To truly lead, start by quietly listening, observing and silently guiding others with love and genuine care, free from making judgments. Realize words spoken with a soul connection teach and heal others better than those from a mind eager to correct. True transformation grows from the silent power of love, not pressure, - a love to do our best and create the best for others. Here are some recent examples of ethical leadership:  

Pope Leo XIV -  “truly understand what it means to carry responsibility for millions of lives—when leadership is no longer about alignment, but about consequence.”  “Sit down. Listen. We don’t have time for blind loyalty anymore.”   The Pope’s words were a call to leaders everywhere to religious and political figures to remember the moral responsibility they carry of creating unity and moral integrity. In a society where loyalty to a party often trumps personal values, the Pope was asking the hard questions: What is true leadership? What does it mean to lead with compassion, to serve those who follow you, instead of using them as a means to an end?  Leadership should be about compassion, not control.

Since taking office, Mayor Mamdani has adopted a holistic approach to combating crime, focusing on community-based solutions, investing in mental health crisis responses, gun violence prevention, hate crime prevention, and victim services. Under Mayor Mamdani, New York City experienced the safest first six months in recorded history. Murders fell 25% to the lowest levels ever. Burglaries declined 16% the lowest levels in nearly a decade, the fewest shooting incidents in NYC history.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy received the International Four Freedoms Award recently. He was honored for his leadership and for the courage of his country. Ukraine has been fighting against Russia’s full-scale invasion for more than four years. The award recognizes the strength and resilience of the Ukrainian people during this tough time.

JAPAN During a difficult financial period, Haruka Nishimatsu, the former head of Japan Airlines, set a powerful example of ethical leadership and responsibility,  demonstrating how true success in business is not just measured by financial performance, but also by how a company treats its workforce. Leaders should share the burden during tough times rather than pass it onto employees. Instead of responding to the crisis with layoffs or protecting his own financial comfort, he chose to reduce his salary to about $90,000 lower than the earnings of many of his pilots. This people-first mindset reinforced loyalty and maintained morale within the company.  

AFRICA – Capt. Traore, a brilliant leader in a young body is rebuilding Africa with integrity, focusing on accountability and empathy, and sustainable growth is built on awareness, trust and respect.  He is putting people and country first before profits. His vision has awakened a long dormant Africa, proving that with clarity, crisis creates courage and change. Since 2022 the country has entered a bold new era of transformation.

True leadership comes from the responsibility to protect and serve others—not to maintain power for its own sake, a reminder that leaders are not defined by their power—they are defined by their ability to act with compassion, integrity, and moral clarity.  

 
Sister Chirya is a student and teacher with the Brahma Kumari's World Spiritual University for over 40 years. She is published globally.