Discover Jacinda Ardern's most powerful leadership quotes. Learn how empathy and kindness create effective, authentic leadership in challenging times.
Written by Laura Bouttell • Fri 9th January 2026
Jacinda Ardern's leadership quotes have redefined contemporary expectations of political leadership, demonstrating that empathy and strength are not opposing forces but complementary qualities that create more effective, authentic leadership. As New Zealand's Prime Minister from 2017 to 2023, Ardern navigated crises including the Christchurch mosque shootings, volcanic disaster, and global pandemic with a distinctive leadership style that challenged traditional assumptions about power and authority.
Her most defining statement captures this philosophy: "It takes courage and strength to be empathetic, and I'm very proudly an empathetic and compassionate leader." This assertion reframes empathy not as weakness requiring defence but as strength demanding recognition. For leaders questioning whether kindness compromises effectiveness, Ardern's example and words offer compelling evidence to the contrary.
Ardern consistently argued that empathy enhances rather than compromises leadership effectiveness.
"One of the criticisms I've faced over the years is that I'm not aggressive enough or assertive enough, or maybe somehow, because I'm empathetic, it means I'm weak. I totally rebel against that. I refuse to believe that you cannot be both compassionate and strong."
This quote addresses the false dichotomy that positions empathy against effectiveness. Ardern rejected the assumption that leadership requires aggression, arguing instead that compassion and strength coexist—and reinforce each other.
Ardern's empathy-strength integration:
| Traditional Assumption | Ardern's Position |
|---|---|
| Empathy signals weakness | Empathy requires courage |
| Strength means aggression | Strength includes compassion |
| Leaders must be tough | Leaders must be authentic |
| Vulnerability undermines authority | Vulnerability builds connection |
Ardern explained that empathetic leadership enables better understanding and more effective responses:
"We need our leaders to be able to empathize with the circumstances of others... I think one of the sad things that I've seen in political leadership is—because we've placed over time so much emphasis on notions of assertiveness and strength—that we probably have assumed that it means you can't have those other qualities of kindness and empathy."
Empathy's leadership benefits:
Ardern positioned kindness as central to effective leadership, not peripheral to it.
"Kindness has a power and strength that almost nothing else on this planet has. I'd seen kindness do extraordinary things. I'd seen it give people hope."
This statement from her memoir elevates kindness from mere nicety to transformative force. Ardern observed kindness creating outcomes that other approaches couldn't achieve.
"I really rebel against this idea that politics has to be a place full of ego and where you're constantly focused on scoring hits against each one another. Yes, we need a robust democracy, but you can be strong, and you can be kind."
Kindness in leadership practice:
| Conventional Politics | Ardern's Approach |
|---|---|
| Ego-driven competition | Collaborative engagement |
| Scoring points against opponents | Building common ground |
| Winning at others' expense | Finding mutual benefit |
| Aggressive confrontation | Firm but kind communication |
Ardern demonstrated that kindness isn't soft—it's strategic:
"Compassion is not a weakness; it is a strength that can drive positive change."
Kindness creates leadership advantage through:
Ardern spoke openly about maintaining authenticity whilst navigating leadership challenges.
"I am trying to chart a different path, and that will attract criticism but I can only be true to myself..."
This acknowledgment that different approaches attract criticism whilst insisting on authenticity offers guidance for leaders facing pressure to conform to expected behaviours.
Authenticity practices:
Ardern's willingness to acknowledge imperfection and uncertainty modelled a leadership style that connected through authenticity rather than projecting invulnerability.
Vulnerability as connection:
| Projected Invulnerability | Ardern's Authentic Vulnerability |
|---|---|
| Distances leaders from teams | Connects leaders to teams |
| Creates unrealistic expectations | Sets honest expectations |
| Isolates during difficulty | Enables shared struggle |
| Demands perfection | Accepts humanity |
Ardern's response to crises demonstrated how empathetic leadership operates under pressure.
Her response to the Christchurch mosque shootings—donning a headscarf, embracing grieving families, refusing to name the attacker—demonstrated leadership that prioritised human connection over political positioning.
Crisis leadership principles:
Ardern showed that compassionate response doesn't compromise decisive action—it enhances it. Her government passed significant gun reform within weeks of the Christchurch attack whilst maintaining the empathetic posture that defined her response.
Compassion enables crisis effectiveness through:
Ardern advocated for leadership that includes rather than excludes.
Her leadership consistently emphasised bringing people together across difference—a stark contrast to divisive political approaches gaining traction globally.
Inclusive leadership characteristics:
| Divisive Leadership | Ardern's Inclusive Leadership |
|---|---|
| Us versus them framing | We're all in this together |
| Exploiting differences | Building on commonalities |
| Winning through division | Succeeding through unity |
| Short-term political gain | Long-term social cohesion |
Ardern's leadership continues influencing leadership thinking through her ongoing work.
Since leaving office, Ardern has established the Field Fellowship on empathetic leadership and serves as a Senior Fellow at Harvard University, continuing to develop and share insights on compassionate leadership approaches.
Ardern's leadership legacy:
Ardern's most cited leadership quote is: "One of the criticisms I've faced over the years is that I'm not aggressive enough or assertive enough, or maybe somehow, because I'm empathetic, it means I'm weak. I totally rebel against that. I refuse to believe that you cannot be both compassionate and strong." This captures her core argument that empathy and effectiveness are complementary rather than conflicting.
Ardern wrote in her memoir: "Kindness has a power and strength that almost nothing else on this planet has. I'd seen kindness do extraordinary things. I'd seen it give people hope." She also stated: "You can be strong, and you can be kind"—rejecting the assumption that effective leadership requires abandoning kindness.
Ardern defines empathetic leadership as leading with genuine understanding of others' circumstances whilst maintaining effectiveness. She stated: "It takes courage and strength to be empathetic, and I'm very proudly an empathetic and compassionate leader." She argues this approach enables better decisions and stronger connections rather than compromising leadership effectiveness.
Business leaders can learn that empathy and effectiveness reinforce rather than oppose each other. Ardern demonstrated that compassionate leadership builds trust, enables better communication, and creates stronger team cohesion. Her crisis leadership showed that empathetic response doesn't compromise decisive action—it enhances it through trust and connection.
Ardern acknowledged criticism whilst maintaining her approach: "I am trying to chart a different path, and that will attract criticism but I can only be true to myself." She responded to suggestions that empathy signals weakness by "totally rebelling" against that assumption, demonstrating resilience in maintaining authentic leadership despite external pressure.
Ardern's legacy includes demonstrating that empathetic, compassionate leadership can be effective in demanding circumstances including national crises. She established the Field Fellowship on empathetic leadership and serves as Harvard Senior Fellow, continuing to develop and share insights. Her example offers alternative vision for political and organisational leadership emphasising kindness alongside strength.
Ardern believes empathy requires courage because it means being genuinely present with others' pain and difficulty rather than maintaining emotional distance. It opens leaders to criticism from those expecting aggressive approaches. It demands authenticity rather than performance. These challenges require courage to sustain, making empathetic leadership a form of strength rather than weakness.
Jacinda Ardern's leadership quotes challenge assumptions that effective leadership requires abandoning empathy, kindness, and authentic human connection. Her example demonstrates that compassionate leadership can navigate crises, build trust, and achieve outcomes that aggressive approaches often cannot.
Begin by examining your assumptions about strength and compassion. Do you unconsciously equate effectiveness with aggression? Ardern's consistent message—"you can be both compassionate and strong"—invites reconsideration of what genuine leadership strength looks like.
Consider also how kindness operates in your leadership. Ardern observed kindness achieving "extraordinary things" and giving "people hope." Where might kindness create outcomes that other approaches cannot achieve in your context?
Finally, reflect on authenticity. Ardern acknowledged that charting different paths "will attract criticism" but insisted on being "true to myself." This courage to maintain authentic leadership despite external pressure models a path for leaders who sense that conventional expectations don't align with their values or effectiveness.