Jacinda Ardern

Prime Minister, New Zealand

About The Leader

Jacinda Ardern’s first and second term as prime minister of New Zealand has been recognized as a masterclass in leadership

Jacinda Arden (July 26, 1980) is the world's youngest female leader, becoming New Zealand’s third female prime minister at 37.
She is the leader of the Labour party and second elected state leader in history to have a baby while in office.
In the election for her second term, she had the highest percentage of the vote in New Zealand in more than 5 decades, claiming 64 seats in parliament.

Her Purpose

Ardern is known as a leader who cares about the people she governs, indigenous and international communities, the environment, equality, and fighting poverty

“Leadership is not about necessarily being the loudest in the room, but instead being the bridge, or the thing that is missing in the discussion and trying to build consensus from there.“

Case for Change

"To me, leadership is not about necessarily being the loudest in the room, but instead being the bridge, or the thing that is missing in the discussion and trying to build a consensus from there.

Everything I've ever thought about doing has been, in some sense, about helping people,"

Growth Gap

"I have great ambition as a woman and as prime minister elect that we will make great gains as a government in issues like equal pay, in issues like supporting women in the roles they choose to take, whether they be work or in caring roles .... I hold that issue close to my heart.”

Investment Portfolio

“Our Government has a firm eye on the future. That’s why our plan is looking 30 years ahead, not just three.

This Government is taking a different approach to the issues we think are important. Our priorities go beyond just having a strong economy; to include ensuring our children don’t live in poverty, our houses are warm and dry, our regions are supported, our climate is protected and the Crown and Maori have strong relationships. We only succeed as a country when all of us are doing well."

Her Leadership Qualities

Ardern’s effective response to hard challenges and openness for collaboration has gained her the respect of her people and the rest of the world.

Compassionate

When faced with a white supremacist attack on New Zealand’s Muslim community, Ardern preached social cohesion and solidarity, initiated a healing process following the shootings, and succeeded in bringing the people of New Zealand together.

Key Actions

Ardern physically embraced survivors and victims and held a press conference to deliver a message that would bring her country’s citizens together, uniting them against hatred.
She followed swiftly to call for changes to New Zealand’s gun laws.

Leadership Behaviors

Decisiveness
Quick implementation of practical measures

Leadership Behaviors

Decisiveness
Quick implementation of practical measures

Lesson Learned

Leaders' comprehensive response and finding solidarity between diverse people during delicate situations can bring people together in moments that could otherwise become hugely divisive.
By walking the talk in a timely manner, Arden was able to find broad approval for gun law changes in a country where gun ownership was widespread.

Calm and Measured

When the coronavirus pandemic swept the world, Ardern responded quickly and forcefully by halting foreign visitation to New Zealand and imposing a strict nationwide lockdown when just over 100 cases of COVID-19 had been confirmed.

Key Actions

Ardern took the advice of the epidemiologists quickly and took a “go hard and go early” approach. With a combination of science-driven hard-line policies and a human touch that included informal empathetic online appearances, she was able to contain the outbreak quickly and thoroughly.

Leadership Behaviors

Aware of her weaknesses
Listens to expert advice and acts on it

Lesson Learned

Leaders seek insights from those more knowledgeable than they on various topics in order to be able to act fast and effectively.
Ardern took expert advice quickly and acted decisively and with commitment to keep her country safe during the global pandemic.

Empathy

Arden worked to deliver New Zealand's - and the world's - first Wellbeing Budget in 2019. It indicated a new approach to the way governments work, by placing the health and wellbeing of people at the heart of what they do.

Key Actions

Ardern’s wellbeing budget included NZ$1.9bn for mental health spending and half billion for frontline mental health workers when covid struck.
In 2020, the budget focused heavily on supporting New Zealand's recovery from COVID-19 by creating jobs, helping people find training, and backing businesses.

Leadership Behaviors

Putting people first
Novel approaches

Lesson Learned

Rather than bowing to economic metrics such as GDP, leaders should seek a much broader range of outcomes, including human health, safety and flourishing, to assess the success of their projects and strategies.
Focusing on being both economically responsible and kind, the prime minister of New Zealand gave a world-class lesson to other state leaders.

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