Jacinda Ardern, the former Prime Minister of New Zealand, became a global icon not just for her policies, but for her humanity. At 37, she was the youngest female head of state, a beacon of progressive values in a world increasingly dominated by populist strongmen. Her leadership style—marked by empathy, collaboration, and a refusal to conform to traditional political molds—earned her the nickname "the anti-Trump." Yet, after five years of relentless crises, from the Christchurch mosque shootings to the COVID-19 pandemic, she stepped down, not because she was defeated, but because she knew when to step aside.
Ardern’s resignation in January 2023 sent shockwaves through the global political landscape. "I didn’t have enough left in the tank," she confessed, her voice trembling. But this wasn’t a story of burnout, as many framed it. "Burnout is being in a fetal position in the corner of the room," she clarifies. "I wasn’t there." Instead, it was a calculated decision to leave while she could still do justice to the role. Her legacy, she hopes, is proof that leaders can be kind, sensitive, and still effective.
Since leaving office, Ardern has hardly slowed down. She’s taken on fellowships at Harvard, where she mentors students and continues her work on combating extremism and promoting empathetic leadership. "I’m still busy, busy," she says with a laugh, sipping a cappuccino in Cambridge. Her days are filled with teaching, writing, and advocating for causes close to her heart, like the Christchurch Call, an initiative to combat online extremism.
Ardern’s approach to leadership has always been rooted in empathy. "I hope I’ve shown that you can be anxious, sensitive, and still lead," she reflects. Her Field Fellowship for Empathetic Leadership, launched last summer, aims to cultivate a new generation of leaders who prioritize kindness and collaboration. "The world needs more humanity in politics," she says. "Not less."
As she prepares to step back into the global spotlight with a documentary and a book, Ardern remains introspective. "Can I be useful and small?" she wonders. "I don’t think so." Her book, a deeply personal project, is aimed at her 14-year-old self—a reminder that leadership doesn’t require conformity. "If you want to make a difference," she says, "you have to put yourself out there." And that’s exactly what she continues to do.
