A Different Kind of Power
A Memoir
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4.4 • 31 Ratings
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- $13.99
Publisher Description
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the former prime minister of New Zealand, then the world’s youngest female head of government and just the second to give birth in office, comes a deeply personal memoir chronicling her extraordinary rise and offering inspiration to a new generation of leaders.
“A clear and compelling case for compassion . . . an implicit repudiation of the strongman style of leadership that has taken hold around the world.”—The Washington Post
What if we could redefine leadership? What if kindness came first? Jacinda Ardern grew up the daughter of a police officer in small-town New Zealand, but as the 40th Prime Minister of her country, she commanded global respect for her empathetic leadership that put people first. 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.
When Jacinda Ardern became Prime Minister at age thirty-seven, the world took notice. But it was her compassionate yet powerful response to the 2019 Christchurch mosque attacks, resulting in swift and sweeping gun control laws, that demonstrated her remarkable leadership. She guided her country through unprecedented challenges—a volcanic eruption, a major biosecurity breach, and a global pandemic—while advancing visionary new policies to address climate change, reduce child poverty, and secure historic international trade deals. She did all this while juggling first-time motherhood in the public eye.
Ardern exemplifies a new kind of leadership—proving that leaders can be caring, empathetic, and effective. 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.
Through her personal experiences and reflections, Jacinda is a model for anyone who has ever doubted themselves, or has aspired to lead with compassion, conviction, and courage. A Different Kind of Power is more than a political memoir; it’s an insight into how it feels to lead, ultimately asking: What if you, too, are capable of more than you ever imagined?
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Ardern, the former prime minister of New Zealand, discusses her road to public service in this upbeat autobiography. She opens with her election, in 2017, as the 37-year-old leader of New Zealand's Labour government just after learning she was pregnant. She then flashes back to her childhood, which she spent in small New Zealand communities where her father worked as a policeman. Ardern writes of being incensed by the poverty she observed across the country, where essential industries like forestry declined toward the end of the 20th century. She cut her political teeth as a high school graduate campaigning for MP Harry Duynhoven (she jokes that her Mormon faith trained her well to knock on doors and persuade others), then returned full-force to Kiwi politics after graduating from the University of Waikato. Ardern's prose can sometimes skew toward political platitude, but she offers several fascinating peeks behind the curtain of her administration, particularly regarding its swift passage of gun control legislation after a 2019 shooting at a mosque in Christchurch. It's an inspiring—if somewhat sanitized—glimpse at the rise and philosophy of a consequential politician. Agents: Mollie Glick and David Larabell, CAA.
Customer Reviews
A true leader
A perfect example of what every leader should strive to be. Absolutely loved the book.