Leading in a BANI World: Why Belonging and Empathy Matter More Than Ever
Reflection from the Herrmann NZ Conference — THRIVE 2025
By Ainslie Malcolm
Earlier this month, our team attended the Herrmann NZ THRIVE 2025 Conference — a powerful reminder of how fast leadership is evolving and why empathy, belonging, and adaptability are now essential to thriving in today’s world of work.
From VUCA to BANI
We’ve shifted from a VUCA world (volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous) to a BANI world (brittle, anxious, nonlinear, incomprehensible).
VUCA described the world around us; BANI describes how we experience it.
In this new environment, clarity and control alone won’t get us through. What people need most from their leaders now is empathy, adaptability, and psychological safety — the confidence that it’s okay to speak up, question, and be human.
Belonging Builds Sustainability
Belonging isn’t a “soft” concept — it’s a performance driver. When people feel safe, seen, and valued, they’re more creative, committed, and collaborative. Belonging fuels retention, innovation, and wellbeing — the true foundations of sustainable organisations.
Seeing Through Different Lenses
The conference explored how each person views the world differently — through lenses of Power/Fear, Honor/Shame, or Innocence/Guilt.
Each worldview shapes how we define trust, respect, and fairness.
Great leaders don’t force one lens — they recognise and integrate differences, creating environments where clarity, connection, and integrity can coexist.
Empathy Is a Thinking Skill
Empathy isn’t just a feeling — it’s a way of thinking.
True empathy blends:
Emotional empathy – feeling with others
Cognitive empathy – understanding how others think
Empathic concern – showing care through action
Through the Whole Brain® model, we can see how people process information differently. Some focus on logic, some on structure, others on relationships or ideas. Effective teams value all four perspectives.
What Inclusive Leaders Do
Inclusive leadership isn’t about having all the answers — it’s about creating the space for others to bring theirs. The most effective leaders today:
Suspend judgement and listen first
Recognise and integrate diverse perspectives
Create psychological safety for open conversation
Model empathy and authenticity
Final Reflection
Leadership in 2025 and beyond is about balancing the head and the heart — the data and the dialogue, the system and the soul.
If we can create workplaces where people feel they belong, are understood, and can contribute fully, that’s when we truly thrive.
At People Passion, this is what we stand for. We help leaders build confidence in the human side of leadership — the part that balances strategy with empathy, performance with belonging, and structure with trust.
“Navigating the complexity of belonging equips organisations to continue to adapt and thrive.” – THRIVE 2025