Word Count: 800

Leadership Theories – Jacinda Ardern

Jacinda Ardern was born on July the 26 th, 1980 in Hamilton New Zealand where she attended
primary and secondary schooling. Ardern went on to earn a bachelor's degree in Communication
Studies in Politics and Public Relations from the University of Waikato. 1 Arden first got involved in
politics at 17, joining the Labour Party campaign in New Zealand. 2 She then traveled to Britain to
serve as an associate director for British Prime Minister Tony Blair. 3 In 2007 she was elected
president of the International Union of Socialist Youth which took her to destinations such as Algeria,
China, Jordan and Lebanon. In 2008 Ardern lost an election as Labor’s candidate for MP of the
Waikato district by 13,000 votes. In 2017 Arden won a landslide victory where she was elected as
New Zealand Prime Minister at the age of 37. 4

Trait Leadership Theory suggests that certain innate qualities an individual is born with makes them
a leader. These traits include openness, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness and
neuroticism.5 Jacinda Ardern has demonstrated the tendency to be conscientious from a young age.
This is exemplified through her active involvement in high school leadership where she convinced
the high school board to incorporate trousers in the girl’s uniform. 6 Ardern also joined various
Human Right Action Groups and was the founding member of Students Against Driving Drunk
Group.7 These actions demonstrate that Ardern was conscientious from a young age through being
involved in leadership roles and activism. Ardern also demonstrates a high degree of openness. This
is exemplified during her childhood where she grew up in the Mormon church which is highly
conservative. Despite this Ardern has advocated for gay rights and has joined LGBTQI+ Pride Parades
and has banned conversion therapy.8 Ardern has stated that “My support and advocacy of the
rainbow community runs deep with me and goes back a very long way”. 9 This displays a high degree
of openness despite her upbringing in the conservative Mormon church and a factor in the Trait
Leadership Theory. These examples illustrate Ardern’s Need for Achievement through her desire to
solve problems, get results, accomplish goals and her need to make positive changes.

1
Jacinda Ardern n.d., Britannica, viewed 30 September 2022,
<https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jacinda-Ardern/The-2017-election>.
2
Jacinda Ardern n.d., Britannica, viewed 30 September 2022,
<https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jacinda-Ardern/The-2017-election>.
3
Jacinda Ardern n.d., Britannica, viewed 30 September 2022,
<https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jacinda-Ardern/The-2017-election>.
4
Jacinda Ardern n.d., Britannica, viewed 30 September 2022,
<https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jacinda-Ardern/The-2017-election>.
5
Miles, M 2022, Are people born leaders? Debunking the trait theory of leadership, BetterUp,
viewed 18 October 2022, <https://www.betterup.com/blog/trait-theory-of-leadership>.
6
Fifield, A 2019, New Zealand’s prime minister receives worldwide praise for her response to the
mosque shootings, viewed 18 October 2022,
<https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2019/03/18/new-zealands-prime-minister-wins-
worldwide-praise-her-response-mosque-shootings/>.
7
Grayson, H 2021, Jacinda Ardern: how a small town girl became Prime Minister of New
Zealand, Offspring Magazine, viewed 20 October 2022,
<https://www.offspringmagazine.com.au/lifestyle/jacinda-ardern-small-town-girl/>.
8
Grayson, H 2021, Jacinda Ardern: how a small town girl became Prime Minister of New
Zealand, Offspring Magazine, viewed 20 October 2022,
<https://www.offspringmagazine.com.au/lifestyle/jacinda-ardern-small-town-girl/>.
9
“KNOW US BY OUR DEEDS” JACINDA ARDERN’S MESSAGE TO THE RAINBOW
COMMUNITY 2020, Express, viewed 18 October 2022,
<https://gayexpress.co.nz/2020/06/know-us-by-our-deeds-jacinda-arderns-message-to-the-
rainbow-community/>.
Word Count: 800

The Contingency Theory of Leadership states that an effective leader’s leadership style is contingent
on the circumstance and adaptive. The developers Hersey and Blanchard’s of the Situational
Leadership Theory assert that there are four different leadership styles: Telling, Selling, Participating
and Delegating. Jacinda Ardern fits the Contingency Leadership theory, exemplified through her
ability to adapt to different situations. This was exemplified during the terrorist attack on two
mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand which killed 51 worshippers in 2019. 10 Ardern visited the
members of the Muslim community who were impacted. She demonstrated empathy through
embracing the family of the victims and respecting the religious traditions by wearing a hijab,
demonstrating that she is culturally sensitive. 11 Ardern also demonstrated the flexible and
understanding nature of her leadership by using the greeting “Al-Salam Alaikum” meaning ‘peace be
upon you’ in her memorial speech.12 However she changed her leadership style to pressure
government to initiate a gun buy-back scheme and ban semi-automatic weapons. 13 Ardern also set
up a Royal Commission to investigate what public sector agencies could have done to prevent the
attack. Exemplifying that Ardern adapted her leadership style to show her ability and readiness to
pass the regulations through government. 14 The implementation of a Royal Commission
demonstrates that Ardern has a Selling leadership style, illustrated by the two-way communication
needed to start the Royal Commission and explain what is required of the investigation into the
terrorist attack which had never occurred before in New Zealand. 15 Between the implementation of
gun control and the initiation of a Royal Commission this demonstrates that Arden learnt from the
terrorist attack and constructed measures to prevent the situation from reoccurring. This
demonstrates that Ardern’s leadership is contingent on the circumstance, illustrating her ability to
be a well-rounded leader.

Jacinda Ardern’s ability to demonstrate the appropriate leadership in the right circumstances
demonstrates that Ardern fits the Contingency Leadership theory and the Trait leadership Theory.
This is exemplified through her actions during the mosque terrorist attack in 2019 where she
demonstrates different leadership qualities in different situations. Ardern displayed empathy with
the victims and adapted her leadership style to pass gun control and a Royal Commission. This shows
10
Fifield, A 2019, New Zealand’s prime minister receives worldwide praise for her response to
the mosque shootings, viewed 18 October 2022,
<https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2019/03/18/new-zealands-prime-minister-wins-
worldwide-praise-her-response-mosque-shootings/>
11
Fifield, A 2019, New Zealand’s prime minister receives worldwide praise for her response to
the mosque shootings, viewed 18 October 2022,
<https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2019/03/18/new-zealands-prime-minister-wins-
worldwide-praise-her-response-mosque-shootings/>.
12
‘New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern says she will never say Christchurch shooter's
name’ 2019, ABC, 19 March, viewed 18 October 2022, <https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-03
19/christchurch-shootings-jacinda-ardern-house-speech-shooter-name/10917030>.
13

14
Fifield, A 2019, New Zealand’s prime minister receives worldwide praise for her response to
the mosque shootings, viewed 18 October 2022,
<https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2019/03/18/new-zealands-prime-minister-wins-
worldwide-praise-her-response-mosque-shootings
15
Royal commission of inquiry into the terrorist attack on Christchurch masjidain. (n.d.). Royal
Commission of Inquiry into the terrorist attack on Christchurch
masjidain. https://dpmc.govt.nz/our-programmes/national-security/royal-commission-inquiry-
terrorist-attack-christchurch-masjidain
Word Count: 800

her Selling leadership style as an investigation into a terrorist attack had never occurred in New
Zealand. Additionally, Ardern demonstrates characteristics from the Trait Leadership Theory such as
openness in her acceptance of LGBTQ+ people and her tendency to be conscientious by joining
activist groups from a young age. The positives changes she has made throughout her life
demonstrate that she shows a Need for Achievement to accomplish goals and solve problems.
Therefore, she fits both the Trait Leadership Theory and the Contingent Leadership Theory.

Bibliography:
Word Count: 800

Fifield, A 2019, New Zealand’s prime minister receives worldwide praise for her response to the
mosque shootings, viewed 18 October 2022,
<https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2019/03/18/new-zealands-prime-minister-wins-
worldwide-praise-her-response-mosque-shootings/>.

Jacinda Ardern n.d., Britannica, viewed 30 September 2022,

<https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jacinda-Ardern/The-2017-election>.

“KNOW US BY OUR DEEDS” JACINDA ARDERN’S MESSAGE TO THE RAINBOW

COMMUNITY 2020, Express, viewed 18 October 2022,
<https://gayexpress.co.nz/2020/06/know-us-by-our-deeds-jacinda-arderns-message-to-the-
rainbow-community/>.

Miles, M 2022, Are people born leaders? Debunking the trait theory of leadership, BetterUp,
viewed 18 October 2022, <https://www.betterup.com/blog/trait-theory-of-leadership>.

‘New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern says she will never say Christchurch shooter's
name’ 2019, ABC, 19 March, viewed 18 October 2022, <https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-03-
19/christchurch-shootings-jacinda-ardern-house-speech-shooter-name/10917030>.
Royal commission of inquiry into the terrorist attack on Christchurch masjidain. (n.d.). Royal
Commission of Inquiry into the terrorist attack on Christchurch
masjidain. https://dpmc.govt.nz/our-programmes/national-security/royal-commission-inquiry-
terrorist-attack-christchurch-masjidain