5 Practical Ways to Build Momentum for Human-Centric Leadership (+ watch back our live session)

Make It Human
1 day ago
3 min read

Human-centric leadership is often described as the “right thing to do.”

But increasingly, the evidence shows it’s also one of the smartest business decisions organisations can make.

In a recent Coffee & Culture session with human-centric leadership expert Liz Rider, one message came through clearly: organisations can no longer afford to separate people and performance.

As Liz shared:

“The business case is compelling. We have case studies, we have evidence. So why are we not doing this?”

The data backs this up.

High-trust organisations see significantly higher productivity. Coaching-focused leaders increase performance. Empathetic leadership strengthens innovation. Recognition reduces attrition. Yet many leaders still spend the majority of their time firefighting, buried in admin and operational pressure instead of developing people.

And this is where many organisations get stuck.

Human-centric leadership is often seen as “soft,” difficult to measure, or only realistic during stable periods. However, as Liz pointed out during the session:

“Human-centric leadership isn’t just for the good times, it’s for the bad times too.”

In moments of uncertainty, change, pressure, or transformation, people look to leaders for clarity, trust, honesty, and transparency. These moments shape culture far more than values written on a wall ever will.

One of the most powerful parts of the discussion explored how often strong leadership behaviours are dismissed as “luck.”

Liz shared the story of a managing director who had transformed engagement and increased profitability by 25% through trust, coaching, empathy, and honesty — yet still described his success as simply “having a good team.”

As Sarah McLellan reflected in the conversation:

“Actually that’s also what we need to do — find a way of changing that narrative and amplifying how these leaders and managers have created success.”

So how can you start building the case for human-centric leadership more intentionally?

1. Connect people practices to business outcomes

Speak the language of the business. Link leadership behaviours to outcomes like retention, productivity, innovation, engagement, and customer experience. Use existing evidence, internal stories, and data to build momentum.

2. Start small and prove impact

You do not need a huge transformation programme to begin. Pilot coaching groups, improve recognition habits, create more transparent communication moments, or give managers practical leadership tools. Small wins create credibility.

3. Find your early adopters

There are almost always people already leading in more human ways. Bring them together. Share their stories. Let others see what’s possible.

4. Audit leadership attention

Ask leaders:

How much time is spent developing people?
Where does energy go under pressure?
What behaviours are being rewarded or ignored?

Because culture is shaped by what leaders consistently pay attention to.

5. Be persistent

As Liz described, this work is often a “long game.” Change rarely happens through one workshop or initiative. It happens through consistent signals, repeated conversations, and everyday leadership habits.

A practical place to start this week:

If you want to move this conversation forward inside your organisation, don’t start with a huge culture programme.

Start by identifying one team, one leader, or one moment where more human-centric leadership could make an immediate difference.

Ask:

Where are people currently feeling stretched, disconnected, or unheard?
What conversations are being avoided?
Where could more clarity, coaching, recognition, or transparency improve both experience and performance?

Then run one small experiment over the next 2–3 weeks.

That might be: