Reimagining Leading: Why Human-Centred Leadership is the future

giuliapedrinivisio
Jun 17
5 min read

Updated: Jun 24

Author: Elisa Krahl

Four colleagues discussing documents around a table in a brick-walled office. Laptops, charts, and coffee cups are visible. Mood is collaborative.

Leadership has been changing in recent years—and that is more than a passing trend. It reflects a necessary evolution in how we lead people and shape organizations. In fact, companies that invest equally in human capital and financial performance are 1.5 times more likely to remain high performers over time.

Human-centred leadership boosts motivation, improves performance, and strengthens the bottom line. It's a powerful response to the growing complexity of our world.

Traditional leadership, focused on control and correcting weaknesses, has reached its limits. It not only falls short in solving today’s challenges but can even destroy trust, creativity and engagement. Putting people first, not just processes is important today.

What means human-centred leadership

At its core, human-centred leadership is about treating people as people. It’s a mindset that puts individual well-being, personal growth, and real-life experiences at the centre of how we lead. Rather than viewing employees as resources to manage, it sees them as individuals with unique perspectives, needs, and potential.

This leadership model is done with managing performance through pressure, but builds on trust, curiosity and a sense of purpose or meaning. By doing so it aligns closely with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) principles and creates a culture of inclusivity, empathy, and empowerment. This way people are allowed and given the space to show up fully.

Colored game pieces on a white board with intersecting lines, creating a network pattern. Bright colors add a lively, strategic feel.

Three core principles shape this approach:

Empathy and emotional intelligence where leaders must understand and consider the emotions, perspectives and needs of their employees.
Equity and inclusion which stands for ensuring everyone, regardless of their backgrounds, has access to the resources and is being given the same opportunities.
Empowerment and growth to encourage employees to develop professionally and personally, while providing support the way it is needed.

These values also align with the science of Positive Leadership, rooted in Positive Psychology. Based on frameworks like Martin Seligman's PERMA model, giving leaders away how to put it into practice, it encourages leaders to focus on positive emotions, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment. In doing so, they help people thrive—not just function.

Why human-centred leadership as the new way of leading?

How high the outcomes of this human-centred approach are supported by data. It delivers measurable outcomes not only, but also in engagement, innovation, and financial performance.

Employees who feel seen, heard, and valued are far more likely to be committed to their work and highly engaged. Research shows that highly engaged teams are 16% more productive, 21% more profitable, and have 41% less absenteeism than disengaged teams.

Human-centred leadership also fosters innovation. When people feel safe to speak up, share ideas, and make mistakes, collaboration thrives. This kind of psychological safety fuels creativity and adaptability. These qualities are critical in complex, fast-changing environments and in keeping up with the competition.

Studies show that inclusive teams generate up to 19% more revenue through innovation. Recognition and strengths-based leadership play a major role here. When leaders focus on what people do well—rather than what they lack—they unlock intrinsic motivation and long-term growth.

Moreover, a human-centred approach improves organizational culture and external reputation. Companies that demonstrate care, fairness, and responsibility attract better talent, build customer loyalty, and earn trust from stakeholders. This, on the long run, again fuels profit.

Done right, this leadership leads to a workforce that is more productive, more innovative, and more committed—leading to improved customer satisfaction, brand loyalty, and business success. In fact, organizations with high employee engagement outperform their competitors by up to 202%.

What human-centred leadership looks like in practice

According to research by BCG, successful leaders combine vision ("head"), empowerment ("heart"), and execution ("hands"). The ability of the heart to connect with and inspire people is often what differentiates truly great leadership.

Human-centred leadership takes many forms, depending on context and culture. But it consistently involves the heart qualities being very important for a humane approach:

Active listening and empathy. Understand your teams’ ideas, needs, and concerns—without rushing to fix or judge.
Clarity of purpose. Link day-to-day work with a greater vision to help see the meaning.
Empowering people. Trust employees with autonomy, encouraging self-leadership, and offering flexibility in how they work. This means guiding, not micromanaging.
Team development and feedback. Recognition and consideration become a tool for growth and mistakes become learning opportunities, not flaws.

Most importantly leaders consistently act as role models for the culture they want to create, so self-reflection and communication are crucial.

How to integrate human-centred leadership

A shift towards a human-centred culture requires change. This starts with how leaders think and behave. At the same time, it is nothing abstract but can be seen in everyday actions and choices: how people listen, how they give feedback, how they show up in moments that matter.

Show genuine care through mental health support, flexible work, and continuous learning opportunities.
Create space for connection with regular check-ins, team rituals, and open dialogue across perspectives.
Foster autonomy by giving ownership, inviting input on decisions, and reducing unnecessary approval layers.

Above all, human-centred leadership is about consistency. It's not a one-off initiative, but a daily practice. Leading by example—being honest, respectful, inclusive, and transparent—is the most powerful way to embed these values into culture. Any step where employees are integrated in the way of finding solutions through sufficient autonomy helps making leadership human-centred.

It should never be forgotten that developing emotional intelligence is key. Leaders must cultivate awareness of their emotions, biases, and habits—and learn to manage them in ways that build connection and credibility.

What human-centred leadership is not

Since we have already talked a lot about what it is, let’s get into detail on what it clearly is not:

It is not

about avoiding conflict or lowering standards.
a feel-good philosophy that lets performance slide. It does not support either people or results, but a high-impact, sustainable leadership strategy that supports both.
a way to remove accountability. Instead, it reinforces it, through trust, clarity, and shared responsibility.

So, what is there to be summarized?

The future is human

Human-centred Leadership is a modern leadership model that reflects the values of inclusion, growth and purpose. It’s about creating the perfect conditions for employees to thrive—to contribute, connect and act innovatively towards the company‘s goals. It sets people first and assures that everyone is seen and heard.

Human-centred leadership is becoming essential. It helps organizations attract and retain talent, navigate uncertainty, and build cultures that are ready for the unknown challenges of the future.

It’s especially relevant for change management, in times of high competition, and in environments that require not just resilience, but reinvention. It increases intrinsic motivation, strengthens team bonds, drives performance in complex environments and decreases absenteeism.

The question isn’t whether we need to lead differently. It’s whether we’re ready to.

So here is a final question, to start thinking huma-centred right now: What strength did you see in someone today? And did you take a moment to name it?

The future of leadership won’t be built on control. It will be built on trust and connection. And by doing so, we don’t just—we shape a better future for everyone.