership is not soft. It’s strong. It takes immense courage to listen deeply, to make decisions with empathy, and to balance profit with people and place.
It requires presence, the ability to stand grounded in uncertainty, and to lead with both strength and compassion. This is not weakness. It is wisdom.
I’ve seen what happens when leadership comes from fear – disconnection, mistrust, mediocre decision-making and missed opportunities.
And I’ve seen what happens when leadership comes from the heart, whether in a community (such as Focus Paihia), a council chamber, or a boardroom.
The good news? Heart-led leadership is not out of reach. It’s already here, quietly redesigning businesses, communities, and civic spaces where our collective future is being shaped.
Leadership is energy. It is presence. It’s how we show up, for ourselves, for others, and for the world we’re creating together. It isn’t a luxury for calmer times. It is the way forward, here and now.
My hope is we redefine workplaces, communities, and the institutions and systems that shape them, in ways that empower people and honour place.
