Let’s Be Real: Leading with What Is Uniquely Human

Gone are the days when leaders were expected to have all the answers, mechanically citing statistics, stoically observing challenges from afar, or retreating to wood-paneled offices with a handful of senior advisors before speaking. Corner offices today are made of glass, literally and figuratively. It is not just that worker expectations have shifted and there is little breathing room between public and private profiles. Exciting developments in artificial intelligence promise to reshape the way we work and may even reshape entire industries, amplifying the interdependence of people and technology. Productivity growth in industries most exposed to AI (such as software and financial services) has nearly quadrupled since 2022, while growth in less-exposed industries has declined.

To meet the moment, leaders must lean into three uniquely human qualities: authenticity, creativity, and a drive for meaning. These qualities exist in people, not machines, and leaning into them will help our teams—and tools—realize their full potential. 

Authenticity Premium

Perhaps counterintuitively, vulnerability—a poignantly human trait—has become a strategic asset. Seeing leaders as real people facing challenges and seizing opportunities brings out the best in teams. Vulnerability can inspire connection among colleagues and engender trust. Surprisingly, of all the career perspectives I’ve shared over the years, the one that resonates most is my choice to pivot my professional ambitions at a moment when my personal priorities peaked. Many professional relationships have developed simply because I’ve shared the advice that you can stay in the game while doing it on your own terms.  

When we are open about our own priorities, challenges, and choices, we give others permission to do the same. Importantly, when leaders demonstrate how their personal and professional identities reinforce one another, we build credibility and invite greater commitment from our teams. 

Creativity at Work

In a highly interconnected world, getting work done often requires leveraging networks of relationships built on trust. While technology expands our capabilities, harnessing its true potential requires clarity on which problems need solving and collaboration across multidisciplinary teams to solve them. 

Leadership will be defined by our ability to connect, unlock ideas, and create real meaning. 

At a time when change happens quickly and along multiple fronts, the most compelling ideas can come from anywhere in an organization. Employees have their fingers on the pulse of emerging trends, new technologies, and evolving client expectations. A strong culture—one grounded in trust, curiosity, and respect for others—allows many voices to come together to create something new. According to a recent study, companies with strong cultures are 60 percent more likely to be innovators. 

Leaders can unlock creativity throughout the organization by establishing norms and processes that invite participation and thoughtful debate. True collaboration can be uncomfortable, often involving open disagreement up until the moment the leader communicates a decision, but it is usually worth the effort. The impact of the group is typically far greater than the sum of its parts. It is human collaboration that turns knowledge into innovation.

Illuminate Meaning

All of us want purpose and crave inspiration: If we are laying bricks, we want to know we are building a cathedral. It is the leader’s job to illuminate this meaning, often through storytelling. One of the best ways to create organizational resilience and a fully engaged workforce is to tie a firm’s origin story to its purpose. 

For most organizations, the “why” rarely changes, even as the “how” evolves with technology. When people understand the purpose behind their work, they are even more willing to adapt the “how.” For my firm, our reason for being is to deliver peace of mind to our clients at the moments in life when it matters most. It is a simple aspiration with a complicated path—one we have been on for 119 years, continually refining how we practice our craft. 

In an era when information is abundant, access is open, and machines become more humanlike, leadership will be defined by our ability to connect, unlock ideas, and create real meaning. Leaning on the best parts of our humanity will help us keep it real and preserve our competitive edge.