Council Post: Two Questions That Can Change The Way You Lead

Subha V. Barry, presidenta de Seramount, frames leadership around two questions: “What is our intent?” and “Does this preserve and elevate human dignity?” She links the ideas to an observation from Oprah Winfrey at SHRM Annual Conference, emphasizing purposeful impact and the responsibility to protect dignity at work. Barry recounts a personal leadership lesson from early in her career, when she distrusted a manager; later, after her cancer diagnosis, that same manager supported her daily in hospital and advised that she shouldn’t step down while in crisis. From that experience, she argues leaders must resist assumptions and recognize every person as more than a job title. Leaders can use their platforms to create understanding, connection, and positive action.