The Hidden Power of Kindness: Rethinking Leadership for Sustainable Success
By Helen Wada with Natalie Semmes
Redefining Leadership for the Human Era
In a compelling episode of the Human Wise Podcast, I welcomed the inspiring Natalie Semmes—technology leader, former KPMG partner, and now a passionate advocate for kindness in the workplace. Our conversation delved deeply into why kindness, far from being a fluffy add-on, is both a human imperative and a commercial advantage in today's business world.
Helen: “If we’re putting our people first, if we’re thinking about others, you know, it's about, actually, first, it's about understanding ourselves… being kind to ourselves as well as kind to others...that's also an important distinction.”
Natalie's journey—from steering major technological transformations for banking giants, to confronting a life-altering cancer diagnosis—not only shaped her philosophy but also led to the founding of Elfkare, her organisation dedicated to enabling people and companies to prosper through the power of kindness.
Kindness is a Commercial Advantage
Natalie’s passion is rooted in experience and research. Having led transformative projects across IBM, Barclays, and KPMG, she explains, “I really love driving value for organisations...it gave me this inspiration to get up in the morning and do something amazing for people and make a difference to people.”
But it was her own health crisis that forged her belief in kindness as a force multiplier. Recalling a touching gesture from someone she’d never even met Natalie realised, “The most important thing in life are other people... because that really showed me that kindness isn't necessarily about grand gestures. It’s… just a moment of connection with somebody else. Right? A human to human connection.”
This experience catalysed her mission: to champion kindness as a vital leadership quality, not just for ethical reasons, but because—simply put—it works.
Why Kindness Delivers Business Results
Despite the narrative that prioritises hard-nosed tactics and relentless short-term focus, the data tells a different story. Both Natalie and I highlighted recent Gallup reports demonstrating stagnant, even worsening, employee engagement—especially in the UK. We asked: What’s broken?
Natalie: “The more that we advance as a society and with technology and with AI...we think these things are going to drive massive productivity improvements for businesses...yet we're at a time where productivity is at an all-time low... and so is employee engagement... in the UK, we're probably one of the lowest...You’ve got to ask yourself why.”
The answer lies in leadership approach. Traditional economic models prioritise individual utility and self-interest, leaving little space for collective wellbeing or collaboration. But Natalie points to robust new research: “Kind businesses outperform unkind businesses by 34% EBITDA over a ten year period, which is incredible.” Furthermore, 75% of what drives employee engagement is linked to kindness, through clarity, connection, care, and recognition.
Helen: “If we're not creating the space, we're running a serious risk that, actually, we're making the wrong decisions, and those wrong decisions will impact the business rather than looking at sustainable success where you need to be for the long term.”
Being Human at Work: A Strategic Imperative
We explored what it means to be human at work—a question at the heart of our podcast. Drawing on evolutionary anthropology, Natalie referenced Oxford’s Professor Robin Dunbar: “Our brains are wired to thrive in an environment where you have real connection with other humans...that is how our brains have evolved, and we evolved to help each other out—you know, to hunt together.”
As I shared from my own practice, self-knowledge and compassion are prerequisites for effective leadership: “We do need to take time to understand who we are and how we show up. Too often we all find ourselves on the roller coaster of a race to a never ending finish line…”
The paradox is clear: pushing people to their limits in pursuit of numbers leads only to burnout and diminished performance. Yet, as leaders, when we prioritise kindness and authentic connection, we create environments where people not only survive but truly thrive.
Natalie: “When we're flat out, we burn out...we need to take that time to step back and actually be kind to ourselves to refuel ourselves so that we are able then to care for others so we can show up for our people, right, and for our clients.”
Rethinking Skills: Kindness, Curiosity, and Human Connection
The future of work is changing, with AI and automation disrupting old models. But, as Natalie noted, “One third of the skills related to human connection and kindness...are what people need to thrive in the future to 2030.”
I reinforced this with my commercial focus on a coaching approach: “We talk about the importance of coaching skills for leadership but actually, they're the skills that you need to be out there in the marketplace with your customers. They're no longer just leadership skills. For me, they're essential commercial skills to focus on your customers, get curious and connect with them as human beings. They are skills that enable us to build sustainable businesses.”
Whether it’s curiosity, empathy, or listening, these “human skills” are now the essential toolkit for anyone leading teams, serving clients, or building relationships that last
Overcoming Challenges: Practical Strategies for Human-Centred Success
So why, despite all this evidence, do so many companies still cut learning, development, and well-being budgets?
Natalie shared that organisation like Accenture, under CEO Julie Sweet, are bucking the trend. “They have not only invested heavily in learning and development, but they doubled down on it... it’s about investing in the right skills that will help your people feel confident...not just survive, but thrive in today's world.”
The lesson is clear: commercial resilience and human dignity go hand-in-hand. Building a culture anchored in kindness makes commercial sense, fuels innovation, and dramatically improves engagement and retention.
Practical Steps to Activate Kindness in Leadership
Natalie and I crystallised several actionable strategies for embedding kindness at the centre of leadership:
Set Boundaries and Model Self-Care: Leaders must “put their own oxygen mask on,” knowing when to rest and recharge so they can support others effectively.
Cultivate Curiosity and Listening: Ask questions, build trust, and create safety for honest dialogue—whether with teams or clients.
Invest in Human Skills Development: Double down on essential people skills, recognising their foundational role in sustainable business growth.
Value Small Gestures: Whether it’s a thank-you note or a simple “How are you?”, small acts of kindness can reshape an individual’s experience—and even their career trajectory.
Focus on Return on Integrity: As Natalie beautifully put it, “It’s not about return on investment—it’s about return on integrity.”
Final Reflections: Kindness is Strength
The Human Wise Podcast continues to champion the truth that sustainable success springs from our courage to be kind and our commitment to the collective good.
Helen: “As we continue to evolve, marrying strategic goals with human-centred approaches will define our capability to succeed. It's about valuing human potential as much as commercial outcomes.”
Natalie’s call to action perfectly encapsulates the ethos of our discussion: “Ask yourself, what does kindness mean for you in your business? And ask yourself, can you just practice one small act of kindness today?... Go out there and do something that's going to make a difference to somebody else and see what impact it has on them and feel what impact it has on you, and you will be surprised.”
Listen to the full podcast episode with Natalie Semmes for deeper insights and connect with us on LinkedIn to keep this vital conversation moving forward. New episodes of Human Wise drop weekly, exploring the intersection of leadership, humanity, and commercial success.
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For further resources or collaboration, please get in touch. Let’s make kindness the norm—because kindness pays.