Knowing When to Step Down: Jacinda Ardern on Leadership, Vulnerability, and Life After Politics

In January 2023, the world watched as New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern stepped to the podium and announced a decision that stunned her country and reverberated across global headlines: she would not seek re-election, and in fact, would soon resign. For millions, Ardern had become a symbol of empathetic leadership and steady crisis management—her calm, direct approach during the Covid-19 pandemic, her compassion following the Christchurch terror attack, and her willingness to embrace both strength and vulnerability made her an international icon. But in her own words, it was time: “I know what this job takes, and I know that I no longer have enough in the tank to do it justice. It’s that simple.”

The Myth of Endless Resilience

Leaders are often expected to have boundless reserves of energy and certainty, to be unflappable no matter what storms come their way. But as Ardern shared in a recent interview, neither the pressures of the pandemic nor a singular crisis caused her to reach this decision. Rather, it was the quiet accumulation of signs—some large, some small—that together led her to realize she could not serve at her best.

“It wasn’t one thing, it was everything,” Ardern explains. “A range of different trigger points all of which for me pointed to, ‘Am I still the leader I believe I need to be in order to do this job well?’” She noticed herself feeling more defensive, less open; her curiosity was waning; the grind of the job was, perhaps quietly, eroding her sharpness and energy.

Permission to Say “Enough”

Stepping down from power—especially voluntarily and publicly admitting that you’re running out of steam—requires a very different kind of strength than clinging on. “Politicians are human,” Ardern says. “We give all that we can for as long as we can, and then it’s time.”

For many, the sense of responsibility can be crushing. As Ardern recalls, when she began confiding in a very small group about her indecision, people would remind her of all those relying on her: “We have an election, there are people counting on you…” The weight was real—“but actually,” she reflects, “that was also the thing that helped me make the decision.” In high office, “you need reserves for crisis, and if I didn’t have them, it would be irresponsible to stay.”

Giving herself permission to view her departure as an act of responsibility, not failure, was pivotal. “As soon as I gave myself the permission to think about it like that… that was when I made the call.”

Leading Through Vulnerability

It’s a rare leader who admits doubt publicly—yet Ardern’s resignation speech earned global praise precisely because it was humane. “It takes a different kind of power… to have the self-awareness to say, ‘I don’t know if I still have it.’” Oprah, her interviewer, made clear how unusual such transparency is. In politics—where staying for the sake of power, or for fear of public perception, is common—most leaders keep going even as their fire wanes.

To Ardern, acknowledging her limits was not just honest, it was ethical. “If I felt I was becoming more defensive… if my curiosity wasn’t what it used to be—those were signs it would be irresponsible to stay.”

Facing the Fallout

Making the decision is one thing; announcing it to the world is another. For someone used to relentless public scrutiny, the prospect of letting people down, of disappointing those who believed in her, was daunting. “You spend years being acutely aware of what everyone thinks—it’s part of your job,” she shares. “Walking away felt like a lonely decision… but I’ve never regretted it, and I’ve never felt like it was the wrong one.”

The Politics of Politics

For all her optimism about the potential for positive change in government, Ardern confesses that “the politics of politics” was always her least favorite part. She entered politics to do good, to change the world—a motivation she holds to this day—but the day-to-day maneuvering, the endless scrutiny and partisanship, was never what inspired her.

“There are people who love the sport, and there are people who love what you can do,” she says. She’s firmly the latter.

Life After “Velocity”: Finding a New Pace

Michelle Obama, in her memoir, wrote about the “velocity” of her years in the White House—the constant movement, the sheer number of people and places, the inability to remember where you’ve just been because you’re already moving on to the next thing. Jacinda Ardern’s experience was similar, even in relatively small New Zealand. She’d still find herself doing the supermarket run, or the occasional school dropoff for her daughter, Eve—but the demands were relentless and the transition to “normal life” has not always been smooth.

“The full speed to slow speed flip gets switched off like a tap,” she says. At first, she poured her energy into writing a memoir—“therapy with a deadline”—but now, two years later, with the book done and fewer external demands, she’s had to relearn how to simply be. “My husband doesn’t think it suits my personality particularly,” she laughs.

Lessons in Leadership and Letting Go

What does Ardern’s story teach us about leadership, success, and personal wellness? A few vital lessons emerge:

Self-awareness is Strength

: Knowing when you’re no longer at your best, and acting on it, safeguards not just your own wellbeing but that of the organization, the country, or the community you lead.

Service, Not Ego

: True leaders focus on their duty to serve, not their ego or fear of “loss of power.”

Permission to Pause

: Giving yourself the right to step away—and seeing it as a mature, necessary act—can be the most powerful decision you make.

Life After Service

: Finding purpose beyond the big job, and learning to settle into new rhythms, is not easy—but it is essential for growth.

A Blueprint for Future Leaders

Jacinda Ardern’s journey—her honesty, her willingness to be vulnerable, her firm sense of responsibility—sets a new standard in public leadership. She reminds us that real courage isn’t in holding the post no matter what, but in knowing when to move aside for the greater good.

In an age when many leaders cling too long to their positions, her graceful exit is a powerful example. Politics—and the world—needs more of that kind of strength.

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