Jacinda Ardern - Here's hoping we see her kind again.

In what seems like another life now, I lived in Canberra for 18 months and visited New Zealand a few times with my girlfriend. Most people here in the USA have difficulty pointing out New Zealand without searching for it or thinking that NZ is just off the coast of Australia, unaware it is a seven-hour plane ride to traverse the 4500+ km distance. I have often considered finding a way back to Australia over the years and closely follow events that happen in that part of the world.

Jacinda Ardern , The Prime Minister of New Zealand, resignation this week is one such event. Earlier today, I read a comment by Amy Schultz of Canva that completely summed up what I thought when she said Jacinda Ardern "humanized the role of Prime Minister," which inspired me to write this article.

Regardless of politics or whether you support Ardern’s positions, she has consistently exhibited qualities and traits that any leader, government, or private industry could observe and learn from. Those qualities are empathy, compassion, the courage of decision with the will to carry out those decisions, and humility.

Jacinda Ardern has truly humanized the Office of the Prime Minister and, by extension Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, New Zealand , through her compassionate yet tough decisions concerning the Covid-19 pandemic. From the beginning, she has approached the crisis with empathy and understanding, recognizing its impact on individuals and families.

One of her most notable decisions was to implement a strict lockdown to control the spread of the virus. This was a difficult and unpopular decision, but one that was necessary to protect the health and safety of the people. Despite the backlash, Ardern stood firm in her decision and communicated with the public in a clear and transparent manner.

In addition, Ardern has also made sure that the most vulnerable members of society were taken care of during the pandemic. She implemented policies to support low-income families, small businesses, and those who lost their jobs due to the economic downturn. This demonstrated her deep understanding of the country's challenges and commitment to ensuring no one was left behind.

Throughout the pandemic, Ardern has also shown her leadership skills by coordinating with other countries and international organizations to fight the virus. She has been a role model for other leaders and has shown that a compassionate approach to crisis management can be effective.

A year prior to the pandemic, on March 15th, 2019, a terrorist attack occurred at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, leaving 51 people dead and dozens injured. Ardern immediately condemned the attack and offered her condolences to the victims and their families. She also took swift action in the aftermath of the tragedy, announcing plans to tighten New Zealand's gun laws and vowing never to utter the name of the shooter.

The New Zealand public and international leaders widely praised her compassionate and determined response. Ardern's handling of the Christchurch shootings was seen as a model for how leaders should respond to such a tragedy.

The most admirable aspect of Ardern's leadership is her willingness to step down when she felt it was the right thing to do. She knew it was time to hand over the reins to someone else, and she did so with grace and humility. This quality is often lacking in leaders, who tend to hold on to power for too long.

Jacinda Ardern has truly humanized the Office of the Prime Minister. Quoting Amy Schultz again and fully supporting it, “Here’s hoping we see her kind again.”

#leadership #newzealand #australia #jacindaardern