Developing People First Leaders - The Key to Building Successful Teams
Your employee engagement, retention, and well-being is more important than ever. The concept of “people-first” leadership has emerged as a better way to work for organisations that are future ready. Leaders who prioritise their people - focusing on trust, empathy, and development, get better team performance, foster innovation, and create a culture where everyone can thrive. And as we move into what could be an extremely challenging year for many sectors, it could be exactly what we need.
But what does it take to develop people-first leaders? And how can organisations utilise this mindset to build successful teams? A people first approach is a framework of leadership and in this article I’m going to share some actionable steps so you can start cultivating it within your organisation.
What is a “people first” approach?
People-first leadership puts the needs and growth of employees at the heart of managerial decision-making. Instead of prioritising short-term results, people-first leaders focus on creating environments where employees feel valued, supported, and motivated.
Forbes contributor, Thomas Jensen, summarises it like this “People-first leaders know their colleagues and put their well-being first and business next. They take care of the people, and in return, the people take care of the business”
The key skills that people leaders possess are -
Empathy: Understanding and addressing the needs, challenges, and aspirations of their team.
Trust-Building: Able to create an environment where employees feel safe to express ideas and take risks.
Development-Focused: They prioritise growth through coaching, mentoring, and skill-building opportunities.
Transparency: They are able to communicate openly and honestly.
Personal reflection: They are honest with themselves about how their actions and decisions impact others.
Early on in my career, I attended leadership training where managers were encouraged to focus on processes first and people second. The idea was that processes were predictable, measurable, and essential to success, whereas people were seen as variables to fit into those processes. Whilst this way might have seemed completely logical at the time, I quickly learned it was seriously flawed. Focusing on processes at the expense of people created rigidity, stopped innovation in its tracks, and led to disengaged teams who struggled to take ownership. It wasn’t until I began to shift my mindset to prioritise my team members’ needs and well-being that I saw a shift in productivity and morale.
Another pivotal moment came later in my career when I received feedback through a 360 assessment. I was warned in no uncertain terms that my empathetic approach would get in the way of making tough business decisions. Whilst I’m sure this advice was well-intentioned, it reflected a common misconception: that empathy and decisiveness are mutually exclusive. In reality, empathy has been one of my greatest strengths as a leader. It’s allowed me to make tough decisions while still supporting teams I’ve led and worked with whilst maintaining their trust.
The Business Case for People-First Leadership
In his article for Forbes “People First: A Framework for Modern Leaders Thomas” Jensen says “It’s both a personal mindset adopted by leaders and a company mindset with policies the organization commits to following. And it must be more than a few significant benefits like great lunches, bring-your-dog-to-work or on-campus bikes. When you dig deeper, very often such benefits come at the cost of overworked, stressed-out employees that struggle to find balance in their lives”
Lets quickly run through the key benefits of adopting a people first approach to leadership -
Engagement and Retention - Research consistently shows that employees who feel valued are more engaged and less likely to leave. A Gallup study found that companies with high employee engagement are 21% more profitable.
Improved Performance - Teams led by people-first leaders are more collaborative, and innovative. When employees feel supported, they are more likely to contribute their best ideas and efforts.
Resilience During Change - Organisations face constant change, and leaders who prioritise people build resilient teams that can adapt and thrive when things might be tough
Attracting talent - People seek out organisations that prioritise their well-being and development.
How to do a people-first approach
Start with Emotional Intelligence - Emotional intelligence (EQ) is the foundation of people-first leadership. Training should help leaders develop self-awareness, empathy, and relationship-building skills.
Prioritise Coaching and Mentoring Skills - People-first leaders are also coaches who guide their teams toward success. Invest in training managers to ask open-ended questions, provide constructive feedback, and support employee growth.
Inclusive Leadership - Inclusive leaders ensure that every team member feels valued and heard. Teach leaders how to recognise and challenge unconscious biases, create diverse teams, and embrace different perspectives.
Active Listening and Communication - People-first leaders listen more than they speak - Equip your leaders with tools to enhance their listening and communication skills.
Leadership Development and organisation’s values - Embed people-first principles into the organisation's framework. Evaluate leaders based on team engagement, trust, and development outcomes.
The ripple effect
When leaders prioritise their people, the benefits go beyond each team - there is a ripple effect across the organisation BUT in order for it to work the whole senior leadership team has to buy into it. A people first approach needs commitment from everyone at every level of leadership within the business or it won’t work. Culture is made up of actions and behaviours each reinforcing the values of the organisation. You are what you do, not what you say.
Culture, sustained success and increased innovation
Developing people-first leaders isn’t just a trend; it’s a necessity for organisations who want to continue to thrive. My own experiences have shown me that putting people first isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s the smart thing to do. By equipping leaders with the tools to prioritise trust, empathy, and development, organisations can build teams that are engaged, resilient, and innovative. In 2025 and beyond, the most successful organisations will be those that understand the power of putting people first.
I’ve recently produced a white paper based on my own research and making a series of recommendations about what leadership training and development needs to look like if it’s going to equip future leaders with the skills and tools they need to thrive. Current models of leadership development are not fit for purpose and don’t meet the needs of new and emerging leaders who have to juggle a myriad of challenges including well being, diversity and inclusion and AI. If you’re a CEO, Senior Executive or CPO looking for smart ways to develop your people download the whitepaper here.