Humanizing Leadership: A Framework for Creating Just and Liberatory Workplaces
- Dr. Ashlee Gutierrez
- Oct 24, 2024
- 3 min read
How grounded reimagination, restorative love, and calculated disruption drive meaningful change.
In an era marked by rapid technological advancement, global interconnectedness, and increasing social consciousness, traditional leadership models are falling short. The challenges organizations face demand a new approach – one that recognizes and nurtures the full humanity of every individual while delivering measurable outcomes. Through extensive academic research and work with leaders across industries, I have developed a new approach: the Humanizing Leadership framework. This is more than just a feel-good philosophy; it's a strategic imperative for organizations aiming to thrive in our complex, diverse world.
The urgency for this approach is driven by several factors. Organizations face mounting pressure to address systemic inequities while managing increasingly complex operational demands. The modern workforce, particularly younger generations, seeks purpose and community alongside compensation. Additionally, solving multifaceted organizational challenges requires diverse perspectives and collaborative approaches that traditional leadership models often fail to foster.
This framework synthesizes three theoretical perspectives: Culturally Responsive Leadership’s emphasis on context and reflection, Indigenous Decolonial Leadership’s focus on collective knowledge, and Black Feminist Theory's centering of healing and transformative love. From these foundations emerge three core principles that form the humanizing leadership framework.
Grounded Reimagination
Grounded reimagination represents the intersection of present reality and future possibility. It's the bridge between 'what is' and 'what could be,' enabling organizations to innovate responsibly and create meaningful change. Without this principle, leaders risk either becoming too entrenched in established patterns or pursuing unrealistic transformations.
Implementation requires four key practices:
Context Audits: Leaders must analyze their organization's history and present state, examining experiences across different demographics to uncover hidden patterns and narratives.
Diverse Information Gathering: Intentionally seek perspectives that challenge assumptions, engaging with voices typically underrepresented in organizational discourse.
Collaborative Visioning: Involve stakeholders from all levels in imagining and planning the organization's future.
Iterative Implementation: Test new ideas through small-scale experiments, allowing for learning and adaptation before full deployment.
Restorative Love
Restorative love transcends traditional notions of workplace relationships to create environments of genuine care, empathy, and connection. In high-stress environments where employees often feel commodified, this principle prioritizes human connection and well-being, fostering psychological safety that drives innovation and engagement.
Five actionable strategies support implementation:
Practice Active Listening: Create dedicated space for authentic dialogue, focusing on understanding rather than responding.
Prioritize Connection: Begin meetings with brief check-ins, building relationships before addressing tasks.
Establish Restoration Protocols: Develop clear processes for addressing conflicts and repairing harm.
Recognize Whole Persons: Celebrate achievements and milestones beyond work accomplishments.
Model Self-Care: Demonstrate the importance of well-being through personal practice.
Calculated Disruption
This principle focuses on strategic advocacy and risk-taking to drive positive change. It requires leaders to question status quo practices while maintaining organizational stability. Calculated disruption helps organizations root out limiting mindsets and behaviors, fostering environments where innovation and diverse perspectives thrive.
Implementation strategies look like:
Encourage Diverse Problem-Solving: Create space for multiple approaches and methodologies.
Institute 'Disrupt Days': Designate time for questioning assumptions and testing new approaches.
Redefine Professional Norms: Expand definitions of professional behavior to include emotional intelligence and diverse leadership styles.
Practice Reverse Mentoring: Partner junior and senior team members to share diverse perspectives.
Cultivate Learning-Focused Culture: Shift from perfectionism to growth mindset.
Creating more equitable and effective organizations requires leadership approaches that balance human needs with organizational objectives. The humanizing leadership framework offers practical strategies for this transformation while acknowledging implementation challenges. The framework should be viewed as dynamic rather than prescriptive, adapting to unique organizational contexts while maintaining core humanizing principles. While this approach requires significant investment, organizations embracing these principles often see improved engagement, innovation, and performance.
The future of leadership must be more human – not despite business imperatives but because of them. By embracing humanizing leadership, we have the opportunity to not only create more fulfilling work environments but also to drive innovation, enhance productivity, and ultimately build a more just and joyful society. The future of leadership is human – and the time to start is now.
Dr. Ashlee Gutierrez (she/her) is a scholar-practitioner focused on designing equitable systems and developing inclusive organizational cultures. As Executive Director and Chief Learning Officer at the Bay Area Teacher Training Institute and Professor of DEI, Organizational Effectiveness, and Leadership Development at Touro University, she specializes in creating data-driven frameworks that interrupt systemic inequities and foster authentic professional growth.
