Think leadership is just about performance? Think again. Sara Hope and Emily Cosgrove show how empathy, connection and courageous conversations are helping leaders ditch the old-school playbook for a new approach.
With research-backed results and real-world impact, human-centred leadership is the power move for thriving teams in today’s fast-changing world
The landscape of leading and managing in organisations today seems to be shifting at an ever more rapid pace. Political changes and economic fluctuations have pushed us into an even more volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) time. Add artificial intelligence (AI) into the mix and it can feel as though we will never catch up with ourselves.
True leadership isn’t about power and control – it’s about supporting, challenging, inspiring and enabling people to thrive
Leadership isn’t just about hitting targets and driving results – it’s about creating workplaces and environments where people feel valued, supported and able to do their best work. But in many organisations, leaders are stretched thin, the people in their teams are exhausted, and change feels relentless. In such a context, it can be easy to lose touch with the importance of nurturing our work relationships and connections.
How can we lead in a way that keeps hold of humanity and humility, that helps people thrive rather than just survive, despite the harsh realities at play? The answer lies in human-centred leadership (HCL) – an approach that puts people at the heart of leadership, fostering greater trust, higher levels of engagement and a deeper sense of belonging.
What do we mean by human-centred leadership?
At its core, HCL is about recognising that leadership isn’t just about process or managing tasks; it’s about bringing people with you. It’s knowing that real impact comes not from micromanaging and telling people what to do all the time, but from building strong relationships, fostering a sense of shared purpose, and creating an environment where people feel able to be themselves at work. It’s about balancing business goals with the needs of the people delivering them.
Research backs this up – when leaders focus on human connection, organisations see a 3.8x increase in high performance, a 3.2x higher intent to stay, and a 3.1x reduction in employee fatigue (Gartner). It’s not just about being nice; it’s about caring and creating conditions where people can do their best work.
Leadership in the age of AI: Why human connection matters more than ever
With the rapid rise of AI, many routine tasks are becoming automated or more efficient, and decision-making is increasingly driven by data. While AI can enhance productivity and streamline processes, we believe it can’t replace the human skills that define great leadership – empathy, creativity, ethical decision-making, and emotional and social intelligence.
As AI takes on more operational work, leaders need to double down on what makes them uniquely human. People may feel uncertain about how AI will change their roles, and it’s up to leaders to provide clarity, reassurance and a vision for how technology can complement human strengths rather than replace them. The ability to foster trust, create a sense of purpose, and build meaningful relationships is more crucial than ever.
At the same time, AI-generated insights and recommendations can only go so far. Leaders will face increasingly challenging and ethical decisions, and those who can combine data-driven decision-making with human-centred thinking, ensuring that technology serves people – not the other way around, will be those who are able to bring their people with them.
Two of the key tenets of HCL are creating a culture of openness and trust, and encouraging courageous conversations.
1. Creating a culture of openness and trust
It’s easy to say that we should create conversational spaces for employees to speak up. Human-centred leadership means going a step further and encouraging honest, sometimes difficult conversations – a fundamental part of helping teams grow and become high-performing. It’s about allowing people to disagree, challenge ideas and bring different perspectives to the table – all while maintaining mutual respect. This is what builds trust and strong relationships in the long run.
When leaders create environments where employees feel heard and valued, organisations benefit from richer perspectives, better decision-making and stronger relationships. It’s not about forcing people to agree; it’s about giving them the confidence to express themselves, knowing they’ll be listened to.
2. Encouraging courageous conversations
In many workplaces, there’s an unspoken rule: keep your head down, don’t rock the boat, and just do your job. But this approach misses so many opportunities. Encouraging a culture where people feel comfortable speaking up, even when it’s uncomfortable, can lead to breakthrough thinking, more innovative ideas, deeper understanding and, ultimately, stronger teams.
For leaders, this means modelling curiosity, active listening, and resilience. It’s not just allowing people to speak – it’s about demonstrating that their input genuinely matters and can affect change. This could mean inviting different opinions in meetings, encouraging people to challenge the status quo, or simply making space for open discussions without fear of judgment.
Why this matters for organisational success
When people are encouraged and feel able to contribute the full range of their experience, thoughts, ideas and selves, organisations thrive. Leaders who prioritise connection and trust see higher levels of engagement, collaboration and innovation within their teams. People are more likely to take the initiative, solve complex problems creatively, and contribute to a culture of continuous learning.
Human-centred leadership at Boots: Case study
Why
LEAD is our flagship development programme designed for middle leaders with the potential to grow into senior roles across Boots UK, No7 Beauty Company, Boots Opticians, and Boots Ireland. At its core, LEAD is about helping our leaders grow the skills they need today while also setting them on a continuous journey of learning, with a focus on empathy, resilience and strategic thinking.
One of the key focus areas we identified for long-term success is human-centred leadership. This is all about helping leaders shift from being great at tasks, to being great with people. It’s a step that’s often challenging, especially when leaders are promoted for their technical expertise, but it’s essential in a business built around people and customers.
At Boots, human-centred leadership means:
- Understanding myself – Who am I as a leader, and how do I show up in an authentic way?
- Understanding others – How do I build strong relationships as a leader, a peer and an influencer?
- Creating high-performing teams – How do I bring individuals together to build a team that thrives, engages, and delivers results?
What we did
Our first LEAD cohort launched in June 2023. As we began shaping the human-centred leadership element, we partnered with Sara and Emily at The Conversation Space to co-design a hands-on, learning-by-doing, workshop. The workshop focused on practical coaching tools leaders could use right away and throughout the programme. Key themes included:
- Psychological safety.
- Human leadership conversations.
- Self-awareness and self-care.
- Leadership identity.
- Inclusion.
- Emotions at work.
- Empathy.
- Motivation and what drives us.
Sara and Emily created a space where leaders didn’t just learn about human-centred leadership, they experienced it. The environment fostered strong connections among participants, as well as with executive sponsors and the programme team.
What’s the impact?
So far, 120 leaders have taken part in the workshop and brought these insights back to their teams. It’s changing the way they lead, and that ripple effect is starting to move through the wider business.
With 60 new leaders joining the programme each year, this approach will continue to grow. We’re also exploring how to embed these elements more broadly across the organisation.
We’re tracking success through retention, promotions and team member engagement scores. While these are longer-term measures, early signs are pointing in a really positive direction.
Feedback
“The human-centred leadership workshop and growing my awareness of how I build connection with other people not only changed my leadership, it changed my life.”
“Great topic for a workshop and not one I had expected to be so powerful and important”
“Being a line manager to other managers or team members going through emotional situations has been really difficult, especially as I’ve not felt I had the tools to effectively support them and have those conversations. This session has greatly helped with this!”
“I realised that leaders aren’t perfect – and it is OK to be vulnerable and not know all the answers.”
“Tools I can use in my everyday working environment to support my team, teaching myself how to actively listen, giving myself the time to reflect on how I work and how I can improve as a leader, being vulnerable and brave are two words that really stood out for me over the two days.”
Emily Davies is L&D Manager at Boots UK
Making human-centred leadership the norm
For organisations looking to truly embed HCL into their culture, the key is to develop leaders, at all levels, who understand how to harness the power of empathetic, inclusive conversations. Who embrace diverse perspectives and invite a co-created, shared vision. Who understand how to motivate through courage and connection for high performance.
It’s not just about being nice; it’s about caring and creating conditions where people can do their best work
This isn’t a one-off initiative – it’s an ongoing commitment to shifting mindsets and behaviours. A few key strategies to help make this shift sustainable include:
- Investing in leadership development – Equip leaders with the skills to engage their teams meaningfully. This means providing development not just in technical skills, but in emotional and social intelligence, communication and how to create trust-filled environments where people can thrive.
- Encouraging a coaching culture – Move from a directive approach to one that encourages curiosity, listening and learning. Instead of telling people what to do, ask more questions, help them find their own solutions, and create a culture where continuous human growth is the norm.
- Embedding Conversational Wisdom® – Teach leaders the art of deep listening and powerful questioning. The best leaders aren’t those who have all the answers, but those who make others feel heard, valued, and empowered to contribute their ideas.
- Fostering cross-functional collaboration – Break down silos and create opportunities for diverse teams to share insights. When people from different backgrounds, teams and lived experience come together, fresh thinking emerges, and organisations become more agile and innovative.
- Recognising and rewarding human-centred leadership – Celebrate those who model courage, empathy and meaningful engagement. Whether it’s through formal awards, peer recognition, or simply a heartfelt thank-you, acknowledging great leadership reinforces the behaviours you want to see more of.
What can you do to lead with more humanity?
Here are three ways you can start embedding HCL in your organisation today:
- Prioritise real conversations – Move beyond surface-level check-ins and create space for meaningful, deeper discussions.
- Encourage more openness, not agreement – Foster an environment where people can challenge ideas and express themselves honestly.
- Recognise effort, not just outcomes – Celebrate the work that goes into results, not just the end product.
The future of leadership is human
Human-centred leadership isn’t a fad or a buzzword, it’s a way of leading that makes work more meaningful, more productive and more sustainable for everyone involved. The question isn’t whether organisations should embrace it; the question is, can they afford not to?
True leadership isn’t about power and control – it’s about supporting, challenging, inspiring and enabling people to thrive. Organisations that embrace human-centred leadership, can become workplaces where the full experience of being human is recognised. Where people feel valued, heard and motivated to bring their creativity, and embrace the changes we all face while doing their best work.
Emily Cosgrove and Sara Hope are Co-founders of The Conversation Space and authors of Conversational Wisdom: Strengthening Human Connection Through the Power of Conversation
