How To Be A More Human Leader

“To be most effective in today’s environment, leaders must be human leaders. Human leaders must be able to lead not only with their heads but also with their hearts and souls,” says veteran executive coach Hortense le Gentil, author of the new book, The Unlocked Leader: Dare to Free Your Own Voice, Lead with Empathy, and Shine Your Light in the World.

She adds, “In addition to being respected, seen, and valued, employees also seek leaders who feel human, not distant and perfect beings with whom they can’t connect.”

Additionally, leaders need to put the collective interest before their own and work hard to make other people’s good ideas happen.

“And although the book focuses on leadership at work, each of us is a complete individual, not a sum of separate, isolated parts. As such, the process presented in the book applies to all areas of your life,” shares the author.

She further explains that becoming a human leader is a journey, not a destination. Accordingly, the book covers that journey via three parts:

Part 1 – Understanding what a mindtrap is and identifying your own, as well as the voices behind it. Most commonly, mindtraps are mental obstacles that ground you in old ways of thinking, sap your energy, and hold back your company and employees.

Part 2 – Learning to shift your mindtrap out of the way. Finding the courage to challenge your mindtraps and confronting your fears.

Part 3 – Adopting and maintaining a new perspective and putting your human leadership into practice (mindbuild). Reimaging the kind of leader you can be, and then strategically putting this image into action.

The journey to becoming a human leader can profoundly transform leaders and employees alike, and help companies function better as a whole. “In fact, human leaders make their greatest impact by changing the way they connect. This starts a chain reaction across organizations and interconnected networks of human relationships,” shares the author.

Hortense le Gentil

Earlier this year, the author shared these additional insights with us:

Question: What is the primary takeaway you hope business leaders will take away from your book?

Hortense le Gentil: Each of us needs to identify what is making us feel “locked,” locate the source of your central obstacle – what I call a mindtrap – and begin to find our authentic voice. To “unlock” your leadership potential, you need to challenge your beliefs, face your fears, and leave behind what no longer serves you.

You can start today by taking time to reflect upon what kind of leader you want to be, learn to use your authentic voice, and make sure the story we’re writing is our own.

Question: How long should a person assume it will take them to transform from being an old-style, more traditional "superhero" leader to human leader?

Hortense le Gentil: There’s no timeframe or limit on how long any transformation will take – remember that human leadership is a journey, not a destination. Some leaders dramatically change their leadership style, listening skills, and empathic behaviors in a matter of weeks, while others take years to evolve. What matters most is our commitment to change.

Combining real life stories, psychological insights, research, and actionable tools, The Unlocked Leader is a timely and powerful guide for those who strive to lead not just with their heads, but with their hearts and souls—inspiring many others in the service of something bigger than themselves.

Thank you to the book’s publisher for sending me an advance copy of the book, authored by Hortense le Gentil with Caroline Lambert.

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