
Human Leadership Connection
Connecting through human-focused leadership
Blog: Reflections on Human-Focused Leadership
13 de janeiro de 2026 · Team Culture,Employee Development,Hiring,Leadership DevelopmentA colleague reached out to me one day asking if I'd be willing to meet with their spouse. The...6 de janeiro de 2026 · Team CultureA reader recently asked me about the following scenario: "As a leader, how do you deal with...30 de dezembro de 2025As the year comes to a close, everyone is focusing on the New Year, setting resolutions or...23 de dezembro de 2025"Feedback is a gift." These are the last words I was expecting to hear from that particular...16 de dezembro de 2025Several years ago, I had intern who spent 12 weeks of their summer working on an assignment that...9 de dezembro de 2025With the year quickly coming to a end, we are right in the heat of what I call "Crazy Season". ...2 de dezembro de 2025"You're the best manager I've ever had." These words from an internal transfer surprised me. ...25 de novembro de 2025I am continually evaluating my leadership style and making tweaks to become the best leader I can...18 de novembro de 2025I once found myself in the position of simultaneously leading a team while also deep in the...11 de novembro de 2025I was born to create. I create at work and at home. Teams, relationships, communities, sweaters,...More PostsTeam Member Insights
“Jessica was my leader for multiple years, and she always put the person in the role first. She advocated for me to attend technical trainings to ensure that I was challenged and always learning. She ensured that on days when changes were happening in the world around us, we had the space to focus on mental health. She has been a role-model to me as a strong people leader.”
— Maggie M.
"Jessica has the interpersonal and communications skills to solve the world's problems. She recently allowed me to realize that I CAN figure things out while surrounded by the unknown, regarding a stretch goal role in the workplace. She can see my potential and helps me see it, too. Witnessing Jessica operate inspires me to push myself. She is fearless and is making moves for herself and influencing others to make them, too. I call Jessica a "catalyst" for she is causing reactions and change merely by being herself and living to her values."
— Carly T.
"Jessica's leadership is centered around empowering her team with the support and trust they need to thrive. She fosters an environment where individuals are encouraged to pursue their passions, allowing them to excel and grow. Her approach balances flexibility with fairness, ensuring a healthy work-life balance for everyone.
As a result, she cultivates an energetic, team-driven atmosphere where open communication and trust are at the forefront. This leads to a high-performance culture that consistently delivers exceptional results for the company."— Clinton M.
About
What is Human-focused Leadership?
Human-focused leadership puts people first. By prioritizing the well-being and growth of individuals we enable them to show up as their best self in a team environment. Human-focused leaders engage in active listening, promote professional growth, and build cultures where team members feel valued and understood.
Why is Human-focused leadership important?
Human-focused leadership creates an environment in which team members feel valued, respected and connected. People who know that they are seen, heard and appreciated experience a stronger sense of belonging, overcome challenges through perserverance, and feel a higher sense of satisfaction. When team culture is open and accepting, people are able to create and innovate freely.
How can I improve my leadership skills?
The essential element to being a strong leader is building trust with the members of your team. Trust is built on open, honest and transparent* communication. Practicing curiosity, engaging in self-reflection, and modelling vulnerability equip you with trust-building tools and enable you to create a psychologically safe environment for your team.
*Transparency doesn't always mean sharing every detail you know. Sometimes transparency means acknowledging that you have information that you are not at liberty to share.

Hi, I'm Jessica. I've been a leader all my life. In high school and college, I was on the leadership team for the local chapter of a national volunteer organization.
Early in my career I became known for being able to lead without authority and was regularly tagged to lead up special projects. As my career evolved, I've spent time as a technical team lead, a leader of leaders and leading in a management role. People are the key resource in any group and I'm passionate about putting the people first. In my experience, when we put people first, we can accomplish incredible things.
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©2025 - Jessica K. Larson
