PINKY LILANI CBE DL
FOUNDER, KINDNESS & LEADERSHIP:
50 LEADING LIGHTS
Welcome to this celebration of kindness in leadership. When we launched the Kindness and Leadership: 50 Leading Lights campaign seven years ago, it felt like we were swimming against the current. Many struggled to see how the often-perceived ‘soft’ concept of kindness could align with strong, impactful leadership – and that’s exactly why we embarked on this journey.
Spotlighting leaders who embody kindness at their core has, I believe, had a significant impact on reshaping the leadership narrative. The remarkable contributions of our listees, both past and present, have demonstrated how kindness drives real results.
In this booklet, we highlight practical tips, techniques, and insights gathered over the years to inspire action. We’ve also interviewed JanEmmanuel De Neve, Radha Abrol, Duncan Hewett, Josh Krichefski, and Alexandra McKenzie – leaders whose research and experiences make it clear that kindness fuels wellbeing, resilience, and innovation. Their advice also offers tangible steps we can all take to embed kindness into our leadership practices.
A heartfelt thank you to our sponsors and everyone who has made this campaign possible. We hope the insights in this booklet encourage you to embrace kindness as a powerful force in your own leadership journey.
IMPORTANCE OF KINDNESS IN LEADERSHIP
As we mark the seventh year of our 50 Leading Lights, Kindness in Leadership campaign, it’s clear that kindness is far more than a feel-good gesture – it’s a strategic advantage. Successful leaders and leading academics consistently tell us that kindness enhances wellbeing and, in turn, fuels innovation and drives productivity. In today’s fast-paced business landscape, where targets and competition often take centre stage, kindness creates space for collaboration, new ideas, and deeper connections that lead to real impact.
Kindness fosters an environment of trust and psychological safety, enabling teams to perform at their best. It empowers individuals to contribute fully, knowing their input is valued. Leaders who prioritise kindness not only see stronger relationships but also greater creativity and resilience. In the end, it’s this human element that turns workplaces into thriving ecosystems where people and businesses can grow together.
It is an honour to announce the 2024 Leading Lights UK and Asia Pacific. These leaders harness kindness as a different dimension in their leadership – the most powerful dimension. They are an inspiration to us all.
What’s the Campaign?
Our Kindness & Leadership, 50 Leading Lights campaign seeks to shine a great big spotlight on leaders who are impacting others through kindness. We see this campaign as a unique chance to build a new status quo, sharing advice and expertise from leaders and recognising the contribution of kind leaders to business, the economy, and society.
What’s the Vision?
With this relentless backdrop of uncertainty, kindness in leadership has never been more important. This campaign and the network of leaders it enables, have the collective power to keep challenging the definition of leadership and championing positive change.
What’s the Goal?
To radically challenge the global leadership conversation by placing a spotlight on leaders around the world who are using the power of kindness to make a massive impact in business and to empower change. Our campaign places kindness firmly at the centre of any leadership debate and encourages us all, no matter our role or background, to #LeadWithKindness
Lisa Ardley-Price, Managing Legal Counsel, Commercial & Institutional Banking, NatWest Group
Professor Robin Banerjee, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Global and Civic Engagement, University of Sussex
Rebecca Bentley, Counsellor, Therapist, Foster Mum
Karma Bertelsen, Marketing Strategy Director, EMEA, FUGA
Kemi Bolarin, Head of Treasury – Europe, GXO Logistics Inc
Keith Breslauer, Managing Partner and Founder, Patron Capital Advisers
Heather Buchanan, Co-Founder & CEO, B4NZ
Zhenzhen Chen, Senior Marketing Manager, Huawei
Liz Cox, Partner, KPMG
Alanah Donnell, Director of Communications, Royal Air Force
Marco Donzelli, Global CEO, HLB International
Professor Sue Dopson, Deputy Dean for People and EDI, Saïd Business School
Liam Florey, Director of Operations, W1 Construction
Simon Fordham, CEO & Founder, The Institute of Business Support Professionals
Stephanie Fraser, Thoracic Surgeon, Guy’s and St
Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust
Katy Granville-Chapman, Deputy Head, Wellington College
UK LISTEES 2024
Ameesha Green, Founder & CEO, The Book Shelf
Joanne Hindmarsh, Head of Digital Advisory, Capita
Karen Howes, Founder & CEO, Taylor Howes Designs
Keryn Jalli, Community Safety Manager, Cambridge City Council & Non-Executive Director, Jigsaw Homes Group
Shirine Khoury-Haq, CEO, Co-operative Group
Ruth Kirby KC, Barrister, 4pb
Josh Krichefski, CEO EMEA & UK, GroupM
Dame Susan Langley, Chair, Gallagher UK
Alina-Florentina Lixandru (Lighean), Associate Director – Estimating Discipline, Complex Infrastructure, Project & Programme Services, AtkinsRealis
Patrick MacPherson, Senior FF&E Designer, AD Associates
Natasha Makhijani, CEO, Oliver Sanderson Group
Sameer Mawji, Chairman, Aga Khan Youth & Sports Board, Ismaili Council for the United Kingdom
Tabitha Morton, Executive Director, UN Women UK
Madeleine Murphy, Managing Director, CMT UKIA, Accenture
Becca Naylor, Head of Pro Bono, Reed Smith
Oliver Niemiec, Senior Distribution Analyst, BBC & Iona Lovell, Commercial & Business Development Executive, BBC Studios
Liz Northeast, Senior Vice President, EMEA, FUGA
Lynne Peabody, CEO, EY Foundation
Nicola Pickup, EVP Supply & Operational Excellence, Infineum
Prini Pithouse, Company Secretary, Associate General Counsel, Visa Europe
Jas Schembri-Stothart, Co-Founder, luna
Jo Shiner, Chief Constable, Sussex Police
Dr Helen Thomason, Director of Medical Partnerships, Solventum
Lynda Thwaite, Head of Brand and Communications, Carpenters Group
James Timpson, Former CEO, Timpson Limited
Amish Unalkat, Former Senior Manager Value Creation, KPMG
Nicki Wakefield, Global Clients and Industries Leaders, PwC
Alexandra Wallace, Founder, The Mintridge Foundation
Dame Neslyn Watson-Druée DBE, Managing Director, Beacon Organisational Development
Mark Whitehead, Managing Director, Accenture
Pete Wickes, General Manager, Worldpay
Caroline Williams, Director, Oxford Saïd Online, Saïd Business School, University of Oxford
Lucy Yurek, Group Head of Communications, Rio Tinto
Dr Zaheer Abbas, Arms of Hope (Pakistan)
Fatin Md Asrul Saniy Afiqah, Counselor, Author, Parabelle Studios (Brunei)
Hugh Andrews, Executive Vice Chairman, PETRA Group (Malaysia)
Belinda Bennet, Chief International Programs Officer, Children Believe, Canada (India)
Som Borey, Accounting Teacher and Accountant, Academy of Careers and Technology (Cambodia)
Joshua Caeiro, Senior Corporate Counsel, Commercial, Rio Tinto (Australia)
Kamonrat Chayamarit, Founder of Malibarn Ecoflorist, and Sustainable Floristry Network (SFN) member, Malibarn (Thailand)
Kathleen Wai Lin Chew, Group Legal Counsel/ Programme Director, YTL Corporation Berhad/YTL Foundation (Malaysia)
Sherine Chng, Director of Corporate Communications & Business Development, Asia, Asia Infrastructure Solutions (Singapore)
Yina Chua, Associate Director, NUS Cities (Singapore)
Jenica Dizon-Mountford, Country Director, Waves For Water Philippines (Philippines)
Esrat Karim Eve, Founder and Director, AMAL Foundation (Bangladesh)
Farhan Firdaus, Partner, Meet Ventures (Singapore)
Felicia Foong, Regional Treasurer, Nestle Treasury Center Asia Pacific (Singapore)
Alan Wei Hua Foung, Managing Director, Hornbill Agriculture SDN BHD (Malaysia)
Arlene Gan, Managing Director, Standard Chartered (Singapore)
APAC LISTEES 2024
Yasmina Hasni, Founder, AKAR Family (AKAR EDUCONNECT) (Indonesia)
Nai Yi Htoon, Training, Development and Recruitment Director, Lingo Ace Co. (Myanmar)
Nor Azniza Ishak, Associate Director, Asia Infrastructure Solutions SDN BHD (Malaysia)
Craig Katerberg, Chief Legal & Corporate Affairs Officer, Bud APAC (China)
Kevin Koh, Head, SMU-X, Singapore Management University (Singapore)
Sineenuch Kokanutaporn, Managing Director, Thai Eastern Group Holding (Thailand)
Thin Thin Kyaw, CEO, SP Bakery Company, Myanmar (Myanmar)
Poht Poht Kyi, Founder and Vice Chancellor, Myanmar Imperial University (Myanmar)
Hue La, Managing Director, Van Dat Co. (Vietnam)
Solinn Lim, Activist, Artist, Founder, Saddha (Cambodia)
Dr Lai Meng Looi, Professor, Datuk, University of Malaya (Malaysia)
Jennifer Lopez, CEO, British Malaysian Chamber of Commerce (Malaysia)
Rozella Marie Mahjhrin, Founder and DEI Trainer, True Complexion (Malaysia)
Rovina Manuel, People Manager, OIAI by Otermans Institute (Philippines)
Elizabeth McGowan, Trust Services, Legal and Transaction Manager, Trident Trust Hong Kong (Hong Kong)
Suzanne Mooney MBE, Founder and President, The Lost Food Project (Malaysia)
Kishan Nanayakkara, Managing Director, Resus Energy (Sri Lanka)
Swee Beng Neoh, Executive Director, AMP (Singapore)
Gita Prihanto, COO, Flip (Indonesia)
Niharika Ranawat, Head of Governance and Finance, HSBC India (India)
Dr Gunenthira Rao A/L Subbarao, Ministry of Health Malaysia (Malaysia)
Viviantie Sarjuni, CEO, Sabah Creative Economy and Innovation Centre (SCENIC) (Malaysia)
Seang Sereirathana, Elementary Vice Principal, Academy of Careers & Technology (ACT) (Cambodia)
Subash Mani Singh, Founder and Chairman, Mani Trust (India)
Anoushka Sinha, Founder, Anupam Foundation (India)
Renée Smith, Senior Director, Internal Communications and Employee Engagement (Asia Pacific), NTT DATA, Inc. (Singapore)
Sabrina Tamayo, Founder and Executive Director, Project SMILE (Philippines)
Gabriel Tan, CEO, GUAVA Amenities (Singapore)
Alyssa Sahali Tan, Co-founder, MANGAN (Philippines)
Dr Le Anh Thu, Founder and CEO, One - Stop Nest Academy (Vietnam)
Le-Quyen Vuu, CEO, Binh Tien Consumer Goods Manufacturing Company (Vietnam)
Dominic Williams MBE, Ambassador, British Embassy Phnom Penh (Cambodia)
May Tharaphi Win, Co-Founder and Academic Director, The SPACE Language Academy (Myanmar)
Jia Lin Yeap, Team manager, Standard Chartered Business Services (Malaysia)
Since 2018 we have gathered key behaviours and actions that bring the kindness principles to life in a workplace setting. Here are some key suggestions from our alumni from over the years in the UK and Asia Pacific on how to create a universal working environment.
Authenticity
1. Express kindness through authenticity, honesty, and respect. It’s being available and curious, and building trust – all of which is essential to high-performing teams. Supporting truth tellers, expressing different views honestly, not letting issues fester, being available, and using inquiry to understand and think through opportunities and challenges together.
2. Establish career coaching services that prioritise authenticity, offering guidance that aligns with individual values and goals.
3. Create supportive and inclusive work environments that value humility, trust, and transparency, starting from the top. For example, encourage an open-door policy where leaders make themselves available to employees at all levels. This practice demonstrates humility and openness, allowing employees to share their ideas, concerns, and feedback without fear of judgment or retribution.
Consistency
1. Establish a consistent culture of kindness through personalised gestures and inclusive policies that promote a sense of belonging and appreciation.
2. Implement an ‘Everyday Respect’ initiative that focuses on daily practices promoting inclusion and respect, such as daily meetings where colleagues’ contributions are considered, ensuring all employees are appreciated and treated equally.
3. Sustain support and engagement in community initiatives focusing on poverty alleviation through education, healthcare, and empowerment programs.
4. Set up a physical or digital board where employees can publicly acknowledge acts of respect and kindness they witness within the workplace. Recognising these actions reinforces a culture of everyday respect.
Connectivity
1. Develop mentorship programs that connect experienced professionals with emerging talent, focusing on fostering a supportive community and professional growth.
2. Organise regular team-building workshops and crossdepartmental meetings to enhance communication and collaboration.
3. Build networks and programs that support diversity, create inclusive and supportive work environments, and cultivate opportunities for teams to come together in and out of work.
4. Host workshops or lunch-and-learn sessions where employees can present their work, share expertise, or discuss industry trends. These build connectivity and encourage a culture of continuous learning and knowledge exchange.
Courage/Resilience
1. Develop transparent and compassionate leadership practices, focusing on effective crisis management and community wellbeing.
4
2. Encourage leaders to support their teams and communities during personal challenges, fostering a culture of resilience and generosity.
3. Create empowerment programs that transform personal challenges into community support and growth opportunities, particularly for marginalised groups.
4. Create an environment where employees are encouraged to take calculated risks without fearing negative consequences. Establish a culture where innovative ideas are valued and supported, even if they don’t always succeed.
Principles of kindness
Empathy
1. Implement an Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) platform that provides mental health resources and organises regular listening circles to support employees during challenging times.
2. Develop local community hiring initiatives focusing on empowering women and underrepresented groups through mentorship and development programs.
3. Establish programs that create partnerships with educational institutions to foster supportive environments for psychological youth development and wellbeing.
4. Establish an “Empathy Exchange” program where employees participate in role-swapping experiences for a day, allowing them to step into the shoes of their colleagues from different departments. This initiative encourages understanding and appreciation of diverse roles and perspectives, enhancing empathy and collaboration across teams.
Empowerment
1. Launch a “Better Way” initiative that encourages employees to propose innovative ideas for process improvement, providing resources and support for implementation and recognising contributions that enhance organisational efficiency and morale.
2. Develop programs that promote financial inclusion and digital education for women and marginalised communities, advocating for policy changes to improve access to finance.
3. Establish educational programs that provide opportunities for marginalised communities and offer continuous mentorship.
4. Create structured mentorship and coaching programs that pair entry-level employees with experienced mentors to guide their professional development. Encourage mentors to provide constructive feedback and help mentees identify their strengths and areas for growth.
Principles of kindness IN ACTION
Fairness
1. Develop flexible work policies and support networks that promote work-life balance, ensuring fairness and inclusivity for all employees.
2. Establish comprehensive EDI programs that regularly assess workplace practices to identify and rectify biases.
3. Implement fair and transparent salary policies, introduce innovative solutions to improve industry standards, and organise educational seminars for professional development.
4. Implement a standardised performance evaluation process that applies the same criteria to all employees. Provide clear expectations and regular feedback to ensure that performance reviews are fair and objective.
Generosity
1. Establish a foundation or grant program that allocates a portion of company profits to support community projects and initiatives, fostering a culture of generosity and corporate social responsibility.
2. Organise financial literacy and fundraising programs, partnering with local organisations to conduct workshops and support community-driven projects.
3. Support and lead charitable initiatives such as a charity drop off and collection for employees and engage in community service with humility and generosity.
4. Introduce a “Volunteer Day” policy that allows employees to take a paid day off every so often to engage in community service or volunteer activities of their choice. This will foster a culture of social responsibility and empower employees to make a positive impact in their communities.
Principles of kindness
Mindfulness/Self-Awareness
1. Integrate mindfulness practices into workplace culture by providing training and resources that help employees develop self-awareness. These include regular training sessions and workshops focused on mindfulness techniques such as meditation, deep breathing, and mindful listening. These programs can be led by certified mindfulness instructors and tailored to fit your organisation’s specific needs.
2. Implement coaching and wellness programs that promote mindfulness, empathy, and self-awareness among staff. For example, designate quiet spaces in the workplace where employees can retreat for a few moments of calm and reflection. These areas should be comfortable and free from distractions, offering a peaceful environment to practice mindfulness.
Respect
1. Enhance employee and customer engagement, ensuring inclusivity and respect for all voices in decision-making processes.
2. Develop mentorship programs that provide career and educational guidance, treating all mentees with dignity and respect.
3. Form diversity and inclusion committees tasked with promoting inclusive practices throughout the organisation. These committees can lead initiatives, create educational content, and ensure diverse perspectives are represented and respected.
JAN-EMMANUEL
DE NEVE PROFESSOR OF ECONOMICS & BEHAVIOURAL SCIENCE, SAÏD BUSINESS SCHOOL & DIRECTOR OF WELLBEING RESEARCH CENTRE, UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD
The science of kindness and its impact on wellbeing
I’m convinced that kindness has an important role to play within leadership because, if done effectively, it improves wellbeing indicators – such as job satisfaction, happiness, a sense of belonging, and reduced stress. Behind those things lies a culture of kindness
“ … behind every branding decision, strategic
acquisition,
and creative innovation lies an even more fundamental driver of performance: people.
The metrics of wellbeing – and business
The wellbeing of workers is highly important in its own right, but is also crucial for organisational success – there are established links between workplace wellbeing and key performance outcomes such as productivity, retention, and recruitment.
There are solid, evidence-based indicators for workplace wellbeing; it’s not a fluffy concept.
In the paper, Workplace Wellbeing and Firm Performance, we analysed data from 1 million employees across 1,782 publicly listed companies and found a strong positive relationship between employee wellbeing and firm performance.
Happier workers are:
Jan-Emmanuel is an expert in the study of human wellbeing, exploring the relationship between happiness and income, productivity, company performance, and economic growth. His numerous papers have been published and revered globally. He has also coauthored the first major textbook on wellbeing science and co-founded the World Wellbeing Movement, a coalition of corporations that put wellbeing metrics at the heart of business and public policy.
More productive
Participants exposed to happiness-inducing interventions showed a 12% increase in productivity when performing moderately complex tasks.
Less likely to leave their jobs
If a firm with 1,000 employees loses 1/4 of its workforce each year, and the average salary is $35,000, the costs to replace employees can reach up to $10 million.
Less likely to take sick leave
Low job satisfaction at one firm accounted for 11% of voluntary absenteeism at the company, amounting to an annual loss of $92 million.
More creative, collaborative, and committed
Companies with positive workplace cultures experience:
Better sales (and happier customers)
Stronger earnings-to-asset ratios
Greater profitability
Higher market valuations
Practical suggestions for improving workplace wellbeing
First, measure the wellbeing of your people. In our research paper, Measuring Workplace Wellbeing, we describe simple survey items you can use. Then get practical.
Supportive management training
Invest in managers’ training to equip them with knowledge and resources to support the wellbeing of themselves and their teams.
“Psychiatrist
Dr Kelli Harding’s research reveals that kindness and human connection can positively impact our physical and mental health beyond traditional medicine. She suggests that having a good manager is just as critical as having a good doctor to avoid disease.
Peer recognition scheme
Empowering people to recognise others going beyond the call of duty spotlights kindness – and inspires more kindness. Simple appreciation is associated with numerous evidence-based wellbeing benefits, including increased job satisfaction, lower burnout, increased happiness, and stronger co-worker relationships.
Buddy onboarding system
A proper onboarding buddy system (not just a box-ticking exercise) connecting new employees with mentors from different business units creates bonds and a sense of belonging that is not transactional, but linked to kindness. 1 2 3
Useful Reading
These insights are largely taken from three incredibly useful research papers:
1. De Neve, J-E., Kaats, M., Ward, G. (2024). Workplace Wellbeing and Firm Performance. University of Oxford Wellbeing Research Centre Working Paper 2304.
2. De Neve, J-E., Ward, G. (2023). Measuring Workplace Wellbeing. University of Oxford Wellbeing Research Centre Working Paper 2303.
3. Cunningham, S., Fleming, W., Regier, C., Kaats, M., & De Neve, J. (2024). Work Wellbeing Playbook: A Systematic Review of Evidence-Based Interventions to Improve Employee Wellbeing. World Wellbeing Movement.
RADHA ABROL
MANAGING DIRECTOR ACCENTURE, INDIA
50 Leading Lights Listee Asia Pacific, 2022
Radha joined Accenture in 2020 and now serves as Managing Director – a position where she leads on client experience for major clients. In addition to her business responsibilities, she champions a number of other causes: She sponsors the Women’s Leadership Development Programme; serves as People Ambassador Lead for Delhi Service Delivery Organisation, and heads up the Culture –Every Person Matters Programme.
What are some common misconceptions about kindness?
• It’s NOT about lowering standards. It’s NOT about mediocrity. In fact, it’s about raising the bar by making people feel motivated and not scared.
• Kindness is not a touchy-feely, ‘soft’ skill; it’s a strength. You’re truly powerful when you’re kind – and then loved and respected for it.
Practically,
how do you encompass kindness in your leadership style?
Every day of my working life I have an open door policy, to anybody from Accenture across operations in India – I’m talking about 100,000 people. Anybody can reach out to me about any issue that they’re facing. Taking this time for people – even though I have clients and targets and deadlines – is always worthwhile in the long run.
How
does kindness benefit business and ROI?
We’re in the private sector, in a highpressure, competitive, corporate world where our clients have high expectations. Even so, respect and kindness have a huge impact on output and ROI, because productivity relies on people.
• Kindness makes for more committed leaders and teams, and you attract the right kinds of people, raising the bar and doing better work.
• Because your team rallies behind you, the motivation is so different. They know they’ll be protected; they know they’ve got a leader who will take care of them; they’re not scared but inspired to do better
• And when things go wrong or you face a difficult situation, you have a team that recovers faster, because they’re resilient.
“I just love the tag of being a kind leader; I see its power everywhere, so I wear it on my sleeve with pride.
DUNCAN HEWETT
AUTHOR & PUBLIC SPEAKER; FORMER SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT & GENERAL MANAGER, ASIA PACIFIC & JAPAN, VMWARE
50 Leading Lights Listee Asia Pacific, 2021
Duncan has over 30 years’ leadership experience in the IT industry in the Asia Pacific region, where he drove social, organisational and cultural change – dramatically improving the representation of women in leadership during his tenure at VMware. Currently sharing his expertise as an author and speaker, he released his first book, Accelerating Women, in 2021.
How does kindness in leadership lead to innovation?
Kindness is crucial to innovation because innovation relies on people – on their cognitive capacity and effective working relationships.
By contrast, in an aggressive, fear-driven atmosphere:
• People’s brains shut down. You lose a minimum of 25% of their mental capacity – and in most cases actually 50%.
• Good ideas are lost because people fear speaking up.
• Talent is lost because people leave.
When kindness is embedded within the organisational culture:
• Leaders are enabled to tap into the full creative capacity of their people.
• People take more creative risks, knowing leaders have their backs.
• Vulnerability leads to stronger relationships and collaboration
“Building a kind and diverse workplace culture delivers results:
• It enabled us to more than double the business across Asia Pacific in 5 years.
• We were able to create a programme that helped over 8000 women return to the IT workplace.
What are 4 practical ways to embed kindess?
1. Build an environment for feedback, then leverage what you’ve learnt. (The issue for many leaders is that they don’t even know what the problems are.)
2. Create safe spaces for vulnerability, psychologically and physically.
3. Avoid direct confrontation that might cause embarrassment. (‘I’m fine’ is an immediate warning sign that there’s a problem.) For example, share your own stories, giving people a chance to relate and reflect before responding.
4. Be observant – look for signs of what people are not telling you.
You might feel that you don’t have time to listen and engage, but actually, you can’t afford not to. Getting all this vital information means you learn faster, change faster, innovate faster.
JOSH KRICHEFSKI
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, GROUPM, EMEA
50 Leading Lights Listee UK, 2024
Josh is known within the industry as a champion for cultural change and mental health awareness – causes he embodies in his role at GroupM where he manages business strategy, operations, and growth, and also as President of the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising. Having been a trustee of charities The Talent Foundry and Futureversity, he has advanced career development opportunities for children from underprivileged backgrounds by developing soft skills and self-esteem.
Why does mental health in the workplace
matter?
Mental health is not just a buzzword. It’s key to building resilience – a vital skill in any workplace, for individuals and the organisation.
The more we’ve invested in the wellbeing of our people, and the happier our workforce, the more successful our business has been over time.
Leaders need to be two things, really: kind and courageous.
What are 3 ways leaders can improve mental health?
1. Empower: Provide mental health training for all managers. At all levels of business we need to understand the difference between, for example, a neurosis, a psychosis, and just a bad day at work.
2. Support: Provide professional support for people who are suffering from serious mental health issues.
3. Create psychological safety: A toxic workplace culture has been proven to negatively impact one’s mental health.
• Implement systems whereby you’re listening to your workforce on a regular basis, because there’s often a real chasm between what leadership thinks and what people are experiencing on the ground.
• Enable a culture of sharing where people can speak openly about their own challenges without fearing any attached stigma.
• Role model authenticity and vulnerability.
People often ask me how we balance a high-performance culture with a focus on the wellbeing and mental health of our people. And my view is that they’re exactly the same thing.
ALEXANDRA MCKENZIE
BRITISH HIGH COMMISSIONER TO BRUNEI DARUSSALAM
50 Leading Lights Listee UK, 2022
Alexandra is the British High Commissioner to Brunei, with over 20 years of experience in the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office. A seasoned diplomat, she has held posts in Beijing, Paris, Berlin, Singapore, and Bangkok, serving as Deputy High Commissioner and Deputy Ambassador in the latter two.
In diplomacy and high-pressure negotiations, kindness is vital.
Being kind doesn’t mean saying yes to everything – it means listening with respect and seeking common ground.
What are the key benefits that come from kindness?
• Strong culture
People naturally look to their leader for cues, and if you demonstrate respect, openness, and kindness, others will follow suit. This builds a positive, cohesive culture.
• Productivity & retention
Kind leadership not only motivates but helps retain the best people. Kindness fosters loyalty. People stay because they feel valued and are part of something meaningful.
• Resilience
Teams led with kindness recover faster from setbacks, feeling secure and motivated to tackle all challenges that may come.
“
What are 4 simple steps to unlocking leadership potential?
1. Lead by example: Your behaviour sets the standard for everyone in the organisation. Show respect, listen, and make room for others’ ideas.
2. Reward the right things: Focus on recognising behaviours that support kindness and collaboration, not just individual output. Are you rewarding teamwork or just results?
3. Encourage open conversations: Make sure that line managers at all levels are having the right conversations with their teams – are they encouraging, supportive, and open to feedback?
4. Set boundaries to protect your energy: Kindness also means taking care of yourself. Know your limits and be clear with your team. If you’re drained, you can’t lead effectively. Set boundaries on your time and energy to stay focused and energised.
People don’t perform their best if they feel undermined or on edge. When they feel respected and empowered, they’ll give you their best work.
Our Events & Initiatives
CONNECTING, INSPIRING, AND SUPPORTING A NEW GENERATION OF LEADERS
Our programme of events and initiatives are designed to help women and improve opportunities for the next generation. The awards are not simply a night of recognition!
AWARDS | Celebrating
awards.womenofthefuture.co.uk
The awards recognise the inspirational stars of tomorrow across diverse sectors and offer a platform to showcase their achievements and build their community. The awards are open to nomination for women aged 35 and under.
NETWORK | Connecting
network.womenofthefuture.co.uk
An active network of our awards alumnae and supporters. We run a number of events enabling this remarkable community of high achieving women to come together, share experiences, inspire one another, and build business relationships.
AMBASSADORS | Inspiring
ambassadors.womenofthefuture.co.uk
Connecting students with role models and strengthening the pipeline of talent among Britain’s younger women. The programme enables students to learn first-hand from the women in our network about their careers and to gain advice and support from them. We offer school visits, corporate visits of groups of students to organisations, as well as an annual careers reception event.
SUMMIT | Leadership Development
summit.womenofthefuture.co.uk
Our annual summit addresses global agenda items through the lens of next-generation leaders. The event gives delegates a rich combination of practical advice, inspiration, and insight. Through this Summit, we want to provide a platform to showcase young female leaders and their leadership styles, as a new generation of female talent, having impact and making a difference.
JOIN THE KIND LEADERSHIP REVOLUTION
For us to make kindness a conscious choice for leaders across the world, championing it needs to part of our daily lives. Help us turn this annual celebration into a global movement that shines a light on the power of kindness, by signing up to our pledge today.
Get started: This guide is full of tips to help you embed kindness in your business. You can also share your pledge and advice on socials and tag #kindnessrules
My kindness pledge
I, , pledge to be a kind leader, committed to making a positive impact on the lives of others and transforming organisations through the power of kindness.
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Together, we can make kindness the cornerstone of effective leadership, creating a better world for business, society, and future generations.
