Leading with humanity

I recently had the delightful experience of attending an incredibly inspiring session titled "Leading with Humanity," hosted by Leadership et` Humanite` LLC at Catapult. Huge thanks to Dr. James Andrade, Head Catapult Executive Leadership and Innovation Institute, for facilitating this opportunity and Atul Khosla, Founder at Leadership et` Humanite` LLC, for imparting so many wonderful concepts in such a short period of time!

Since the session, my mind has been buzzing. The concept initially appears quite simple – but is it? The first question I asked myself was – what does humanity mean in the context of leadership? The second was – can a leader truly lead without it?

Humanity is generally defined as the quality of being humane, being benevolent. For some having this word mixed up with leadership could potentially equate to weakness, and how dare a leader be seen as weak! Thankfully, that is not what being a humane leader means. A leader that leads with humanity is one that is fair and reasonable, that evokes trust, that knows how to connect, that supports their team when needed, that shows compassion but above all, a humane leader is one that makes their team feel valuable and respected.

During the session, Atul said something that really stuck with me, “Leadership is not an entitlement, but a right that should be earned.” Let that sink for a minute. Why should anyone be led by you? How can you lead anybody if you don’t provide them with all the things I just described as humane?

So, as I reflect on the insightful discussions from the session, I am reminded of the profound responsibility that comes with leadership. It's not merely about authority or entitlement but rather about earning the right to lead through genuine care, empathy, and respect for others. Leadership is about fostering a culture where everyone feels valued and supported. So, let's embrace the notion of leading with humanity, not as a sign of weakness, but as a testament to our strength and compassion as leaders