Managing with Dignity, Even When It’s Hard
- Lisa Askins
- Jul 12
- 2 min read
Updated: Sep 2
Leadership in the hardest moments.
We don’t talk about dignity enough.
We might talk about respect, fairness, or rights. But dignity lives deeper. It’s not something we give or take. It’s something we honor.
To honor someone’s dignity is to affirm their humanity, even when they are at their most vulnerable. Especially then.
It’s easy to treat employees with dignity when they’re performing well, meeting expectations, or succeeding.
But the true test of leadership comes in the hard moments—when someone falters, when systems fail, and when the pressure rises. That’s when our commitment to dignity matters most.
Because every decision, every policy, every conversation reflects some narrow benchmark of success—one that ultimately affirms someone’s humanity or diminishes it.
This isn’t abstract. Dignity shows up in:
How we treat people who are struggling
How we give feedback and hold accountability
How we create space for difference, grief, and growth
How we make decisions that affect others
How we navigate power and privilege
How we speak about others when they’re not in the room
How we design systems, forms, and processes
How we collect and report data
To protect dignity, we ask:
Am I respecting this person’s humanity?
Am I open to factors that are unseen?
Is this action rooted in respect or control?
What would I want if I were in their place?
And that’s where dignity begins: when integrity moves beyond the self, into how we show up for others. We won’t always get it right. But when we lead with dignity, we lead with clarity, courage, and care. We create spaces where people feel seen, heard, and valued.
Because we are not here to manage people.
We are here to inspire people to be their best, and that begins with giving them the dignity they deserve.
Let’s talk. If you’re navigating change and want to lead with more clarity, confidence, and connection, I’d love to support your next step.
