From the early 1980s, I aspired to occupy leadership positions. It was never about ego, title, or status. I simply loved people and I wanted the absolute best for them. Many of the leadership principles I used came naturally to me and are more applicable today than ever.
As a leader, I loved inspiring people, nothing brought me greater joy than witnessing someone I was leading accomplish a goal they had set for themselves. I believed then, and I continue to believe today, that people are capable of extraordinary things when they have someone in their corner. Someone who sees their value, believes in their potential, and encourages them from the sidelines to keep going, keep growing, and keep taking care of themselves along the way.
Self-care has always been part of my leadership philosophy. Not simply for me, but for the people I had the privilege of leading. We cannot continually give our best to our work, our families, our communities, or ourselves if we are consistently neglecting our emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual well-being.
I never assumed that self-care would look the same for everyone. As leaders, our responsibility is not to prescribe what well-being should look like, but to encourage it, and help create workplace cultures, systems, and policies that genuinely support it. At the same time, we must encourage personal accountability. Organizations have a responsibility for workplace well-being, and so do the people we lead.
Early in my career, I also recognized something we sometimes forget: people do not leave their lives at the door when they come to work. We arrive carrying responsibilities, worries, relationships, disappointments, hopes, losses, and experiences that may never appear on a résumé or in a staff meeting. Those realities can influence how we show up, how we communicate, and how we respond to others. That is why self-awareness, emotional intelligence and empathy matter so much.
People need to feel safe at work. Safe to be themselves. Safe to express an idea.
Safe to offer a differing opinion. Safe to disagree respectfully. Safe to ask for help.
Safe to make a mistake and learn from it.
I also learned early in my career as a leader, the importance of courageous conversations and dealing with the little things before they become big things. I was never afraid to engage with the tough stuff, and I encouraged others to do the same. Avoiding difficult conversations rarely makes problems disappear; more often, it simply gives them time and space to grow.
And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention one of my favourite leadership essentials: FUN!
I knew at a very early age that I could not and would not lead an organization where there is no room for laughter. Work can be demanding and serious without every moment having to feel heavy. Everyone has a funny bone, and I believe we should exercise it regularly. Laughter connects us. It reminds us of our humanity and can bring a little light into even the most challenging days.
Finally, I have always believed deeply in ongoing learning and professional development. People need opportunities to stretch, discover, question, learn, and become more of who they are capable of becoming. Great leaders don’t simply manage today’s performance; they help people see tomorrow’s possibilities, while continuing their own professional development as well.
When I look back over my years in leadership, the principles that mattered most were never particularly complicated:
Believe in people.
Create safety.
Encourage well-being.
Have the courageous conversation.
Make room for laughter.
Keep learning.
Create opportunities for people to grow.
Simple? Perhaps. Easy? Not always.
In my opinion, leadership was never supposed to be something we simply have. Leadership is something we do. Leadership is a verb. It is an honour and a privilege. And ultimately, leadership isn’t about the leader, it is about the people we have been entrusted to support, encourage, challenge, and inspire. Years ago, I heard a quote that beautifully captured the kind of leader I wanted to be:
“A leader doesn’t walk into a room and take up space. A leader walks into a room and creates space.”
Space for people to speak.
Space for people to grow.
Space for people to stumble and try again.
Space for people to breathe.
Space for people to become.
After all these years, these simple truths/principles continue to guide how I lead. It has been both a privilege and an honour to lead in a way that is heart-centred, creates psychological safety, and reminds people of their value. Because behind every title, role, responsibility, and expectation is a human being with a beating heart, someone who deserves to feel seen, encouraged, supported, and valued. Especially in these changing and challenging times, that kind of leadership matters.
Rosita Hall
Professional Speaker, Trainer, Coach, Canadian Best-Selling Author
