Northouse, Leadership 9e
SAGE Publications, 2021
Case 14.3: Jacinda Ardern, Prime
Minister of New Zealand
Case Synopsis and Analysis
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, New Zealand’s 39-year-old leader, reached her political
goals by avoiding many of the pitfalls laid out in front of her. In this case, as a leader, she
was confronted with a national tragedy when a shooter opened fire during Friday prayers at
two Muslim mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. The event was Livestreamed on
Facebook for the world to see. Ardern was stoic and firm in her stance during the aftermath.
Her leadership style united the country and allowed the country to move forward. Prime
Minister Ardern received acclaim for her management of this appalling mass murder.
The case also outlines Ardern’s rise to office by showcasing her life experiences and choices
which led to her election as the youngest prime minister in the history of New Zealand. She
Learning Objectives:
• Students will understand the interplay between gender and leadership.
Answers to questions in the text:
1. In a USA Today article shortly after the mosque attacks in New Zealand, writer Neill
Borowski (2019) profiled Ardern’s accomplishments during the crisis, listing these
four things to know about Ardern:
• She’s New Zealand’s youngest leader in decades.
• She refuses to the give the shooter notoriety.
a. What do you see as the relevance of the last bullet point?
Student answers will vary. Clearly, students should know that biologically
Northouse, Leadership 9e
SAGE Publications, 2021
b. Do you think if Ardern had been male and a father, this author would have
found it equally as important to include that he was a father? Why or why not?
No. How many Presidents of the United States of America have been
described first by their parental status? This is a descriptor that is uniquely
2. Human capital is the first element of the leadership labyrinth discussed in this
chapter. Discuss how each of the four aspects of the human capital element relates to
Ardern. How has she addressed the challenges of each?
3. The chapter describes the existence of “perceived” differences between men and
women in how they lead, which, in the past, have been considered to be natural
consequences of innate differences.
a. Do you agree or disagree that these are innate to each gender? Why?
b. What are some ways that Ardern leads that might be different from a male
leader?
Women tend to build coalitions. They lead from the center of the organization
Northouse, Leadership 9e
SAGE Publications, 2021
c. What are some ways that Ardern leads that might be the same as a male
leader?
4. This textbook has discussed several different leadership approaches (authentic,
situational, leader–member exchange, transformational, etc.). Which of these
approaches apply to Ardern’s leadership? Explain why.
5. It is suggested in this chapter that women are more likely to serve as “social
facilitators” than men. Do you feel this true of Ardern? If so, how has this served or
not served her and her constituents?
Ardern demonstrates empathy. The case discusses her ability to reach out to
6. Prejudice is one of the leading contributors to the leadership gap between men and
women. Discuss the how the four aspects of prejudice outlined in the leadership
labyrinth may have influenced Ardern and her political career. What types of barriers
and obstacles did they each present?
7. The book notes that “women face a double standard in the leadership role; they must
come across as extremely competent but also as appropriately ‘feminine,’ a set of
standards men are not held to” (Eagly & Carli, 2003). The burden to balance agentic
qualities and communal qualities is greater for women than for men. How did Ardern
experience this double standard?
Women continue to encounter this notion of incongruity between leader roles and
Potential Teaching Approaches:
This case study is conducive to group discussions and exercises. Below is a way to structure
a class, based on Case Study 14.3:
• Lecture on Chapter 14 and host general conversation related to gender and leadership.
Exercises for This Case Study:
1. The professor should show video clips of leaders in action, some male and some
female. Ask students to keep notes and record traits/skills/behaviors found in each
speaker. Following the clips and note taking, ask students to compare notes. What
traits/skill/behaviors stand out? Do any of these categories reside solely with one
gender? What lessons can be learned from this exercise?
2. Where do you stand? This activity is about physical space and personal beliefs. In
advance, create a list of 7-10 controversial statements about men and women as
leaders (e.g. to be effective, a male leader must appear to be domineering.) Then ask
the students to physically move to a corner of the room. The far right corner is
“strongly agree,” the far left corner is “strongly disagree,” and “neither
agree/disagree” is in the middle. As the question and then give them all a moment to
Northouse, Leadership 9e
SAGE Publications, 2021
3. In a short essay (250-300 words), ask students to reflect on a time in their life where
the gender of the leader played a positive role in their development. What was the
situation? Why did that leader play a role in your development? Did the gender of the
leader truly impact the student or was it simply the act of an effective leader? Explain.