Empowerment: The People-first Strategy for the Future
- Tara Giambrone
- Dec 3, 2025
- 3 min read
A people-first strategy that guarantees a win for both individuals and organizations is simple: empower your people.
Empowered people automatically infuse all that they do with care, attention, and intention. They do things effectively, efficiently, and in a way that impacts others positively. The way we’re working now is not working, but the future of work isn’t less work (and it certainly isn’t AI, at least not long-term and sustainably) - it’s about leaving more of ourselves in the work that we do. And to do that, we need to be empowered. Only then can we bring our full humanity, creativity, and care to the tasks that matter, creating outcomes that only people can create.
The challenge for leaders today is the misconception that human-centered growth and organizational growth are at odds. Too often, leaders feel they must trade the wellbeing of their people for measurable results. And worse, some leaders do not feel the wellbeing of their people even matters. The truth is the opposite: growth through human-centered design is the sustainable future, and human-centered leadership is the vehicle to get there. By acknowledging and empathizing with the experiences, values, and expression of every individual, leaders can cultivate an environment where people are inspired, engaged, and fully present in their work.
Being human-centered isn’t just philosophy—it’s deliberate actions that create a healthy culture. It means consistently and deliberately recognizing the humanity in others, embodying care, and actively preventing prejudice or detriment. A human-centered organization exists to serve its people, customers, and community, orienting all innovation and operational activities around the humans it touches. This approach ensures that strategy, culture, and day-to-day work all align toward creating meaningful impact for real people.
A culture itself doesn’t live in the walls of a building, but rather one that lives in the hearts of the people who inhabit it. We see this routinely in issues that arise in organizations. For instance, for hybrid work models to thrive, offices must feel like opportunities, not obligations; and team-building isn’t a once-a-quarter activity - it’s a daily habit of connection and trust. True culture is created through deliberate routines, rituals, and strategies that empower people to contribute, share honest input, and feel connected to one another. Building real bonds builds trust, which in turn builds engagement, effectiveness, and impact.
Every individual has a part of their work that only they can do in their own way. A sustainable future requires us to leave a part of ourselves - the human part, the care, the intention, the creativity, the impact - in what we create. Reflecting on how we work with everyday excellence and how we can fully bring ourselves to our work is part of the equation. We also need to reflect on what is needed in our work culture to allow us to show up fully so that our work is resonant and impactful.
So I ask you, no matter where you sit in the organization, what can you do today to fuel your impact and connect with others? What one action will help you show up more fully for yourself, your colleagues, and your team? Human-centered growth begins with small, deliberate choices: making things with care, checking in with your people, and supporting each other in ways that honor both the individual and the collective. By building human-centered strategies into their culture, organizations not only thrive—they build a culture that is a catalyst for transformation.