‘Especially in these times’: Jacinda Ardern announces memoir with message about kindness and empathy
Wednesday, 22 January 2025
Former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says her memoir, called A Different Kind of Power, is due out on June 3.
Ardern said she wanted to share why she believed in empathetic leadership, and that there was a place for kindness in politics.
Promotional material said the book included for the first time the full details of Ardern’s decision to step down during her sixth year as prime minister.
Former prime minister Jacinda Ardern says her memoir, called A Different Kind of Power, is due out on June 3.
“Big announcement!” Ardern said, announcing the publication date in a post on Instagram on Wednesday morning.
“I’ll confess it’s taken me a while!” Ardern said in the post.
But I’ve tried to put on a page how it feels to lead - all the highs and lows, the parts of the job people don’t often see, and the many lessons I learned along the way.
“But I also wanted to share why I believe in empathetic leadership, and that kindness isn’t just something we should teach our kids, there’s a place for it in politics too.
“Especially in these times.”
Ardern provided instructions for pre-ordering the book, saying: “I can’t wait to hear your thoughts and discuss much more soon!”
Publisher Crown, a division of Penguin Random House, described the book as a “deeply personal memoir chronicling [Ardern’s] extraordinary rise and offering inspiration to a new generation of leaders”.
“This is the remarkable story of how a Mormon girl plagued by self-doubt made political history and changed our assumptions of what a global leader can be,” the publisher said.
Ardern exemplified a new kind of leadership—proving that leaders could be caring, empathetic, and effective, promotional material for the book said.
“She has become a global icon, and now she is ready to share her story, from the struggles to the surprises, including for the first time the full details of her decision to step down during her sixth year as prime minister.”
The Paper Plus website was listing the book at a hardcover price of $59.99.