This month we’ve received the following article written by Renée Robson for the Be Recruitment Group site on Trauma-Informed Leadership: The Missing Piece in For-Purpose Organisations
We need to be trauma-informed in our service delivery” is increasingly heard in for-purpose organisations. Yet while we’re laser-focused on trauma-informed care for clients, we nearly always overlook one of the most critical elements: trauma-informed leadership within our own organisations. This disconnect isn’t just ironic – it’s actively working against organisational impact and progress.
The current challenge
Trauma-informed leadership goes further than understanding trauma’s impact or creating psychologically safe spaces (although I’d enthusiastically argue that that is reason enough for all for-purpose organisations to integrate it into their practice). It’s a comprehensive approach to organisational leadership that integrates proven approaches from neuroscience, psychology and leadership to help people thrive. The goal is simple: create systems that support both wellbeing and performance by embedding these principles into organisational design, strategy and policies.
Before you feel the inclination to squirm: it’s not about becoming your team’s therapist or needing anyone to share their trauma stories. Trauma-informed leadership is about understanding how our nervous systems impact behaviour, decision-making, team dynamics and collaboration. It’s about creating conditions where innovation, creativity and growth have the best chance to flourish naturally and understanding the systemic and cultural factors that require adaptable, values-based and community-appropriate solutions – and being able to implement them.
A perfect storm for change
2025 brings a perfect storm to the for-purpose sector: Gen Z/Alpha talent demanding psychological safety and authenticity, unprecedented resource pressures, AI reshaping work entirely and increasingly complex community challenges. Yet many leaders are still clinging to command-and-control approaches that actively repel the exact talent we need to navigate this future. The cost of outdated leadership isn’t just high turnover – it’s our ability to create meaningful change where it’s needed most.
The cost of inadequate training and implementation
Budget pressures and workplace norms support the idea that managers completing a trauma-informed care workshop or doing some online management learning is sufficient. This oversimplified approach misses the mark entirely – and worse, is contributing to the increase in poor-quality people leadership that has increased exponentially since COVID. (Just look at the increase in bullying claims and statistics around people looking to leave their current workplace in 2025.)
Trauma-informed leadership is a distinct capability requiring ongoing support, reflective practice and supervision. It demands leaders who understand both the research behind these approaches and the practical skills to implement them effectively.
Consider a restructure scenario: old-school HR approaches might suggest keeping information close to protect the organisation. However, research shows this approach typically results in a 30% productivity decrease among remaining staff and damages trust irreparably. Trauma-informed leaders understand that transparency, even when difficult, creates better outcomes for everyone – particularly those who have trauma histories (many of us), mental health issues, chronic stress or have any distrust in organisational leadership.
The 3 pillars of implementation
Three key areas deserve immediate attention in developing trauma-informed leadership:
Personal leadership practice
Leaders must develop self-awareness and understanding of their own nervous system responses, enabling them to lead authentically and respond rather than react.System design
Organisations need to intentionally create structures and processes that support psychological safety while maintaining high performance standards – the two actually work together rather than against each other, but it takes skill to design/deliver genuine solutions that account for both and understand the interdependencies between the two.Team development
Leaders need to learn to foster environments where innovation and risk-taking are safe and where failure is seen as a learning opportunity rather than a threat. (That takes real talent and EQ!)
Building a better future
As we look toward the future of the for-purpose sector, implementing trauma-informed leadership shouldn’t be seen as a “nice to have” but as a strategic necessity. Organisations that embrace this approach are undoubtedly better equipped to attract and retain talent, drive innovation and create lasting impact with workforces who see, hear and feel that they are as valued as the people they’re supporting in their communities. Just look at the unravelling of the sector – large organisations that have rejected change and innovation aren’t just being punished in their Glassdoor ratings: clients are leaving in droves as unhappy staff equals deteriorating service.
The idea of being ‘trauma-informed’ for the people who use an organisation’s services, and then delivering the bare minimum of care and respect towards the employees who deliver those services is a special kind of negligent. Not only are some of those employees only marginally more fortunate than the people they support financially, often making minimum award wages, but they are no less deserving of the human decency and respect that is felt when trauma-informed practice is delivered.
The choice is clear: we can continue with leadership approaches that unknowingly perpetuate harm, or we can embrace trauma-informed leadership as a path to creating organisations that truly embody the change we wish to see in the world.
The question isn’t whether to make this shift, but how quickly we can begin.
Offer:
Special Offer for Be Recruitment & Be Executive Community:
Book your 2025 Trauma Informed Leadership workshop or keynote for 2025 before March 31, 2024, and receive a 20% early-bird discount.
Your investment goes beyond training – it powers ‘Trauma Informed Leadership’s’ social enterprise mission: Every booking helps provide free trauma-informed leadership training to small nonprofits and volunteers across Australia, creating more compassionate and effective workplaces.
Ready to make a difference? Mention this article when booking to claim your discount.
