Human-Centric: A Paradigm-Shifting Prescription For Better Leadership

Forbes

3 days ago

'A lot of people speak about good leadership,' she said. Then she paused, '…but, I find that not a lot of people actually practice good leadership.'
Those words caught my attention. Her pause caught my attention. And, her sincerity caught my attention. Why? The words themselves were quite simple. However, the thing that really grabbed my attention was the fact that I didn't know anything about this woman yet. And, still, she began our conversation by talking about a concept that almost all of us find extremely familiar—connection.
Human-Centric Leadership
Tiana Homsani
Yes, most of us have worked for numerous types of leaders throughout our careers. Some are motivating and inspiring. Others can be soul-crushing and demoralizing. And, then, there some leaders that are, well, unfortunately forgettable.
'Can you explain?' I asked her. 'I'm super curious how you're going to define the concept of practicing good leadership?'
'Good leadership is human-centric,' she added. 'Start with the people, and the results will follow.'
That's when my mind was blown—with straight-forward, paradigm-shifting, clarity.
These words were spoken by Tiana Homsani, a globally-respected executive who has built a stellar career in the pharmaceutical industry, consumer goods, and beyond. She's built a leadership reputation at iconic companies like Abbot, Roche, Novartis, GE, Michelin, and today she works at Takeda.
I personally have been writing, researching, and speaking about leadership my entire career. I've interviewed some of the most respected C-Suite Executives, and Thought-Leaders. I've heard all the theories. I've read all the global studies. But, 'human-centric-first' seemed so straightforward. It was almost too simple.
'To say human-centric-first, is one thing,' she said. 'To do it, is another.'
That level of simplicity was brilliance. It's not enough to say 'put people first.' A good leader actually has to live by their own words. And, Tiana Homsani has built a career creating stellar results based on this philosophy.
'I took an obscure path,' Homsani told me.
'Obscure?' I asked. 'I'm looking at your LinkedIn profile as we speak. 'Is consistent climbing obscure?'
Homsani continued to fill me in on her career path. She explained how she began her career with a degree in mechanical engineering. Then, she shifted into supply chain. And, as she continued to move forward she adjusted her skills into marketing—building a career managing brands, building teams, and understanding that something bigger than job skills, job function, and possibly even experience, education and intellect was the driving force behind her success. 'Yes, it was an obscure path,' Homsani continued. 'But, it gave me insights into something bigger—the act and practice of leadership.'
'What do you mean by that?' I asked.
'I got to experience good and bad leadership. I was able to work for leaders who were high-performing. I worked fear-based leaders. And, I was able to witness different leadership styles across various industries. Of course, I could say that the best leaders are those who are resilient, adaptable, goal-oriented, and even charismatic. And, all of things are important.'
'But?' I asked, feeling like she was leading me up to the big secret. 'You've got me on the edge of my seat. What's the big secret of great leadership?'
Homsani paused. It wasn't a pause that made me think she didn't know the answer. Instead, it was a pause that she was too humble to share. 'It's so simple,' she said, 'but once you witness it, you'll immediately recognize the greatest leaders from your past, and realize how you can become a better leader starting tomorrow.'
'…and, you've got my attention,' I blurted. 'What is it?'
'It's connecting with people,' she replied. 'Most leadership frameworks are broken because those frameworks ignore the core driver of performance—connection.'
She is right. Consider the leaders in your past who inspired the best from you. They weren't the fear-based leaders. They weren't the numbers-based leaders. They were the leaders who actually connected with you.
'Connect with people,' Homsani repeated. 'Great leadership isn't about knowing more than everyone else. It's about connecting with with everyone else and giving them greater opportunities to become the best version of themself. Looking back on my career, I realized that my best leaders were those who allowed me to give more, to give my all, and they actually connected with me as a human, rather than just an employee.'
'I like that,' I replied. I like that a lot. But, let me ask you a question. When connecting with people, what matters more to employees—the big moments or the small moments,' I asked.
'As leader, connections come in both big and small moments,' she replied. 'However, I think the daily small moments are the most meaningful. And, I can explain that. Often times when I'm leading new people, or a new team, and I'm connecting with them, I can clearly see their skepticism. They're wondering why I'm honestly trying to be so helpful—even with the little things. That's the job of a great leader.'
How can you connect with people on your teams? I asked Homsani to provide more paradigm-shifting steps any leader can use.
It's obvious after hearing how Tiana Homsani thinks and speaks, why she's become so successful as a leader. Her presence (even to a random interviewer like me) exudes kindness, compassion, and transparency. This left me with one final question. 'Tiana, you must get pushback from other leaders who maybe think your approach is too soft. Have you experienced pushback?'
And, that question, triggered the biggest smile during this entire conversation. 'Absolutely!' She replied. 'I once worked with another leader who was totally against my theories. In fact, was adamant that my theories couldn't compete. He told me we'd fail. I told him to hold that thought. I went and retrieved my team's numbers. And, just told him to take a look. Then, I waited for his response.'
'And, what'd he say?'
'His response was simply 'When can we start?''
She shifted his leadership paradigm.