As economic uncertainty, employee disengagement, and layoffs persist, it's crucial for leaders to focus on both organizational goals and employee development. According to a Gartner study, prioritizing a human-centric work model enhances productivity, retention, and business outcomes.
On May 23, we gathered experts at our popular Elevate by Slido event to discuss transitioning from management to effective, human-centered leadership.
The event featured Abigail Marks (Newcastle University) on work-life integration, Liz Selman (The School of Life) on the necessary emotional skills, and Leah Roe (The Perk) on intentional trust-building. Practical Slido applications and best practices from Sabine Brossart (Slido) and insights into the daily life of leaders from Thomas Reyto (Slack) and Stephanie Gerry (Atlassian) rounded out the event.
Explore these transformative ideas and actionable tips from our esteemed speakers.
Insights and Strategies from our speakers
The Intensity of Modern Work
Abigail Marks of Newcastle University discussed the growing intensity of work and its integration with personal life, emphasizing the need for managers to lead with kindness, understanding, and active listening.
Recording from Abigail’s session 👇
Personal Values in Leadership
Liz Selman from The School of Life highlighted the evolving nature of emotional intelligence in leadership. She urged leaders to understand their own values and how they manifest in actions. Empathy and transparency were common values among participants.
If you’d like to learn more about activities on how to build emotional intelligence, you can download The School of Life’s resource.
Recording from Liz’ session 
Trust by Design
Leah Roe from The Perk introduced five core trust-building behaviours that make up a framework for managers who strive for human-centric leadership in their teams.
Connect: Build relationships through presence and active listening.
Create: emotional and psychological safety through vulnerability.
Commit: Demonstrate reliability and follow-through.
Clear: Ensure clarity and consistency in communication.
Celebrate: Recognize and appreciate achievements.
To learn more about the framework, download Leah Roe’s resource.
Recording from Leah’s session
Using Slido for Team Engagement
Sabine Brossart provided practical ways to use Slido for building connections and creating safe spaces in team meetings. She suggested starting meetings with an icebreaker poll and utilizing Slido’s features to recognize and celebrate team members.
Download the slides with more Slido ideas and best practices.
Recording from Sabine’s session
Human-Centric Leadership
Thomas Reyto of Slack emphasized authenticity and individual connections with team members. He also discussed building psychological safety through honesty and transparency.
Recording from Thomas’ session
Growth and Development
Stephanie Gerry from Atlassian underscored the importance of genuine interest in team members and frequent conversations about their goals. She shared remote work tips, including the use of asynchronous communication tools like Loom.
Recording from Stephanie’s session
Human-First Leadership
In a conversation with Jamie Hamilton, Stephanie defined human-centered leadership as taking a genuine interest in direct reports and maintaining regular one-on-one interactions. Audience responses highlighted the significance of empathy, active listening, and transparency.
In conclusion, let's circle back to the very beginning of the event. In the opening remarks, Pavol Dudrik, Slido’s General Manager, emphasized that human-centric leadership begins with managers. They have to be the change they want to see in the workplace, they must embody all the knowledge and practices discussed by our great speakers. And one of those practices is listening. Those who listen will hear the demand for supportive management, understanding and support.
So, take a break, and watch the session recordings above.