Jacinda Ardern, ex-Prime Minister of New Zealand, discusses wielding a unique type of influence, titled "A Different Kind of Power".
In her local coffee shop near Boston, Jacinda Ardern, the ex-Prime Minister of New Zealand, finds herself just another customer. "I don't put my name on the order; it's too complicated!" she chuckles. The anonymity offers a stark contrast to her time in New Zealand, where she became the world's youngest female head of government at 37 years old.
I asked jokingly, "With your fame, do people start discussing politics with you over coffee here?"
"No. Not at all," she replies. "In fact, the barista mistook me for Toni Collette!"
Her days in the U.S. since leaving office two years ago have been spent as a fellow at Harvard University. She has also penned a new book, "A Different Kind of Power," set to be published June 3 by Crown.
On the title, she explains, "I think you know, there are different ways to lead. But I hope you also see that some of those character traits we often perceive as weaknesses — like imposter syndrome or even empathy — are incredible strengths."
Ardern's story revolves around finding her voice in New Zealand, a small nation of about five million people. "I never, ever saw myself becoming prime minister, ever," she says. In fact, her father intimated that she was too "thin-skinned" for politics.
Was he right? "He was absolutely right!" she laughs. "But I guess where I corrected him is, your sensitivity is your empathy. And goodness, don't we need a bit more of that?"
Ardern suddenly became the leader of New Zealand's left-leaning Labour Party ahead of the 2017 election. Weeks after winning, she stunned the world with an announcement: she was pregnant. Her journey, alongside her then-partner, now-husband Clarke, soon won her global attention.
Was she comfortable with the symbolism of her role? Ardern says, "I realized the importance of it when I first received a letter from someone on their way to work to tell their boss that they were having a baby, and they felt nervous about their boss' view of whether they could do their job. When they heard that I was pregnant, it gave her a level of confidence."
In 2019, the world watched as New Zealand faced a horrific mass shooting targeting Muslims in Christchurch, claiming more than 50 lives. In the face of this tragedy, Ardern led the charge for a ban on semi-automatic weapons.
I asked, "Why do you believe you and your colleagues in New Zealand were able to achieve gun control reform in the wake of such a catastrophe, while it seems difficult here in the U.S.?"
"I can't speak to the U.S. experience, but if we really wanted to say, 'We don't ever want this to happen again,' we needed to take tangible steps to demonstrate our commitment," Ardern responds.
Despite winning another election, Ardern's tenure in office was not without challenges. As the pandemic wore on, tensions grew over her government's COVID policies. In 2023, she stunned many by resigning, addressing Parliament, "You can be a nerd, a cryer, a hugger, you can be all of these things, and not only can you be here, you can lead, just like me."
Though she has left office, Ardern continues to monitor the turbulent political climate, offering perspectives on President Trump and his policies. "We are seeing people experience deep financial insecurity, and that has to be addressed by political leaders. I continue to hold that ideas of isolation or protectionism or closing ourselves off to remedy the issue actually doesn't remedy it in the long term, and has a long-term negative impact for some of the collective issues we need to address as a global community."
For now, Ardern is settling into her new normal, focusing on being "just a normal family." And whenever she is asked for advice — be it from a Harvard classroom or a world leader — Jacinda Ardern shares the same message: "Be kind. That principle of kindness, it's something we teach our kids. Why shouldn't we role model that in the way that we conduct ourselves in politics?"
"Jacinda Ardern often finds herself discussing general news, not politics, during her coffee breaks in the U.S.,"
"Despite her global influence, Ardern's focus has shifted from politics to promoting kindness, a message she shares from her position at Harvard University."
